O'Connor thrown in at deep end by Fleetwood with Rosler's best wishes

The Irishman, who joined North End in the summer from Cork and has played eight Championship games (starting four), goes straight into Town’s squad for the League One clash at Priestfield Stadium.

Like fellow Town full-backs Lewie Coyle and Gethin Jones, O’Connor has joined the club in the hope of regular game time in competitive English football.

Rosler said: “It was evident we needed a left-back (following last week’s sale of Amari’i Bell to Blackburn).

“I think Kevin came here to play, like Gethin and like Lewie Coyle.

“All three players are not coming with 200 games under their belt. They are coming to find their feet with us. All three of them are talented.

“Kevin is very talented, with a good left-foot. He brings everything that we need.

“Now he has been thrown in to play regular first-team football and I hope he will cope well.

“I wish him a very good start and I hope he will help us.

“It is a completely different scenario than being a player who will be on the bench and play a few minutes. That is completely different to being asked to play every three days.

“For young players that is challenging, but you see with Lewie Coyle that he is playing more or less every game and it is his first season. He is learning to cope with it really well.

“I think it is about the mental approach. That takes a lot out of young players because they need to learn how to cope and that only comes with experience.

“Kevin comes with everything we have been looking for. I wish him a very good start.”