It’s been quite the journey for John McGinn.
From honing his skills at St Mirren and Hibernian to Celtic famously passing on the chance to sign him, McGinn now finds himself captaining Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages while competing for a coveted European spot in the English Premier League this season.
However, things were very different when the Scotland international midfielder first joined Villa nearly seven years ago.
The Birmingham-based club were in the second-tier and led by Steve Bruce at the time, and McGinn acknowledges that he still had imposter syndrome as he walked into the dressing room following his £2.8million transfer from Hibs.
(Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group) “I was really nervous," McGinn admitted to TNT Sports while looking back on his Aston Villa arrival in August 2018.
"I came in in my Stan Smiths and G-Star jeans. [There were] big characters, people I’d watched in the Premier League.
“All of these guys that had done so much in their careers, and I was thinking, ‘Wow, I’m at this level. Can I compete?’.
"Since the managers have come in and gone, I’ve progressed a bit. I’ve tried to learn more about the game and I feel like a completely different player, a lot less erratic. Sometimes I do miss that side, getting stuck in and involved all the time, but I feel that my game’s evolved a lot more and I’m a lot calmer, fewer yellow cards. My first season, I got 18. This season, I’m on two.”
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Reflecting on the team's evolution during his time at the club, McGinn expressed his delight in being part of Villa's remarkable rise to success, especially now that the team is managed by four-time Europa League winner Unai Emery.
“It’s been mental," the 30-year-old confessed.
"I’ve been fortunate. A lot of people in their career always look for more. They look to jump up the levels and try and change club, but for me, the climb that Villa have had has been nuts. It’s allowed me to try and progress with the club and the expectation gets higher.
"Can you hit that level? Can you stay with the boys, can you stay involved? Thankfully I’ve managed to. The dressing room is a bit different. It’s a bit more professional. I’ve had to tone it down a wee bit."