Life in the top-flight is going swimmingly for Tigers midfielder Dean Marney – although he admits a goal or two would be nice.
The Essex-born star is loving it up north and has good reason to. City have confounded all expectations in their maiden voyage in the Premiership, with Marney having played a leading role in it.
Plaudits have come his and City's way, with his rece
nt signing of a new contract affirmation that he has taken to the big league like a duck to water.
The only thing missing for the box-to-box midfield dynamo is finding the net this term – something he hadn't done going into this weekend's trip to Stoke.
Marney, who burst onto the Premiership scene with boyhood club Spurs when he fired two cracking goals in the 5-2 win over Everton on New Year's Day 2005, said: "I'm not sure when my last goal was, to be honest. It's disappointing I haven't scored yet, but I seem to be getting closer each game.
"I'm sure it will come. As a midfielder, it's always nice to bang a few in each season. If I can get one, maybe a few more will come after that."
For the record, Marney's last strike came in the vital 2-0 win at Leicester in April, just his second goal of the calendar year ahead of yesterday.
While goal-scoring garnish would undeniably go down just a treat, pinning down a spot in the engine room has been the top priority for the 24-year-old.
And he has duly delivered, with boss Phil Brown keeping faith with Marney and another hero from last year's promotion campaign in Ian Ashbee in the heart of midfield, with George Boateng the third part of a hard-working triumvirate.
Marney added: "I felt like I had a good pre-season from a personal point of view and felt like I had every chance of playing.
"I was a bit disappointed not to play in the first game, but I've played in every one since.
The full article contains 354 words and appears in Yorkshire Sport newspaper.
