GEORGE GREEN was a prodigy who was likened to maverick genius Paul Gascoigne when he joined Everton as a 15-year-old from Bradford City five years ago, and the world was seemingly at his feet.
However, what looked like being a football fairytale swiftly deteriorated into a nightmare as he was shipped out to Oldham Athletic, where he also failed to make the grade, admittedly largely due to his own short-comings.
Disillusioned and without hope, the midfielder ended up on £75 a week playing for Ossett Albion in Division One of the Evo Stick Northern Premier League. However, agent Lee Payne paved the way for a remarkable comeback and secured a trial at Burnley who initially gave him a short-term deal last January and then tied him down for another year.
Now he believes Kilmarnock can be his conduit from the eighth tier of English football to the Barclay’s Premier League.
It could be the ultimate riches to rags to riches story for the 20-year-old Yorkshireman, who is on loan at Rugby Park until January and liable to face Ross County in Dingwall today.
The move to Ayrshire seems to have been fated as fiancée Charlie’s family are all fervent Killie fans from Galston!
Green said: “I didn’t have the willpower to get back into football. Then I met Lee and he gave me a lifeline, I took it and it’s led me here. Happy days are here again.
“Before then I just didn’t want to play football any more but it’s a different story now.
“Beforehand, the fact that I couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel played a part. I was playing Under-21 football and then I moved to Oldham and didn’t get a chance there.
“I don’t even know what I did wrong – apart from just being an idiot – but that’s back in the past now and I don’t want to speak about that any more. I just want to look to the future.
“I just fell out of love with football – it was as simple as that. But I’ve got that love back now – I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t
“It’s down to my attitude now. I want it this time. Before I was handed it on a plate and I thought I could just take the mickey, really.
“But now I know what it takes to be a footballer – attitude, commitment, the way you live your life off the pitch.
“I think I have got all of that intact now so I have a very good chance.
“I think I can go back to Burnley and become a first team player. I think I need this development first at another club because the standard at Burnley is obviously top notch with them being a Premier League club.
“I’ve got family up here, anyway. My fiancé, Charlie, had a baby three months ago and her family are from Galston so it was a no-brainer for me, having them around me. They’re all Kilmarnock fans as well which is another positive.”
Killie have added two more loan signings by bringing in Green’s Burnley colleague Luke Hendrie, who plays right back, and midfielder Charlee Adams from Birmingham City.
Manager Lee Clark, who will now try to farm out some fringe players on loan, said: “I gave Charlee his debut at Birmingham and Luke will give us competition at right back. Charlee can play in midfield or centre back and we fought off a couple of latecomers from down south for his signature from League One and Two. We’re going into the Ross County game with confidence after last week’s win at Hamilton.”
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