Southampton loanee reveals his motivation for Championship promotion

The AFC Bournemouth forward arrived at St Mary's for a temporary stay as reinforcement in the January transfer window. 

Brooks, 26, has contributed two goals and five assists in 17 appearances and has started each of the last seven Championship matches. 

Three consecutive defeats have meant Saints are guaranteed a fourth-place finish and will enter the playoffs next week. 

A beaten semi-finalist with the Cherries in 2021, Brooks is targeting success this time around with new teammates. 

He told the Daily Echo: "I think as a player you always want to play in the best games as possible and the most high pressure.

Loanee David Brooks has started each of the last seven

"I'm no different. I want to play in those types of things and I want to look back on my career fondly.

"It's great to play in a team that plays nice football and score a couple of goals but it's the days out and the promotions that will stick with you.

"No matter what league you're in, you want that special day. I want to look back on it at the end of my career and say that's exactly why I came here. 

"It was obviously a promotion dream for Southampton to get straight back up and I wanted to be a part of it."

Saints visit Leeds United on Saturday, knowing they could meet again at Wembley Stadium with the Whites likely to finish third. 

A 3-1 victory over Leeds in September - the time they avoided defeat against the top three sides this season - was huge for manager Russell Martin.

Brooks, who was not part of the squad at that time, thinks another win could be just as big for turning the tide. 

Brooks added: "Momentum can be a very powerful tool in this scenario, so we want to go and try and knock the wind out of their sails a little bit more.

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"If we can trip them up, it'll be another little dent so we want to go there and win and try and stamp authority ahead of the playoffs. 

"If you'd have asked us a couple of months ago, I think both sides would have hoped it meant a little bit more than it might.

"I've played Leeds a couple of times away and the atmosphere has always been incredible, so we're aware that we're going into a bit of a hostile environment.

"I know they've got a slight chance of still getting automatic so they'll be right up for it and trying to do their part and hoping for results elsewhere."

Brooks could feature in midfield again, after starting in injured Stuart Armstrong's role for Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Stoke City. 

Winger Brooks stepped into the breach but the team endured a difficult day as St Mary's saw regular league football for the last time this season.

Stuart Armstrong will miss the rest of the season after injury at Cardiff City (Image: PA)

The Welshman hit Southampton's best chance into the keeper but was ambitious with his passing and sought to unlock the Stoke defence.

He explained: "It's a little bit of a different role here, as long as I'm on the pitch I'm happy to do whatever the gaffer wants.

"I'll try my best at any position he wants. He wanted to try in that position and I think you'll have to ask him how he thought it went.

"It wasn't an ideal result and kind of performance on our part but I'm happy to play wherever the gaffer wants me to. I'll try and do as much as possible.

"We had a little talk. Obviously, I can't really say what we said privately on the radio but he explained what he wanted."

Brooks continued: "The game didn't pan out to how we wanted to as a team, in possession and out of possession.

"We could have been a lot better but if he wanted to go down that route in the playoffs I'm more than happy to try my best.

"I'm a player that doesn't like to pass backwards if I can avoid it, only when I really need to keep the ball.

David Brooks has not scored since the beginning of March (Image: Stuart Martin)

"I think it can get a little bit frustrating for fans if what I'm trying isn't coming off, and I understand that from a fan's perspective.

"But I've come here to get assists and goals and try and help the team going forward. I'm a player that wants to do that final pass.

"I believe I've got the capability of doing that final pass or scoring. That could have been a bit better over the past couple of weeks."  

Brooks was a key player for Bournemouth in 2021, setting up Arnaut Danjuma for the opening goal at Vitality Stadium. 

Danjuma put Cherries two goals up within five minutes of the second leg kicking off before an Ivan Toney-inspired Bees fought back.

"If you can guarantee going up through the playoffs it's probably the best way to go," Brooks insisted.

"The boys have just got to embrace that and try and have a really good day out. It would be a memory for everyone to cherish.

"I've played in the playoffs and it didn't go great but we had one and a half very good games in the playoffs and just one half let us down."