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Mar 07, 2013   |  7:09PM AET

VIDEO: Playing for Victory ‘surreal’ for Pain

VIDEO: Playing for Victory ‘surreal’ for Pain

Melbourne Victory attacker Connor Pain says playing a part for the club he was a supporter of has been a ‘surreal’ experience.

Melbourne Victory attacker Connor Pain says playing a part for the club he was a supporter of has been a ‘surreal’ experience.

The 19-year-old winger signed his first professional deal on Wednesday, extending his stay at Victory until at least the end of the 2014/15 Hyundai A-League season.

Press play on the above video to hear from Pain and see footage of a younger Pain in the Terraces as a fan.

Pain said he was still getting his head around going from cheering on Victory to playing for them.

“I went to most games. I went to every game and watched the guys,” he said.

“It’s surreal a little bit that I’m actually on the same pitch as them.”

Hong Kong-born Pain played his junior career at Beaumaris and North Caulfield before moving to Malvern City.

He signed at Victorian Premier League club Bentleigh Greens before joining Victory’s youth team.

Pain is delighted to have signed his first professional contract.

“It’s a great achievement for me and I’ve been striving for it for a long time so I worked pretty hard. I’m over the moon,” he said.

Pain’s grandfather Tommy Casey played in Newcastle United’s FA Cup-winning team of 1955, while he also represented Northern Ireland at the World Cup.

“Obviously he’s been a big impact on me,” Pain said of Casey.

“Our family’s a big football family and I’ve grown up watching it, grown up loving it. It’s in our blood, I suppose.”

Pain praised Victory coach Ange Postecoglou for helping him improve and said the extra training sessions at professional level had also been crucial.

“I can’t describe how much (Postecoglou has helped me). The frequency of training and training with all the guys – it’s just the professionalism,” he said.

“It’s just taught me a new meaning of the game and I’ve learned a hell of a lot.”

The Deakin University commerce and law student is modelling his game on team-mate Marco Rojas, who has starred out wide this season.

“He’s obviously quality, scored however many goals this year and he gets in the right areas and I’m trying to model my game on his game a little bit and get in the spots,” Pain said.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m just trying to learn off him and Archie (Thompson) and the guys.”