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A teenage football star has spoken of his meteoric rise from non-league to the Premier League after a dream £3.5m move to Norwich.
Just 18 months ago, Sam McCallum was plying his trade with Herne Bay and studying for his A-levels in Canterbury.
But the 19-year-old left-back could soon be marking some of the biggest names in world football after joining the Canaries from League 1 side Coventry during the transfer window.
“A couple of days before deadline day my agent phoned me up saying ‘we’re heading over to Norwich’,” he told the Gazette in an exclusive interview.
“He gave me time to speak to my family, but it was almost a no-brainer because they’re a Premier League side.
“It’s not like there were loads of clubs putting in bids, so it was pretty stress-free.
“When I saw a seven-figure bid had been turned down, I thought it was unreal – I didn’t think I’d be worth anywhere near as much as that.”
As part of the Norwich deal, Sam has been loaned back to the Sky Blues to help with their promotion push.
The Manchester United fan, who grew up idolising French left-back Patrice Evra, is excited by the prospect of going toe-to-toe with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Sadio Mane next season.
But with Norwich rooted to the bottom of the table and seven points from safety, the defender could also line up against Coventry in the Championship.
“Playing against them would probably be quite emotional, but to be able to play for Norwich and against Coventry would be an honour,” Sam continued.
“Norwich are bottom, but they can get out of the relegation zone because it’s tight down there. If they do go down, they’ll definitely be one of the favourites to go back up.”
As Sam put pen to paper on his four-year contract, he might have reflected on how it could have all been so different.
At the age of 15 he feared his hopes of a career in football were over after he was dropped from Gillingham’s academy.
Despite this, the determined youngster continued playing and broke into Herne Bay’s first team, while studying for his A-levels at Simon Langton Boys and working part-time for accounting firm Achieving Clarity.
But it was his performances at the V9 Academy – set up by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy to spot non-league talent – which caught the eye of scouts at Coventry two years ago.
“Coming from non-league, you know it’s hard having a job and having to go to train on Tuesday nights when it’s freezing cold, and travelling for up to two hours to away games on Saturdays,” Sam added.
“I know I’ve got to grasp this opportunity and I’m grateful to be able to play full-time football.”
Shortly after joining Coventry, Sam – who was also reportedly on the radar of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – says he was told by team-mate Kyle McFadzean that he would soon be playing in the Premiership.
Following the announcement he had signed for Norwich, he travelled back to the Midlands in order to help the League 1 side beat Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
But despite hitting the big time, the humble youngster is not forgetting his roots.
He said: “I’m striving to be a role model for players at Herne Bay Youth to show it is possible, even if you come from a small town.”
