Woking boss Doyle delighted to finally seal deal for 'very impressive' Dyche

And the Irishman has admitted he has been impressed with the 'very impressive' Dyche's attitude to getting stuck in and joining the club's fight against relegation from the National League.

The 20-year-old signed for the Cards on a season-long loan last Thursday, and made an accomplished debut in Woking's 1-0 win at promotion-chasing Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

The win ended a run of five matches without a win, and three straight defeats, and lifted Woking out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Former Coventry City and Sheffield United midfielder Doyle revealed he has been chasing the signing of Dyche since the start of the January transfer window, but admitted he was concerned the team's recent poor results might have put the Town man off the move.

But that was certainly not the case.

"Max is one that has been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks, and we have had to hang around to get him," Doyle told wokingfc.co.uk

"But we were adamant we wanted to wait and take him in, because he is a proper out and out defender, and he is a leader. That is what we need with the situation we are in.

"I'll be honest, when our results weren't going so well and I rang him on the Thursday, I didn't know if he was going to be keen, and maybe say 'not for me, you are in a relegation battle'.

"But straight away when I made that phone call I thought to myself 'we have got one here', because he was saying 'I can't wait to come, I am so looking forward to it', and I thought that's what we need.

"We need that energy, leadership and positivity and he brings that.

"For such a young man he is a very impressive person and I have told him to embrace being a leader for us. I want him to be that person around the lads."

Dyche said he is 'buzzing' to get the chance to play regular first team football.

The youth academy product hasn't featured in the league for the Cobblers since the beginning of September, and saw a loan spell at Aldershot a few weeks after that scuppered by an injury.

He has been keen to get playing again, but admitted he feared the Cobblers' injury issues might out paid to the move - only for boss Jon Brady to give it the green light last week.

"The interest from Woking came at the start of the window, and I was eager to come," said Dyche, who is under contract at Sixfields until the summer of 2025.

"Unfortunately we had a couple of injuries which meant I couldn't move as I was back in the squad at Northampton.

"But fortunately, the gaffer let me out on Thursday evening and it was literally a spur of the moment thing, and I am buzzing I got it over the line.

"I had a really good chat with the gaffer and the staff at Woking, the club has a good reputation and I was eager to come, and eager to play.

"It was a great to get a win and a clean sheet on Saturday, and we are all chuffed. As far as debuts go I couldn't ask for it to go much better."