Jordan Roberts has no regrets that his career took a roundabout route to Town, having launched it at the Arsenal academy and then dipping into non-league before impressing at Crawley earned him the step-up to Championship level.
The 24-year-old winger spent a total of seven years with the Gunners before his release at the age of 15.
He moved on to join the Peterborough academy but was released in 2011 and completed his second year with Aldershot, during which time he went out on loan to Havant & Waterlooville, Tamworth and Bishop’s Stortford.
After netting 11 times in almost 80 league appearances for the Shots his next move took him north of the border in the summer of 2015 to join Inverness Caley Thistle, where he not only represented the Highlanders in the Scottish Premier League but also in the UEFA Europa League, making his debut off the bench in a qualifier against Romanian club Astra Giurgiu.
Roberts said: "I had a lot of injury problems in Scotland and didn’t play much up there. Towards the back end of the season I started to pick it up and get into my stride.
"I enjoyed my time there and it’s all part and parcel of football. You go to different places and you learn different styles of football under different managers. Now I’m relishing the great opportunity I have been given here.
"I’m happy to be in an environment like this. It’s a great group of boys with everyone on the same page, wanting to work hard and wanting to win.
"That’s the main thing — everyone has the same goals in mind and hopefully we can go to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, pick up three points and kick on from there.”
Looking back on his release by Peterborough, he added: "It’s part and parcel of football really and I think it’s how you deal with it that matters.
"It was tough at the time because I was looking to play at as high a level as I could but you could also say the timing was right. I wouldn’t change anything from where I am now, so I’m happy.
"You’ve got to bounce back from these things. I think it challenges people mentally and it might have been right for me at the time because without it I might not be where I am today.
"Overall, I’m happy, my family are happy and it’s down to me now to go out there and showcase myself.
"Working under Harry Kewell at Crawley helped me. He was a winger and with me being in a similar position I took to him straight away and learned a lot in my time there.
"I was happy working under him, an experienced man who had been there and done it.
"What he said I took on board and worked hard. I had an opportunity to play the majority of the games last year so that was good for me.
"I played down the middle on a number of occasions and it was a new challenge for me.
"He coached me through the role and how to play it with the different movements and I picked it up pretty quickly to score a few goals.
"But I’m always willing to play wherever I’m asked because for me the most important thing is contributing to the team.
"I’m quite versatile and when called upon I need to do a job anywhere, whether it’s defence, midfield or up front.
"I don’t mind playing up front or on the wing, whether I’m in the starting 11 or I’m coming off the bench. I just want to contribute in a good way as often as possible.
"Sometimes, when you are sitting on the bench watching the game, you are analysing it and when you get your chance you want to bring something different, perhaps something the team hasn’t been showing. I like to get shots off when I can and take my chance to impress.
"All the boys know each other’s qualities, what some lack and what some can contribute to the team.
"I like to have a shot and get crosses into the danger area. I’m always looking to work the keeper more and produce crosses for Ellis [Harrison].
"If I’m a sub who comes on I see it as my role to help pick the team up. We need to be a bit more direct, take the game to the opposition and show more belief in ourselves.”