Becoming a Premier League footballer is a dream for many young athletes - and Chesterfield star Jesurun Uchegbulam shares that exact same ambition, despite a number of setbacks already in his fledgling career.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Uchegbulam remarkably started his youth career off with Serie A giants AC Milan before moving to England when he was 15, where he went on trial at Everton.
But after suffering a worrying health scare - which resulted in heart surgery, followed by rejection by the Toffees, he was sent down to the 10th tier of the English pyramid to rebuild his career in non-league.
Now plying his trade at the Spireites in the fifth tier of English football, he is already halfway back to the place he feels he belongs as he sets his sights on reaching the Premier League promised land.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, Uchegbulam said: "I started playing football when I was four. You don't really start your career back then but I got scouted at the age of 7, got into the academy at AC Milan.
"Not many people know but I started off at centre-back. It turned out I have an eye for goal, I am quick, I can do things forwards can do. So, when I moved to England, the first club I went to was Everton on trial. A scout saw me during a tournament and said 'I will take you to Everton'."
He was in the same academy side as Anthony Gordon at the time - now of Newcastle - and was loving his time on Merseyside.
"I went in as a centre midfielder, I did really well. That was an unbelievable experience being at Finch Farm, facilities, playing with top players, I couldn't believe I was there in the first place.
"I trained with him (Gordon) when I was on trial. He has got an arrogant character to him but I think that's more confidence. You could tell he was a good character."
But the midfielder then suffered his major career setback aged just 16, sustaining a severe kidney problem and ended up going under the knife, which naturally stopped him from playing football temporarily, before Everton opted against signing him.
"Obviously, when I got there, I was doing well and was most likely going to be offered a new contract. But I actually had a cyst in my kidney, which caused high blood pressure and caused my heart not to work properly. I had to have surgery."
"That was my first-ever setback in my career, I remember I was in tears after being rejected by Everton, things like that could set you back," he admits. "But I didn't look back at it, I went on.
"Not a lot of people know but I have been all over the place for trials, Championship teams, Premier League, League One, rejection after rejection but I kept at it, stood at it and thought someone will take a chance on me and Chesterfield did."
The opportunity at Chesterfield was only after Uchegbulam had revived his career down at 10th tier Stockport Town before jumping two divisions to Mossley. At first, the attacking midfielder struggled before finding his feet and then making the next step again, this time to seventh tier Matlock in 2021.
He scored an impressive seven goals from the wing for the Gladiators last season and caught the eye of Chesterfield boss Cook in pre-season. It was that game that saw him switch to the National League side.
"[Matlock] is really where I enjoyed my football and people really took a note of me. We played Chesterfield in pre-season last summer and it all happened from there. I didn't think too much of it, was just another game in pre-season. The next day the gaffer, Paul Cook, rang me and I couldn't believe it."
During his time at the Technique Stadium, Uchegbulam has now made 24 appearances, scoring two goals as Chesterfield battle for promotion back to the Football League.
Asked about his first season, he said: "I think it has been challenging. I have come from a team lower down the leagues but I think I have merged into the team quite well, quite quickly.
"I'm still learning, I am a young lad and I am still trying to learn from the older, more experienced lads who have played higher than this. I am enjoying it.
"The jump up is a lot more demanding. Not just football ability-wise but fitness. The biggest thing for me is fitness, I thought I was fit at this level but I am really not. That is something you pick up."
Although Uchegbulam only joined Chesterfield last summer, he still has big ambitions and wants to go all the way to the top and follow a similar career path to the likes of Jamie Vardy and Jarrod Bowen, who made their way from non-league to the Premier League.
"I have got career ambitions, I always have since I was young," Uchegbulam declared. "Never one to stop at the same level for too long, always want to progress.
"Hopefully from Chesterfield, this is another platform where I can climb up the leagues. My dream is to play in the Premier League, like most kids. Not a lot of players get there but if you work hard and apply yourself, anything can happen."
