TEENAGE West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen said he is ready to grab the next first team opportunity with both hands.

The 19-year-old from Wickford, who is on the shortlist for the Echo Young Sports Personality of the Year award, got a taste of first team action at the start of the season when he played in the Europa Cup and made his Premier League debut as a sub in the Hammers’ 3-0 win at Liverpool in August.

Despite a couple of appearances on the first team bench since then, Cullen has had to be content with under-21 football.

He was in the West Ham team that drew 1-1 with Arsenal in the Under-21 Premier League Division Two at Upton Park on Monday night.

But as we head into the new year, Cullen, an Ireland youth international, is determined to take his chance when it next comes around.

Cullen, who was born in Southend, said: “It’s been a good start to the season, I knew I wouldn’t break into the squad immediately, we’ve got a great squad now, so it’ll be tough but I’ll keep on plugging away in the under-21s and when I go away with Ireland, I’ll always try to do as well as I can.”

“With the way the club wants to go it’ll be tough (to break through). We want to be a top six club and the quality of the players here is about as good as it’s ever been, certainly that I can remember.

"It’s a challenge, but one I look forward to, you can always learn from the players that are here as well, that’s a good positive.

"You can always take tips from them and that helps to prove to people that I am good enough to play in the first team.”