West Ham United new boy Michail Antonio has revealed that his mum forced him to reject a chance to join Spurs Academy when he was 14.
Speaking to The Express, the winger who scored 16 goals in all competitions last season, said how important it was that his mother held him back.
She told me that education comes first, but instead I managed to get my diploma in sport and even had a place at university, so it’s one of those things where everything happens for a reason.
Loads I played with became pro players and fell out. Matthew Briggs went to school with me. He became the youngest player in the Premier League with Fulham. I think he’s at Colchester now. Craig Eastmond went to school with us. He started at Arsenal, now he’s at Sutton United.
They went through the academy system and they’re working their way down and I’m working my way up.
The 25 year-old signed for The Hammers from Nottingham Forest on deadline day for a fee of £7m. Antonio has now joined the likes of Yannick Bolasie and Charlie Austin who have made the arduous journey from non-League to the Premier League.
He started out aged 17 playing for Tooting & Mitcham United in the Isthmian League Premier Division before being signed by Reading the following year.
After five loan deals away from the Madejski, Michail found permanent residence at Sheffield Wednesday scoring 12 times in 63 appearance for the Owls.
The move to London has come at an ideal time for Antonio after the birth of his second son, Miles.
My mum had only seen him once. Now I can bring him round whenever I feel like it. I have been out of London for the last six years now and just being able to pop round to my mum’s house, go see my brother, family members, friends I went to school with, is great.
Despite his move to the Premier League, Antonio had some final praises for the Championship urging Premier League scouts to recognise the “consistency”.
There is loads of quality players in the Championship. More scouts should go down there, give players a few games not just one or two. That is the main difference between the Premier League and Championship, being consistent.
