It has been a long journey back to the Premier League for Enda Stevens.
But it must have felt like a breeze compared to his race against time to the Coombe for the birth of his first child - daughter Bella Elaine.
The Dubliner was partying in Las Vegas on a Sheffield United team holiday to celebrate their top flight promotion.
Stevens, 28, spent much of the break checking his phone even though partner Sinead Halpin wasn’t due until June 8.
‘The call’ came as he landed back in England a week ago, but Stevens’ dash to Dublin was complicated by the fact he was driving rather than flying.
“I was on my way to the ferry in Holyhead and my missus was in Dublin at the time,” said Stevens, Ireland’s new left-back.
“She gives me the call and says she’s going into labour and I was ‘Oh no, I’m going to miss it’ but luckily the labour was slow.”
Stevens continued: “I wasn’t even on the ferry when she went into labour. I was on the way to it.
“I got on the boat with the dog, Shilo, in the back and was thinking ‘the dog is going to make me miss the birth of my baby’.
“But it wasn’t too bad in the end as we were eight hours in the hospital and she decided to have a section.
“I saw everything and then it was two or three days with the new-born and then over here to Portugal.”
Last week, Mick McCarthy rubbished concerns of cabin-fever with players in camp for 28 days until after the Gibraltar qualifier on June 10.
And Stevens agrees, insisting the training camp has been just the tonic Ireland required after long seasons ahead of Friday week’s clash with Denmark.
“I need this,” he said. “I’ve had my celebrations with Sheffield United, we’ve had a good summer, this is good for me, I’m actually delighted this is happening.
“I had two or three days with the baby and now I’m out here. My partner is out of hospital and has all her family around her, so I’m not too worried.”
When Aston Villa signed Stevens from Shamrock Rovers in 2012, the defender thought he had made it.
He played in the Premier League but took it for granted and slipped down the leagues, ending up in League Two with Portsmouth.
But it sharpened his focus and Paul Cook and now Chris Wilder at Sheffield United worked their magic and Stevens has been on an upward curve ever since.
“I’m more ready than I ever will be,” added Stevens of next season’s challenge.
“It’s full circle, I started off there and I’m looking forward to another crack of the whip. It’s a massive step up but I feel I’m more ready. I think I’ll be a better player.”
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