Sam Ricketts is hoping to cash in on his big opportunity tomorrow - having gone from liquidation at Telford United to the richest game in the world inside four years.
The full-back was rescued from the football scrapheap following his release from Oxford to become part of Mick Jones’ expensively assembled New Bucks Head squad in 2003-4.
Ricketts, however, feared his sporting world was falling apart when the Shropshire team’s ambitions of breaking back into the Football League were left shattered by the collapse of the business empire of then chairman Andy Shaw and, with it, the club.
The implications were wide ranging with Telford United having to be reformed and relegated three divisions and each member of the playing staff left searching for new clubs after their contracts were terminated.
But Ricketts has proved the major success of the squad Jones placed his faith and belief in.
Immediately after his release from Telford, Ricketts was snapped up by Swansea and made such an impact in the Principality that 27 full Welsh international caps have already followed.
A chance at Championship level followed with Hull prepared to invest £300,000 to secure the 25-year-old.
But that money will appear small fry if Ricketts and Hull can overcome Bristol City at Wembley tomorrow in the Championship play-off final.
A place in the Premier League up for grabs, it represents the biggest day of Ricketts’ club career to date.
And, as he prepares for his first ever visit to Wembley, Ricketts believes his time in Shropshire provide the perfect grounding for the career peaks he has enjoyed since.
“Telford was a great experience for me,” said Ricketts, who remains in touch with former Bucks team-mates Robin Hulbert and Richard Lavery.
“After I was released from Oxford, Telford really set me on my way and my time there gave me massive confidence.
“It’s also great to see the club (Telford) doing well. They seem to have got promotion every season since the problems and it was a shame they couldn’t get back to the Conference (Blue Square Premier) by winning the play-offs.”
Ricketts will not be short of support tomorrow with 50 family and friends among a sell-out crowd - including his uncle John Francome, the former National Hunt champion jockey who will take the afternoon off presenting duties on Channel Four Racing.
And he knows the stakes will rarely be higher in any game he plays.
“It’s a massive occasion and we are really looking forward to it,” he said.
“When I was at Telford, I used to dream about climbing the leagues and playing in the Championship.
“I never believed I would have the chance to play in the Premier.
“It would be an unbelievable achievement for everyone at the club.”
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