Matt Fry will join up with his new Charlton Athletic team-mates on Monday determined to impress at the League One high-fliers until the end of the season.
The highly-regarded Academy graduate got 13 first-team matches under his belt at that level after a successful loan spell at struggling Gillingham this season. The Charlton challenge will be entirely different as they are going for promotion to the Championship - either through the play-offs or, at a push, the automatic spots.
Fry said: "I am definitely looking forward to it. Charlton are a quite a high-profile team. I went to Gillingham in the beginning of the season, which was a good experience but it is nice that Charlton wanted me. It has all worked out nicely.
"I need matches. As a young player you are limited for first-team football. You always look to gain experience elsewhere and it is nice to have them come in. Huddersfield on Saturday was too soon, if I am honest, having come back from a knee injury. I want to be 110 per cent before i can play.
"The club will watch me closely. I am away from West Ham but not, because they do watch and they see it as a chance for me to get stronger. If I go out and do well, they will see it. I will try to do my best."
Fry has high hopes of making it at West Ham but knows it is a tough step to progress from reserves, as shown by the likes of Josh Payne and Bondz 'Gala, who both look set to move on at the end of the season. He has overcome that tricky knee problem in recent weeks and hopes to stay injury-free in the weeks and months to come to prove his worth.
The defender has no hesitation in naming who he most admires and would love to emulate at the club. As a left-footed, left-sided centre-back, he pays close attention to captain Matthew Upson - taking every opportunity to watch him work at Chadwell Heath and in action for club and country.
"It is always nice to look at someone who is left-footed and plays at left centre-half. It is nice to have someone close to home that can watch every day and take things from his game that I can add to mine. All in all it will make me a better player. I have watched him closely over the last year."
Another centre-back he admires is Christian Dailly, having had the opportunity to train with the former Hammers skipper in the summer. The 19-year-old will get the chance to link up with him again as the Scottish veteran, himself now 36, is part of the Charlton ranks, alongside another Academy product in winger Kyel Reid.
"It will be good to be with Christian. Having trained with him during pre-season he is a true professional and takes his job seriously which is great for me. That has helped him squeeze more out of his career. I am looking forward to playing alongside him and teaming up with him again."
Fry returned to the Boleyn a more rounded-individual after his spell at Gillingham and wants to take that to another level. "I look at loan moves as an opportunity to get stronger. I want to fulfil my full potential and get the best out of it that I can. My long-term target is West Ham's first team and this is a good opportunity. Gillingham was a great experience and I am stronger as a person and a player."