Six years ago Ethan Pinnock was playing for non-league side Dulwich Hamlet - now the Brentford defender is ready to announce himself in the biggest league in the world.
Pinnock will complete a fairytale journey from part-time football to the Premier League when he lines up against Arsenal this Friday.
It is a remarkable rise for the 28-year-old. Since being released by Millwall at 15, he has progressed through the leagues, with Forest Green and Barnsley, after being spotted playing for south London-based Dulwich.
Pinnock, who has a degree in physical education, juggled his job as a football coach during his time in the seventh tier at Champion Hill where he was converted from a speedy winger into a towering centre-back.
Now the Jamaica international will be focusing on keeping stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette quiet when the Bees begin their top-flight campaign against the Gunners.
He said: "Growing up, I think for most kids watching Match of the Day every week it's their dream to play football in the Premier League, so to be playing in that league now is really special, especially the route I took from non-league. It means that little bit more to me.
"When I was at Dulwich, I was working as a coach and studying for a degree, so I was juggling the three.
"Some days I would go from A to B to C, so it was really hectic. But I think it gave me a really strong work ethic and helped me in my journey.
"I was 23 when I joined Forest Green, so I did come into the pro game really late. Jamie Vardy - and there are a couple of other examples - proved it could be done, so that was definitely something I used as inspiration.
"It's a bit surreal when you think about the amount of leagues between the two. My journey was a progressive one - I didn't just shoot up. It's been a step or two up each time, which has helped."
It has not all been plain sailing for Pinnock.
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He admitted: “Being told I wasn’t going to be kept on by Millwall was tough to take. I was there for five or six years, so was really used to the environment, so going to a place where I could enjoy football again was really important to me."
Pinnock joined Fisher Athletic before hooking up with Dulwich where he went on to make more than 200 appearances after his debut as a 16 year old.
He caught the eye of Forest Green and helped them win promotion to the Football League before signing for Barnsley 12 months later.
"The first year there was really tough," he said. "I relocated to Cheltenham when I was at Forest Green and after a year I’ve had to relocate again to Sheffield.
"That was quite a big jump at the time from the National League to League One. When I joined Barnsley they already had players who were established there, so the first season I didn’t play as much as I wanted to.
"I always had the belief in my ability and once I got my chance I was able to play a lot more."
Pinnock was snapped up by Brentford two years ago and has played a key role in helping them reach the Premier League.
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The Bees come into the new campaign as one of the favorites for relegation, following promotion from the Championship last season when they beat Swansea in the play-offs at Wembley.
However, Thomas Frank's side saw off Southampton, Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle on their way to the Carabao Cup semi-finals last season and Pinnock insists they will not be content with just beating the drop.
He added: "Taking the confidence from those games and from the play-offs and pre-season, there's lots for us to be positive about.
"If you set the bar low, you're taking away from yourselves as a squad.
"We've got some really talented players here and, when we play to our top level, we're a really good side.
"It's about trying to get as many points as possible and not putting a cap on it."
