Grant's hungry for Fleetwood Town success

He joined Town in the summer of 2015, a year after promotion from League Two and, after a four-year trophy drought, the Cod Army are now eager for success.

Grant was part of the side that nearly reached the Championship for the first time under Uwe Rosler in the 2017/17 season.

They missed out in the play-offs but, under new boss Joey Barton, there is a renewed optimism at Town and Grant is eager for his time at Highbury to include medals.

When asked if he wanted to add promotion to his Town CV he said: “Definitely. I’d be lying if I said it has not crossed my mind.

“At the start of this season it is in my mind.

“Those are my aims personally, and if we can do that, I’d be over the moon.

“It comes down to taking it game by game.

“When it comes to talking about that I am sure we will.

“If we keep doing what we are doing I am sure we will be there or thereabouts.”

It is Barton’s first managerial role, one which started with a league defeat to AFC Wimbledon last Saturday ahead of Saturday’s trip to Oxford United.

With Rangers loanee Jason Holt back from suspension and Dean Marney pushing for a start, Grant is battling it out to retain his spot in the starting line-up.

He said: “Personally it has been great.

“A fresh start, fresh ideas, new staff, new coaches and a real buzz around the place which is very important.

“Also, everyone has got a fair crack of the whip and everyone has got a chance to impress.

“It is all about winning; we win together, we lose together and it is all about winning.

“That is just the mentality that the manager has brought in and it is not just us players; it is everyone around the club from the supporters to ourselves – that is the type of environment we want to create.”

Grant also explained what has changed at Highbury since Barton took over in the summer.

He said: “The one thing that comes to my mind is the standards that the gaffer and all the staff he has brought in and the standards that he sets are all high.

“The minute you fall below them you will know about it.

“It is hard to really describe but you go from, no disrespect to (John) Sheridan, but you go from a relaxed sort of atmosphere to ‘every day is a working day.’

“We are preparing for each game as it comes.

“We do not look too far ahead, we take each game as it comes and we go from there.”