Reece James has had to bide his time because of an ankle injury but now he has made his first-team bow for the club he joined as a seven-year-old, the 19-year-old is determined to make the next step and become a regular.
The right back starred in Chelsea's trouncing of Grimsby Town on Wednesday night, setting up two goals and scoring one, and while he realises that there is a long way to go before he becomes a mainstay of Frank Lampard's team he is eager to keep on learning from the senior players in the dressing room and make a case for more minutes.
"Obviously it’s a dream come true," James said of scoring on his debut. "I’ve played for this club since I was seven years old and it’s always what I wanted.
"Just to play my first game here at the Bridge, in front of all the fans, that was probably the best occasion.
"[Lampard] told me the day before [that I would be starting] but I think it doesn’t settle in until you’re actually out there on the pitch. The atmosphere was buzzing, the stadium, everyone was jumping."
Growing up James idolised three Chelsea players: Didier Drogba, John Terry and Lampard. But now he says he is learning from senior figures like Cesar Azpilicueta, the club captain who he will be pushing hard for the starting role at right back.
"When I was young I supported the club and still do now," he said. "I looked up to Drogba, Terry, Lampard. They were the main three leaders. It helped drive the team back then when I was a little kid.
"They were all winners, that was reflected in the trophies they won.
"Of course I’m learning from the [senior players] every day because I’ve not played at this level before. There are little bits here and there where they help me on the performance side and show me how it's done.
"Positioning, where to go where the ball is on the other side - there’s loads of little things."
