Norwich City youngster Brad Hills revealed the in-joke doing the rounds at Accrington Stanley is they have ‘become Norwich reserves’, with a trio of Canaries on loan at the League Two club.

Highly-rated centre back Hills and fellow defender Lewis Shipley joined on a season long deals, with keeper Jon McCracken also linking up on a rolling emergency loan move.

Teenage defender Hills has been an ever-present in the Stanley backline ahead of Saturday’s trip to Grimsby.

“Enjoying it so far. Everything is going well. Playing well, body is holding up well. A real good start,” said the 19-year-old, who is yet to make a senior Norwich appearance but was part of David Wagner’s squad during the early part of pre-season.

“You watch the league and you know what you are in for. It is a physical league, tough mentally and physically. Playing Tuesday and Saturday the games come around quickly. You have to try and keep yourself in the best shape possible, and I have done that so far. I have played a good number of games.

“There is an on going joke in the dressing room now this is Norwich reserves. It is good. Jon came over recently and I get on with him very well. He is a great character. I call him Mr Negative, towards other people. No, seriously he is a cracking goal keeper. If he keeps the ball out of the net that is all that matters.

"Having faces you know, and have played with before, makes it so much easier because you already feel you have that chemistry.”

Scottish keeper McCracken has been in goal for Stanley’s last four league games, including a battling 1-1 derby draw at Morecambe to kickstart an unbeaten run that continued with a 5-3 Football League Trophy midweek win at Harrogate.

“It has been massive the last few days,” said Hills, interviewed by BBC Radio Lancashire. “We got a point at Morecambe and that was a step in the right direction, and then a massive three points (against Forest Green), so it is good to build on that and get that momentum.

"I haven’t played many games in this league, but it is probably weird to say I feel we can beat anyone on our day, and others may feel the same about us. Moments win you games, you have to take those chances.

“Everyone was fired up for the Morecambe game because we spent quite a lot of time watching back the previous defeat (1-3 to Stockport), the whole game, so everyone had that fire in their belly. You could tell from the preparation it meant a lot.

"To get a point and a good performance we were buzzing. Now to take four points from two league games, and a win in the Football League Trophy to top our group, we have to keep building.”