From a star-struck teenager to a confident keeper, Sam Johnstone has come a long way in the last few years.

But it is his experience at Scunthorpe United which has seen him 'finally become a man'.

The Manchester United loanee has had to cope with more in just three months at Glanford Park than in his entire career previously.

Adjusting to first-team football proved to be a breeze compared with the dislocated finger which stopped him in his tracks and gave Sam Slocombe the chance to takeover between the posts.

That left Johnstone relegated to the bench for three games following his recovery, before being back in favour for the 3-2 defeat at Notts County.

Now, with his loan deal set to be extended into January after expiring following Saturday's game with Carlisle, he is determined to ensure that remains the case.

"It was frustrating," the 18-year-old said of being among the substitutes.

"But Sam had done well when I was injured.

"Obviously I wanted to play, everyone wants to play.

"It was different, another learning curve for me.

"But I'm glad I got back in and hopefully I'll stay in now until my loan finishes.

"There always was a bit of rivalry between us, but now I think even more to get that spot.

"He's had a taste of the games and obviously wants to stay in. "He was training hard, I was training hard to get back in, and now I've got to keep training hard to stay in.

"It's the same with everyone else. If a striker doesn't perform, he's got someone else on his back to come in.

"Everyone has got to keep performing.

"I watched him when I was on the bench and he did well.

"But, in my opinion, I think I can do everything he can do.

"It wasn't a case of me picking up what he did to bring into my game because personally I always think I can do it.

"I'm enjoying it here, that's three months now and it's gone quick.

"It's all a learning curve for me – the games, I'm enjoying training with a different goalkeeper coach, although I'm used to him now, different surroundings.

"I've had the learning curve of coming in, straight in the team, and I've had the learning curve of being injured, and then coming back and not being in the team.

"I've had a bit of everything in just three months!

"It's helped me grow up and hopefully finally become a man.

"At United I was playing football in the reserves with people my age.

"It's helped me grow up a lot, getting used to different situations."

Johnstone may have been playing alongside Red Devils of the future, but training at his parent club is a different matter.

Rubbing shoulders with established shot-stoppers has become an everyday occurrence for the England Under-19 international.

He still goes back to train with Sir Alex Ferguson's team, using the opportunity to compliment the work he does at Scunthorpe.

"It's completely different there, not the goalkeeping side, that's always very similar," said Johnstone.

"But there are things there that aren't here that I can do, no disrespect to anything here.

"I mostly train with the first-team because there aren't many goalkeepers at United compared to previous years.

"At first, when I was younger, and I trained with people like van der Sar, you're a bit star-struck.

"But the more you train with them, the more they become your friend.

"I could confront him, ask him questions and he'd help me. I could speak with him.

"It's the same with Anders Lindegaard and David de Gea now.

"The more you train with them, the more it becomes normal.

"It's the same with the outfield players.

"It's better for me as well, I can see what they're doing and what I can learn from.

"I think that's the best thing about training with the goalkeepers.

"Here, in training, if I'm working, Sam'll see things I'm doing that I shouldn't be and tells me.

"And he'll ask me what I think about things.

"It's the same everywhere with goalkeepers, you tend to stick together and help each other out."

The same applies in the Iron's attempt to dig themselves out of a hole.

Much has been made of their current lowly position in the table and a nightmare November.

But having had two weeks to prepare for the visit of Carlisle, including an extra training session last Saturday, Johnstone is hopeful their fortunes will change.

"It's given us more time to get some good training sessions in because we're not having to think about a game on the Saturday," he said of the unscheduled break.

"We can slow it down and really work hard.

"We trained Saturday morning and it was good, sharp.

"But from doing that I've got all my days mixed up!

"Everyone wants to play.

"We want to play and put it right, get the results going our way again.

"We are a good team.

"I remember before I came, I'd got home after a reserve game and had seen it was extra-time of the Carling Cup Newcastle game (a 2-1 Scunthorpe defeat).

"I watched the highlights after it and they could have won that.

"That was before I knew I was coming.

"I think we're a better team than where we are.

"We need to keep defending like we have done and finish our chances.

"I think we have far too many chances in games that we don't finish off.

"That's been the story since I've been here.

"We've lost games where we've had chances to still win it.

"We're a good side, we can pass the ball and play.

"If we finish our chances and be really clinical in front of goal, and then keep them out at the other end, we can't go wrong.

"We'll just keep working hard.

"We can't let it affect us, just keep working harder and harder, eventually things will go our way.

"We've got a lot of games over Christmas where we can put things right.

"They come quickly so we need that one win, then we'll be off and running."