Jonah Ayunga is determined to prove he’s top tier quality after his first shot was robbed by injury.
The St Mirren summer recruit was entering the second year of his contract with Brighton and Hove Albion, who had just been promoted to the English Premier League back in 2017, when he suffered a devastating leg break.
That halted the young striker’s hopes of forcing his way into the Seagulls first team, with the now 25-year-old eventually released to spend two years in the lower echelons of the English game.
Having worked his way back up the ladder, first at English League One side Bristol Rovers and most recently at Morecambe, Ayunga is desperate to show he’s got what it takes to impress in the Scottish Premiership.
Speaking exclusively to Renfrewshire Live Sport, Ayunga explained: “I joined Brighton in 2016, Chris Hughton was the manager at that point.
“I went out on loan a few times initially, but I trained a lot with Brighton during my first season there and it was a very high level. We had some brilliant players.
“We got promoted up to the Prem but then I broke my leg, which was hugely disappointing.
“I was only one year into my contract and it cost me a year at the worst possible time.
"As a striker you need a good run of games to show what you can do, and I never got that chance at Brighton.
“It was really tough to take, because until that point I’d been progressing really well.
“It obviously was far from ideal, but I’m determined to push on now. There’s no point looking back the way.
“Hopefully at St Mirren I can raise my levels again. I believe I can get back to that level again.”
While his Saints teammates might be new, Ayunga has first-hand knowledge of his new boss having worked under Stephen Robinson at Morecambe last season.
Robinson converted Ayunga into a winger for the first time in his career, and the Englishman admits the Buddies manager played a key role in persuading him a switch to Scottish soil was the right next step for him.
Ayunga said: “As soon as the gaffer moved up here, I knew it was a possibility he’d bring me up too so I immediately started following how the team were doing.
"It’s definitely given me confidence that he wanted to work with me again. It’s up to me now to repay that faith.
“He’s the best coach I’ve ever worked with. His attention to detail is incredible and you can see how committed he is just by seeing him on the side of the pitch every game.
“He can get the best out of me and he knows what I can give him. I’ve been a centre forward my whole career, but last season I was moved onto the wing and I’m comfortable playing there too.
“I’m direct, like to run at people and get past defenders, so hopefully I can build on that this season.”
While he knows he already has the manager’s backing, Ayunga isn’t taking anything for granted as he tries to stake a claim for a first-team spot during this week’s pre-season trip to Belfast.
Ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Linfield, Ayunga added: “The level of training has been really good so far. It’s been really tough, with a lot of double sessions, but we knew it would be.
“The gaffer has said already to everyone that no-one is nailed on to start that first league game.
“Every game is an audition to get in the team, so I’m going to work as hard as I can to prove I should be in the team.”
