Sittingbourne defender Lex Allan often wonders what might have been in his football career.

It’s just over four years since Allan enjoyed trials with Crystal Palace, Millwall and Norwich after breaking into the Brickies side as a teenager.

His 6ft 7in frame immediately attracted the attention of scouts and he regularly featured in transfer gossip columns.

A move seemed almost inevitable - Allan felt it would happen, too - but nothing materialised and the young centre-half settled into non-league football.

Now 22, and back at Sittingbourne after a spell with Sheppey, Allan looks back on those days with great fondness.

“It was the best time of my life,” he said.

“I always think what if I’d applied myself a bit better or had a bit more luck how different life could be today.

“It’s nice going into games now without that pressure of ‘I’ve read about him, he’s meant to be super’ but it was nice to feel people were watching you.

“I think about it all the time and wonder what if?

“I was so young, Sittingbourne were my first club after playing Sunday League, and coming into that environment and all the interest, it was so surreal.

“I loved going on trial, football was what I wanted to do.

“Palace, Norwich and Millwall were the main ones and there were a few other teams mentioned, like Birmingham.

“It was amazing to be in the gossip columns. My dad would send me messages every night saying, ‘Have you seen this one?’

"It looked like something might happen, that’s what we thought, but it didn’t work out.”

Allan’s age went against him at Millwall and Palace while at Norwich it was a straight fight between him and Warren O’Hora.

The Canaries picked O’Hora and he’s now playing in the Football League.

“There was a bit of confusion at Millwall with the scouting,” said Allan.

“They wanted me for the under-18s but I’d just turned 18.

“Technically, I’d have been under-23s but they already had their centre-halves in the 23s.

“It was similar at Palace and at Norwich it was between me and Warren O’Hora, who’s now in the first-team at MK Dons and doing well.

“It was gutting but at the same time it was such a surreal experience.”

Allan is enjoying being back at Sittingbourne after a year with Sheppey in Southern Counties East.

His return has gone down well with Brickies fans and he’s slotted straight into the team.

“It’s a completely different set-up now,” said Allan.

“The calibre of player is considerably better and the league position is a lot better but in terms of the fans and how everyone took to me, it’s like I’ve never been away.

“I felt I needed a new challenge at Sheppey, just to try something different, but it was hard leaving Sittingbourne.

“I enjoyed it at Sheppey when I was playing but when Darren (Blackburn, manager) phoned and said there was potential to come back, I snapped his hand off.”

Sheppey are second in Southern Counties East and hoping to join the Brickies in Isthmian South East next season.

Allan would love to see the Ites promoted, along with leaders Chatham, for the extra local derbies.

“Sheppey and Chatham have got good chairmen and lots of money to entice players and they’ve got good set-ups,” said Allan.

“If they get out of that league, there’s no telling where they can go.

“As a player, you always want local derbies, so I’d love Sheppey to come up, and Chatham.

“When we have our little pre-season cup against Sheppey the fans love it, so you can imagine what a league game would be like.

“The crowd would be amazing - any player would want to be involved in a game like that.”

Sittingbourne conceded a last-minute winner at home to league leaders Hastings on Saturday.

Alex Flisher cancelled out Craig Stone’s opener but Tom Chalmers won it for the visitors.

The Brickies, who sit 10th, go to second-placed Cray Valley this Saturday.