Joe Colbeck speaks to the Quaker matchday magazine. This article was originally printed in the Darlington v Northampton Town programme on November 10th.

With two goals in three starts young Joe Colbeck has made an impressive start to his spell at Darlington. The right winger was one of the highlights of the disappointment at Edger Street a week ago as he scored a well worked goal courtesy of Julian Joachim's pull back. Quakers recovered from their disappointment against Hereford United with a 2-0 win against Shrewsbury Town and again Colbeck was on the scoresheet, this time with an important second goal of the game to ease Darlington clear of the visitors.

Colbeck's second strike in the black and white hoops of Darlington came at the end of a flowing breakaway. Picking up the ball on the edge of his own eighteen yard box he burst forward. Only Greg Blundell and a Shrewsbury defender back on the half way line could keep up with the youngster. He waited and waited until Blundell was level, played him wide and continued he run to the penalty spot where he received the ball back and slotted home. That second goal against Shrewsbury will be hard to beat and Colbeck hopes he can pay back Blundell for his assist.

"I think it is the winger's job to score as well, maybe get ten a season. I've scored two for Darlington and once for Bradford so hopefully I can get up to that number. That is my benchmark so I'm hoping I can get that many," said the winger after Tuesday's night's game. "Greg (Blundell) played a great ball through to me. It is up to me to give him one back because he is a forward and it is his job to score and my job is to provide them. Maybe in the coming weeks I can get a few assists as well and pay Greg back. Catching them on the break was a brilliant move and that one was certainly the best of the two. I really enjoyed it."

Colbeck's loan move from Bradford City came just days after Quakers had gone head to head with his club. The winger made his Bradford debut in August 2004 against Notts County in a Carling Cup tie. He broke into the team the following season and during the previous campaign was more heavily involved. Despite the Bantams' relegation to Coca-Cola League Two Colbeck has found a first team place hard to come by under manager Stuart McCall.

This is the first time in the youngster's fledgling career that he has found himself away from the familiar surroundings of Valley Parade and admits to more than a few nerves. Those nerves certainly have not been evident during his time at Darlington so far where he has taken his chance at first team football with two hands and scooped a richly deserved man of the match award for his efforts.

"At first it was very nerve wracking because I've never been at another club playing senior football. I was very nervous but the lads have made me feel very welcome. They are a good group and I'm really enjoying myself here. I am very happy I came here, my confidence is booming and I am enjoying my football and the training is excellent," he said.

"I could well have been sitting on the bench with Julian Joachim playing on the right but the gaffer started me on the left and put Julian on the right against Shrewsbury. I am delighted that he is happy to put me in different positions. My preferred position is on the right wing but anywhere the boss tells me to play I will play. I just love being able to play my football."

Colbeck's loan move to Darlington came as fellow right winger Neil Wainwright left to join Shrewsbury Town for a month. Both Dave Penney and McCall have said that their respective players have a future at their clubs but Colbeck at least is not looking too far ahead. At present the Bradford born player is simply happy to be playing games again and seems happy to just see how things unfold for the time being.

"I don't know where my future lies long term and to be honest I have not thought about it. I just want to concentrate on my game. I have a month's loan here and I'm just focusing on that. We'll see what happens at the end of it, maybe there will be an extension here but if I do get called back hopefully I can play some football there."

"That is the main thing for me, I am twenty-one at the end of this year and I've reached the point in my career where I need to be playing and not sitting on the bench. Experience comes from starting and playing games and that is what I need to be doing. I don't want to reach twenty-three or twenty-four and not have played many league games, perhaps be looking for a club and getting told I don't have enough games under my belt. That certainly wouldn't look good. I need games to become an experienced pro," he said.

Kevin Luff