Aaron out to even score for dad Elvis
Aaron Pressley is aiming for a better experience against Arsenal than dad Steven endured when he lines up against Mikel Arteta’s stars this week.
The Brentford B striker is also hoping to even up the score after Pressley senior suffered 27 years ago at Highbury to a striker’s masterclass from Ian Wright on his Coventry debut after moving from Rangers as a 21-year-old.
Elvis went on to enjoy a high-class career with Dundee United, Hearts and Celtic, earning 32 Scotland caps.
Now 19-year- old son Aaron shows seriously promising signs of breaking into the big time too.
Next step is a Carabao Cup tie at the Emirates on Wednesday with loan club AFC Wimbledon.
The strapping 6ft 4in striker has impressed when starting the highflying League One club’s two Carabao ties so far and he said: “I’m hoping to start but I’ll have to see.
“The manager likes to switch the team for whatever suits that particular game.
“We’re a relatively young squad, we’re all thinking: ‘This is the kind of stage I want to get to’.
“That ’s a long way ahead but it would be good to get a taste.
“I’m sure dad told me he once gave away two goals at Arsenal, so hopefully I can get a couple of goals at the Emirates.”
Nineteen goals for Brentford B last season, under the guidance of dad’s former assistant Neil MacFarlane, alerted a host of clubs to his loan availability.
Mark Robinson’s AFC Wimbledon won the race to snap him up and Pressley is keen to make the most of his chance.
He said: “Brentford has a plan for each player, so I’ve not just been chucked out to Wimbledon to see how it goes.
“Now it’s down to me and hopefully, if I do well, I come back to be involved in the Premier League squad.
“I was at Aston Villa as a kid, they were great for me but I felt I didn’t have a future there in terms of a pathway.
“Working with Neil has taken my game and belief to a different level.”
The youngster is also in line to team up again with his dad if he makes the breakthrough at the Bees, where his old man is the club’s Head of Individual Development.
But he admits Elvis has already been a key figure in his development.
He said: “Dad has been the voice I’ve listened to most. In his job, he’s able to watches lots of my games because we play plenty midweeks and as a former centre-half, he knows what’s tough to play against.
“He knows what he’s talking about, he’s been through it. I feel I can trust everything he says.”
Arsenal defenders might take one look at Pressley and assume he’s target man material. They would be wrong.
He said: “I can be a really good link-up player. I’ve good movement in the box, I’m a good finisher and I’m quite quick.
“I don’t want to be that big striker who stands up the pitch and heads balls. I’m cleverer than that.
“I want to get involved with balls to feet, running behind and scoring.”