David Stockdale has told the Plymouth Evening Herald that he’s gone to Home Park to get some first-team football.

The Fulham goalkeeper has joined Argyle on a one-month loan deal but knows that he will have to work hard to replace Romain Larrieu in the first team.

The gaffer hasn’t promised me anything. It’s up to him who plays.

Romain has been a very loyal servant to the club and I can’t just come in and demand that I play. Hopefully, I will show him what I’m capable of in training and he rewards me with a place.

I have seen Romain play. You can’t really say he’s getting old now because our ‘keepers at Fulham are 39 and 37, so he’s a youngster.

It might be the gaffer is trying to bring in competition for Romain but will carry on playing him. I don’t know. I don’t pick the team. I just do what I’m told and try to perform when I play.

Our gaffer told me that Plymouth were interested and, basically, it was up to me to decide. I was 100 per cent about it. I just want to play games.

I also thought, no offence to Plymouth, that they are not in the best league position and I wanted to do something to try to help that as well. I’m not saying Romain hasn’t done that, but the gaffer here (Mariner) wanted competition for places and that’s what I’m going to try to bring.

I had a word with him (Carver), said Stockdale. “He asked me would I be interested in signing and I said ‘yes, of course I would.’ I’m not getting many games at Fulham. The goalkeeper coach (former Argyle manager Mike Kelly) wants me to play competitive games and he felt that this would be a good move for me.

Stockdale’s been hugely impressive on his limited showings in a Fulham shirt. Plenty of people were worried about pitching an untried 23 year-old, as he was then, in the heat of league action when Mark Schwarzer got injured earlier this season. He made his league debut against Everton and made a couple of blinding late saves to help Fulham hold on for a crucial win and a fine stop in CSKA Sofia secured what proved to be a vital point the following week in the Europa League.

The young man knows it’s about kicking on from here too.

This is the next step for me. I need to show I can play in this league. I have shown I can play one game in the Premier League, but I need to play in this league consistently and play well.

I think there is a good aura about the place. The players are all having a laugh.

When it comes down to it, I don’t think they are a team that comes into that relegation bracket. With the players they have got here, they should get out of it, touch wood.

Both Stockdale and Fulham also appear to be open to extending the loan deal.

I would definitely be interested. Roy Hodgson told me if I was playing and I was enjoying it, the decision was up to me.

But, obviously, if I’m not playing and Romain is doing well I have got no other choice but to look after myself. I might as well sit on the bench for Fulham.

I’m going to push Romain as hard as I can. Hopefully, I will have a good season and help keep us up.