MIKE GREEN is ready to stake his claim to become the regular number one at Bristol Rovers.

The goalkeeper, who was born and bred in Winterbourne, impressed boss Paul Trollope in the pre-season campaign after being given a chance due to the departure of Steve Phillips and then the injury to Luke Daniels, whose one-year loan deal has since been cancelled.

The 21-year-old is yet to make his league debut having been understudy to Phillips for three years before spending last season on loan at Blue Square North club Gloucester City, where he impressed enough to earn a new one-year contract at the Memorial Stadium.

Green played in the 1-0 defeat to Premiership new boys West Brom and kept a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw at Cheltenham, but the return of Denmark under-21 international Mikkel Andersen on a month’s loan from Reading means he is set to be on the bench for the opening League One clash at Peterborough United on Saturday.

However, he has relished playing a big part in the first team’s preparations for the new season and is now ready to fight for the shirt.

“Like any goalkeeper I want to get in the first team and cement my place every week and become number one,” he said.

“I think I have done alright, I’ve done what I’ve had to do and all that they’ve asked of me.

“I have really enjoyed it against tougher and better opposition.

“I’m not getting too big for my boots but hopefully I can get a start.

“I will be patient like I have been and take my chance when it comes.”

Green, who attended the Winterbourne International Academy, feels more ready for first team football after his enjoyable spell at Gloucester.

He said: “It put me in good stead. I gained lots of confidence, I matured as a person and as a player from that experience.

“It gave me a great experience of playing on a regular basis, which I hadn’t done since I was in the under-18s.

“Everyone down there was brilliant and I wish them all the best.

“I had good reports going back from Gloucester and people coming to watch (from Bristol Rovers).”

A lifelong Gas fan, Green believes they can crash the play-off party this season.

He said: “We’ve got a really good squad, the manager has brought in good players and the players we had last year are good. “Everyone is getting on well and we’ve got a good team spirit to do really well.

“I think we will push for the play-offs again and go one better and be in there this year.”