Wigan midfielder James McCarthy insists he has no regrets about rejecting a £1m move to Liverpool three years ago.
The 19-year-old impressed the Reds after playing in a behind-closed-doors game, but he decided against the switch to Anfield to instead continue his footballing education at Hamilton.
McCarthy eventually came down south permanently last summer after the Latics tabled a £1.2m offer and is now really making his mark in the Premier League.
"I was too young, just 16 at the time," he told The People.
"I went down to train for a week and really enjoyed it. I played for my team, Hamilton Accies, on the Saturday and Liverpool asked me back to play in a closed-door game.
"It was brilliant - Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt were playing. Everything about it was great. I played for the reserves in the first half and they switched me to the big team in the second half.
"I scored a goal ... it just sat up for me at the edge of the box and I hit it into the top corner past Jerzy Dudek.
"But it wasn't for me at the time. If I had gone to Liverpool I would have been stuck in the reserves and not playing much. Playing first-team football was my main aim - that was my dream.
"Some of my mates wound me up and said I should go, but I was happy with my decision. I was also settled at home and didn't want to leave my mum and dad.
"I had just left school and it would have been hard to leave home. I thought the best thing for me was to get my head down and just keep on playing, and that's worked out. "
"I am delighted with the way things have gone. I played over 100 games for Hamilton and then I got this move. It couldn't be better.
"Now I'm going to be competing against the likes of Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun - two players I really look up to - so I know I made the right move."