Ashley Williams returns to the scene of one of his footballing low points at West Brom this evening
The Swansea City defender was told that he would never make it in the game when he was shown the door by the Baggies nine years ago.
Things could not be much different now for the man who is a regular for both club and country as he prepares to line up against West Brom for this first time since being given the devastating blow.
And speaking to the Western Mail, Williams remembered that time at the Hawthorns by saying “I signed for West Brom when I was about 12 and stayed a good few seasons
“But then when I turned 16 they just decided not to keep me on. It wasn’t just me, I think the whole group that year were let go for one reason or another and we had to find our way somewhere else.
“It was obviously difficult to take but everyone has to go about their own way in the game.
“Mine was obviously tougher than others but it was great for me. I was playing because I wanted to play football and I got paid too, if you could call it pay.
“But I was in the first team at Hednesford at 16 and I don’t think there’s anything like playing first-team football for your development.
“There’s a lot of kids higher up the leagues than that level but they’re not playing first-team games until 20 or 21.
“I was thrown in against grown men who had worked all day – some nasty characters too. But I wouldn’t change it for the world, it served me some good lessons.
“You have a lot of time to think as a footballer and I do often reminisce of what’s happened to me in the game,” he said.
“I still have to pinch myself at times but I look back at my time at West Brom and am okay with it.
“I had some good times there and, although I was quite negative about my time there for a few years after what happened, now I realise it’s just football.
“I can be thankful to them for giving me a chance and teaching me how to play the game.
“You see it all over football, lads who got released and went on to better things, so it will be nice to go back in that sense.
“But it won’t be anything personal about going back. It’s a game I want to win for Swansea.
“Out of the Midlands teams I support Wolves, so it will be one I want to win
“But the main thing is that we win. It doesn't matter who we play against because they are all hard games.
“But they’re a good team who play it the right way and who are on fire at the minute. It’s a Premiership club in almost every sense, so it’s a great test for us right now."