Michael: You get the call in the morning, Harry pulls you into the office and says, ‘You’re going on loan to Swindon. You gotta be there at such a time tonight, the manager will meet you.’ You know just the thing of getting in your own car, making your own way down there, all on your own to meet the manager of Swindon.
Graeme: You had a good spell there though didn’t you?
Michael: Yeah I had a good spell considering it wasn’t even a full six weeks. I think I played seven or eight games. It was little things like ‘wash your own kit’ and other aspects I’d never come across, and just different mentality really.
There was obviously no money, struggling, bottom of the Championship. It was about growing up more than anything. You know at Swindon, in that environment, it’s either sink or swim, can you cope on you own, can you cope with it? And if not then you won’t play basically. They couldn’t take any passengers so if you can’t deal with it then you wouldn’t play.
I think I was quite resilient really. I’d always speak to Graeme, but even my Dad was limited in how he could help because he’d never been in a situation like that before. He could obviously give you advice, which he would, but in a lot of ways you’re on your own you know and you’ve got to cope with it. I think you’ve just got to believe in yourself to play, to be good enough to play. I also didn’t want them thinking there’s this young up and coming kid coming you know, a bit flash, just wants to come and play here. I wanted to try and fit in with the lads, and their careers were on the line, they were in a relegation fight. I was aware I had to help them fight basically. It wasn’t a case of just coming in blasé and then just getting off. It was a case of trying to fit in, so that was a conscious decision to do that.
Overall, Swindon went well, I played well, scored some goals, came back really positive and then went to Birmingham, played one game, came on sub for two games and then played in a reserve game, where I got injured. It wasn’t such a good experience but at the same time it wasn’t a bad thing I went through it. So back to West Ham, and was playing regularly once I got fit.
Graeme: You got your first England cap when you were 19 didn’t you?
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