Max Watters' journey to the Championship is not dissimilar to Steve Morison's.
He's a striker who shot to prominence in non-League, catching the eye of second-tier clubs, before hitting a sticky patch as he looked to adjust to life in one of the toughest divisions anywhere in the world.
It's not for the faint-hearted, as Morison knows all too well. When Millwall signed the former Wales striker from Stevenage Borough in 2009, they had no idea he would go on to become the player he did at The Den.
Watters, to his credit, impressed at MK Dons at the start of last season. Dons fans were gutted to see him recalled by Cardiff in January and he failed to continue his red-hot early season form having made the step back up to the Championship from League One.
Much of the conversation surrounding Cardiff heading into the season is how they are a striker or two short. It's true, there are not enough Championship goals between Watters, Mark Harris and Isaak Davies and going into a campaign with such an unproven strike force can be considered a risk.
However, the positive is that Watters has looked re-energised and more at home with this new style of play during pre-season. His link-up play has been second to none and he has scored some coolly-taken goals along the way.
Morison himself has spoken of the need to bring in more competition up front, but he always caveats that by stating just how excited he is to see the strikers currently in the building being given a go in the first few weeks of the season. For Morison, Watters in particular is catching the eye.
The Bluebirds boss sees a lot of himself in the 23-year-old striker, who has one Bluebirds goal in 11 outings, and, who knows, Watters might just hit the ground running and enjoy a similarly steep rise at Cardiff City Stadium to the one Morison himself had at The Den.
"I said to him today, 'you look happy' and he said 'I am', and a happy footballer is a lot better than an unhappy one!" Morison said at his pre-Norwich City press conference.
"I am excited by him. I see a lot of myself in him. I went 21 games when I first came into the Football League and I scored one goal. Everyone wants to write you off. The rest is history.
"From his point of view he has got an opportunity to play in a way that suits him and he can grow and enjoy himself. One thing he can do is put the ball in the back of the net! And he can like nobody's business. He is so sharp.
"And he doesn't realise how strong he is yet, he is a strong boy. A Swindon player ended up on his backside on Saturday and Max looked at him and didn't even realise he'd done it. I'm excited by him.
"He hasn't come out of his shell yet, but he is starting to and it's a sign that he is in a much happier place. I'm really pleased with what he's done so far this summer. He has all the attributes to be a top striker."
Cardiff fans will hope that all comes to fruition this season, of course. He has the attributes and the style of play certainly suits him far more than it ever has since he has been here.
He starts the season as Cardiff's leading striker, a pressure under which he will either thrive or crumble. Either way, he will be given the opportunity and it's all in his own hands.
READ NEXT:
- The remarkable job Steve Morison has done at Cardiff City as fans get fresh hope after Bale blow
- Aaron Ramsey next club latest odds as Nottingham Forest lead the way and hopes of Cardiff City homecoming fade
- Root and branch change at Cardiff City can go one of two ways but refreshing air around club tells the story
