Calvin Ramsay has revealed he requested to go on-loan just weeks before graduating into the Aberdeen first-team.
The Scotland U-21 full-back approached the beginning of this season believing his senior game-time ambitions would be better served with a temporary move away from Pittodrie.
And he asked the club's pathways manager Neil Simpson if a loan could be facilitated before the campaign kicked off in earnest.
But just three weeks later Ramsay found himself in now former boss Stephen Glass' office being told he was now part of his starting eleven.
The 18-year-old has looked at home in the Premiership and Record Sport revealed last week that Serie A side Sassuolo had joined a host of clubs in declaring an interest in him.
But it could all have been very different.
Ramsay told BBC Scotland: "At the start of the season, I didn't think I would play.
"I actually went in and spoke to Neil Simpson, who's in charge of the loans, and said: 'Look, I'm wanting to pay first-tea football, would I be able to get a loan so I can get that experience and come back to Aberdeen next season.'
"He was like 'there's only four weeks until the start of the season, just go in and train hard.' So, that's what I did.
"About a week before the first game, the manager pulled me into his office and said: 'You've worked your way into the starting team'.
"I just could've believe it. I just knew it was my chance to prove myself."
