Dan Barlaser laid out his pre-season aims in the build-up to Newcastle United's first game of the off-season, and in the game that followed he quickly begun ticking them off the list.
At 23, Barlaser knows that he must make an impression this summer and far from the usual soundbite players give when asked about what he wants to do over the next few weeks he was explicit about his hopes.
He spoke of getting a 'couple of assists and goals' in an interview with NUFC TV and when he lined up against Crewe at the Magpies training camp in York he set about his task .
Having started and played a full 45 minutes before Bruce made 11 changes for the second half, Barlaser came back on for Dwight Gayle just past the hour mark.
Ten minutes later he planted a corner onto the head of Federico Fernandez who nodded home for United's third.
Speaking prior to the game, Barlaser said: "It's a chance to show the lads and the gaffer what I've got really and try to push on in my career.
"With the couple of games I've got, I'm just going to try and do my best and hopefully get a couple of goals and assists and catch his [Steve Bruce's] eye. "
It might have only been a pre-season game against a League One side but Barlaser stepped up to the plate and will be hoping there's more to come.
Rotherham fans were keen to point out that the Gateshead born midfielder produced 30 assists last season while on loan there, and Bruce will be keen to see if that sort of form can be taken into the Premier League.
