Dundee’s new loan signing Rhys Healey has already got a Premier League story to dine out on.
But the ambitious young striker doesn’t want his taste of the big time to be a passing one.
Healey was a second half substitute at Stamford Bridge at the end of Cardiff City’s last season in the top flight.
Not only did he come up against a host of multi-million pound Chelsea players, he also took the place of one of his idols.
“I got the last 25 minutes of our final game at Stamford Bridge,” he recalled.
“It was a great experience made even better by the fact that I replaced Craig Bellamy. It was his last game at Cardiff.
“He was one of my heroes because I am a Manchester City fan and he was there for a bit.
“When I joined Cardiff I trained alongside him and it was great. He worked with a few of the young ones, including myself, one on one.
“It was a mega experience. They don’t come along often so you have to take them.
“When I came on I was up against Ivanovic and Ashley Cole, they were two of the defenders.
“When I was warming up I was thinking I used to watch them on Match of the Day. I then got on the pitch and once that happened I was fine.
“I was hoping to come in and get a run after that but Cardiff have brought a lot of experienced players in so I have had to be patient.”
Healey is still highly thought of at the Welsh club, with the award of a recent long-term contract evidence of that.
And he’s hoping his stay at Dens Park will help Dundee achieve success and further his own career at the same time.
He said: “I had a loan spell at Colchester last season so I know what to expect coming here.
“You have to impress from the first day to the last. I want to hit the ground straight away. My aim is to play well and to try and catch the eye of Cardiff.
“My loan is for four months. Hopefully, I can do well and score a few goals and I can be knocking back on the door of the Cardiff first team.”
Healey, who describes himself as a direct forward who likes to play off the defender’s shoulder, hasn’t come into the game through the traditional academy route.
“I was in the youth set-up at Rochdale then I left,” he explained.
“I moved from Manchester to Wales and that was when I got picked up by Connah’s Quay and it all went from there.
“I was playing first team at Connah’s at 16 and 17 with my pals. I was still at college at the time doing VT sport. When I got the Cardiff offer I couldn’t say no.”