Archive
Bradden's Back With A Bang
Written by Newcastle Utd
With three goals in three games since returning from Crewe, including a brace against Consett, Bradden Inman feels his loan spell has improved him
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
With three goals in three under-21 games since returning from a successful loan spell at Crewe Alexandra, Bradden Inman has continued where he left off at Newcastle United.
Prior to his temporary switch to League One, the Australian had scored seven times in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League and he then netted eight times for Crewe - including two in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy area final, earning the Railwaymen a place at Wembley.
They beat Southend 2-0 at the national stadium as Inman picked up a winner's medal and, having returned to Tyneside at the end of April, he found the net in last week's play-off match against Everton at Goodison Park before hitting a brace in Wednesday night's 6-0 friendly win over Consett.
"I think the loan spell has helped me a lot," he told nufc.co.uk. "To me it seems like I'm the same player but maybe to others it seems like I've improved.
"But I feel like I'm gradually getting better now. I'm feeling fitter and I feel like I know the real game now.
"It was a good experience. The gaffer (Alan Pardew) and Willie (Donachie) wanted me to go out and play men's football and obviously I did that and enjoyed it, and it showed with the goals as well.
"And not many people get to play at Wembley. It was a dream come true - I never really thought in my career I'd be playing at Wembley so I'll remember that day for the rest of my life."
The surroundings of Consett's Belle Vue Park are a world away from the wonder of Wembley, but Inman was pleased to play a starring role in what was the Northern League side's final game at the ground before moving to a new stadium next season.
James Tavernier was on target from a penalty won by the Adelaide-born midfielder while Rolando Aarons, Jonathyn Quinn and Remie Streete also got on the scoresheet.
"It was good to play a game," he said. "It's always better to play a game than training and in the second half, scoring the goals helped to make it a more enjoyable game.
"It's good to be back at Newcastle and it was a good game. Winning 6-0 is good and it's always nice to get on the scoresheet as well as making an assist to help the team out so it was a good hour or so for me."
Next week, Newcastle's second-string head out to the Far East to defend the Citibank Hong Kong Football Club International Soccer Sevens tournament which they won last year.
Inman was part of that victorious team and said: "I don't know if I'm going yet but if I was to go, I'd enjoy it. Winning it was great last year and it's a good tournament. You don't really get to go to Hong Kong that much so it's a good tournament for the lads who go."