REAGAN Ogle believes his decision to swap Australia for Accrington has paid off as he looks to make a breakthrough into the first team this season.

The 18-year-old defender has penned a pro contract with the Reds after a season in which he made his Football League debut as a late substitute in the final home game of the season against Luton Town.

The full back also featured in the Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Wolves in November and was on the bench on several other occasions for John Coleman's side.

And he believes the decision to move from Down Under to East Lancashire has proved to be the right one.

He said: "I had a friend who came over here and I’d been to school with his daughter and he suggested I came over to see how I’d do.

"We didn’t really think anything would come of it but it was good to see how I compared to English kids and English football.

"When Accrington gave me the chance more or less straight away I wanted to give it a go.

"I thought if it didn’t work I’d go home a better player than I was. Getting a scholarship was great but once that had happened I wanted to be a pro.

“It’s a big step up from playing in Australia and being a pro from Australia is a bit more prestigious I think because football isn’t the main sport over there so to come over here and mix it with the English kids who have been playing their whole life is a great feeling."

Ogle spent time on loan with Ramsbottom United and has been a regular in Stanley's youth team.

And he is now targeting a breakthrough into the first team squad.

He added: “Having been at the club for a few years as I have when you get into the youth team you think that it could happen in terms of going pro and if you have a good season or two it becomes more realistic because you’re training with the first team and you know that’s what you want to do.

“As soon as you get that feeling you want that contract and once you get it it’s a great feeling.

“In the first year of the youth team I wasn’t really thinking about a contract, more about having a good season then in the second year I started playing quite well, went out on loan and that helped and when I came back there were clubs looking at me and I felt like I had a shot.

“When you get on the first team bench for the first time it’s something else. It’s completely different.”