Sam McClelland enjoyed a gold-plated apprenticeship among future internationals and precocious talents at Chelsea.
However, the Dundee United loan star knew it was time to strike out on his own after thriving in the bruising proving grounds of League Two with Barrow.
McClelland, 22, played alongside one of England’s hottest new defensive prospects, Levi Colwill, and bustling front-man Armando Broja in the Stamford Bridge youth ranks.
Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi, while a little older, were regular sparring partners.
Formerly the Blues’ U19 captain, McClelland was even afforded the opportunity to work with the senior group during Frank Lampard’s first spell in charge.
As such, life at Cobham was a thrilling, challenging and formative journey for a young man who left Northern Ireland for the bright lights of London at the age of just 16.
“Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi were a couple of years older than me, but I did get to train with them a lot,” recalled McClelland. “In my group, Armando Broja and Levi Colwill were the standouts.
“They were a different level.
“I trained with the senior side a few times when Frank Lampard was manager. He would bring some of the academy players to do shape and work on attack vs defence at the end of the session.
“Even if it was just 20 minutes against that calibre of player; you see the difference. They had that yard on where to be. I can still picture Jorginho spraying the passes to lads like Tammy Abraham!
“It’s a different world when you’re training with top players and a top set-up, compared to where I grew up.
“It was a really good apprenticeship and sets you up to move forward with good coaches and good players.”
School of hard knocks
Having earned his stripes in the PL2 (English U23 Premier League) and UEFA Youth League, McClelland made the decision to put those lessons into practice last season by joining Barrow on loan.
He made 30 appearances for the fourth tier side and, whereas some raw academy kids can sink amid the rough-and-tumble of lower league football, McClelland swam.
“I’ve always wanted to play proper football and once I went on loan, I enjoyed it – it was the real thing,” he continued.
“With the Chelsea academy, you are playing against top sides around Europe and England, but it’s very technical.
“Then you play that first game in League Two and it turns into a battle!
“You need to get through that and, when I got through those first few games, it gave me the confidence to keep building and moving forward.”
McClelland: I want to help United achieve
Following a glowing endorsement from legendary former St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright – McClelland’s manager with the Northern Ireland U21 side – he joined the Perth outfit on a two-year deal last summer.
He played seven times for the Saintees before succumbing to an untimely ankle injury that kept him out until January, robbing him of the opportunity to impress incoming McDiarmid gaffer Craig Levein.
As such, he is determined to make up for lost time after joining United on loan earlier this month.
“It’s tough being out injured and, although there’s nothing I could have done, it was especially difficult because I had been playing at St Johnstone,” added McClelland.
“So, getting out and trying to play again is better for my career.
“But what this club can do, in terms of getting back to the top league, was also of massive interest. I want to help United achieve.”
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