As Sean Dillon looks back over his career so far, he doesn’t quite describe himself as the “accidental footballer”, but does admit he’s never mapped out his future.
Even when he was starring as a kid in Dublin, that he might end up making a career out of the game never occurred to him.
It was only when he joined up with top amateur outfit Cherry Orchard, producers of stars including former team-mates Willo Flood and Jon Daly, the prospect dawned on him.
“Football was my No 1 game. I played Gaelic Football and like other kids when Wimbledon came on I had the tennis racquet out and when it was the Crucible I was down the snooker hall, but football was what I enjoyed.
“It was only when teachers at school said I could go further I went for a trial at Cherry Orchard.
“I had a chat with my Ma and Da and they asked what I’d do if I got the chance to turn professional. That was when I thought about it.”
It proved good timing because before he’d even signed on for Cherry Orchard, he was attracting attention.
“For the trial I had there were guys there from lots of club. So before I played a game for them, Peterborough had me over for a week. They wanted to sign me but were speaking directly to me and not the club. That caused problems and it fell through.”
The result was Dillon spent a year at U/15 level in Dublin, giving bigger clubs from England the chance to put him under the microscope.
“I went on trial to Man City. Willo, who’s younger than me, went over and signed up.
“I didn’t enjoy it and I don’t think they wanted me. Then Aston Villa took me over for one week and it became two. I loved it but said no to a third week and went home.
“They still offered me a contract, so at 16 I went to Birmingham. I loved it but it was a big change.
“My first wage was 220 quid and £168 of that went on phone calls home which I made from my digs. After that I wrote letters. Now we have mobile phones — seems crazy!”
Three years at Villa Park working under the likes of European Cup winner Gordon Cowans and ex-Scotland international Kevin MacDonald didn’t end in a contract.
Despite plenty interest from other outfits, Dillon would end up back in Dublin.
“Sheffield Wednesday, Bournemouth and some others were keen to have a look.
“There was miscommunication with my agent and, by the time I started contacting clubs myself, they’d got other players.
“In Ireland there were clubs willing to take me full-time but I was doing a course by then and I had my heart sent on a degree in architecture.
“I wanted to be part-time, so Longford Town suited me perfectly. They were not one of the fashionable clubs but in four seasons I won three cups and we finished high in the league.
“It was a small club but the people were great and the whole town backed us. I loved my time there.”
Away from football he’d worked hard to win a place studying for a degree at the Dublin Institute of Technology but then came realisation a career in football was more appealing.
“I put football first. It meant I was training or playing four nights a week, so after a few months I packed in my studies.
“I had an office job and I enjoyed it, but then came the chance came to move to Shelbourne on a full-time contract.
“It was a big decision but at 22 I felt if I didn’t make the move then I never would. It turned out right because a month after I left my job the people there were all paid off. If I hadn’t gone full time I would’ve been looking for work.”
After a championship-winning year at Shelbourne, when he only missed two games, the switch to Dundee United came.
Delighted as he was to make it, he admits he never dreamt 10 years on he’d still be in tangerine and calling both the club and the Dundee area home.
“I was 23 when I signed and it was my fourth club. Craig Levein sold it to me like he did everyone else, namely that if I did well and helped bring success they wouldn’t stand in my way if a bigger club came in.
“That’s what happened to quite a few of the boys down the years, but I’ve stayed on and leaving has never been an issue.
“That might be because no one else wanted me but I’ve never really been in a position where I wanted to speak to other clubs.
“Each time I was offered a new deal here I was happy with the way things were going and to sign on again.”
TOMORROW: Reporter told me I was signing for Dundee!
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