Philippines goalkeeper Neil Etheridge is hoping to secure a permanent deal after making his debut for Charlton Athletic in their 1-1 draw against Cardiff City on Boxing Day.
Having been released by Fulham this summer, the 24-year-old joined the Addicks on a month-long deal from Oldham Athletic at the end of November and was a surprise choice to start against Cardiff as, with first-choice keeper Stephen Henderson out through injury, manager Bob Peeters opted to drop reserve stopper Nick Pope and hand the Filipino his debut at The Valley.
With 43 international caps for the Azkals at the tender age of 24, Etheridge was on the books of Fulham from 2008-14 but spent time on loan with sides like Leatherhead, Bristol Rovers, Crewe Alexandra and Oldham, while he is in his second stint with Charlton after spending the 2011-12 season at The Valley.
The giant stopper was elated with his performance and hinted on Charlton's official Facebook page that he is hoping for another start when they take on Ipswich Town on Tuesday night in a bid to seal a permanent deal with the Addicks.
He said: "I'd like to think my performance would allow me to play against Ipswich on Tuesday night. It will be fantastic if I do. I've made it clear to everyone that I'd like to sign a long-term contract here. The Cardiff game put the ball rolling and I want to try and cement a first-team position.
"It is not always easy and not always nice being a goalkeeper because I am a close friend of Popey (Nick Pope) off the field. You have to look out for yourself. I don't know exactly what Hendo's situation is, if I'm honest, but I hope to train hard and get the opportunity to play."
Etheridge is one of the biggest football starts back in the Philippines and was part of the national setup that qualified for the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals only to be knocked out by eventual champions Singapore.
With the festive fixtures coming thick and fast, Etheridge knows that this is the perfect opportunity to play himself into manager Peeter's thoughts as the January transfer window is set to open soon.
"It's a very busy time with Christmas and so many games in quick succession," he added. "I hope I've thrown a spanner in the works for the people who make the decisions at Charlton and I'm very clear that -- for today and the rest of the season -- I want to get my head down and work."