Steven Bradley believes he's ready to make the step into first-team football in the Scottish Premiership - and that Livingston is the perfect place for him to do just that.
The 20-year-old could make his debut this afternoon for the Lions after signing from Hibs. Bradley, who has had loans spells at Ayr United and Dundalk, impressed during Livi's winter training camp in Turkey and earned himself a two-and-a-half year deal at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Having experienced a full season of regular action in the Irish top flight, the Glasgow lad insists he's ready for the next step, saying: "The last year or so I have been playing every week, so I feel like I am ready for that.
“I know how it feels to be a first-team player, elsewhere, obviously. But now I feel I can kick on here and play every week. I feel as if I have settled in.
“I see this as a good opportunity to showcase what I can do on the pitch. Since I have been here, everyone has been brilliant with me so I am looking forward to getting out on the pitch and trying to help the team win, score goals and create goals.
“I want to help us finish as high as possible in the league and hopefully we can do something good together.”
It wasn't just on the pitch where the youngster matured during his stint with Dundalk, either, saying: "It was good, I enjoyed it. I stayed in a house with a few of the other players
“I had to start cooking for myself and things like that which was good. I wasn’t great to start with but I learned the pasta and chicken quite quickly. It was just basic stuff.
“Obviously getting first team football every week has also really helped me a lot in the last year. I feel like I have grown up a lot and matured from that and playing games has helped me and now I can use that as good experience.”
Livingston go into the clash without the suspended duo of Jason Holt and Scott Pittman after both players had red card appeals turned down last week. Shamal George is expected to be out along with long-term injury victims Tom Parkes and Jamie Brandon.
The Lions are also hopeful they can have centre-back Luiyi de Lucas signed, sealed and delivered within a fortnight.
The Dominican Republic defender, who spent last season in the Finnish top division, flies into the country on Wednesday.
Livi boss David Martindale said: "He got his governing body endorsement (from the Scottish Football Association) last week.
“He flies in on the fourth, has his English language test which he will fly through on the fifth and his Home Office interview on 10th, so by mid-January we should have clearance for him to play first-team games.”
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