Primary school was when it all started for me. I grew up in Lewisham and I was playing after-school football at Athelney Primary School, which was my first introduction to the game.

There was a Chelsea scout there called Steve Owens, who obviously saw me playing. He got me into a grassroots team called Cray Wanderers in south London and eventually I trialled at Chelsea.

I didn't get in there but other clubs were looking at me and I ended up joining Millwall from Under-11s to Under-14s. It was really good being at Millwall. It was comfortable, it wasn't long travel. After school I could get the bus to the training ground for about 30 minutes about three times a week so it wasn't a bad way to develop at a club.

I left Millwall around the beginning of the Under-15s and moved up to Manchester City by myself. That was a big move because I lived with a host family - although they were people I already knew, which made it easier. Aged 16, I was able to move up to the training ground where there's a complex for players with your own room and everything. That was great at that age because I didn't have to do much travelling, it was all on my doorstep.

The first couple of months were difficult, moving away from home. I remember reassuring my mum that it would be fine, I was happy playing football, but as the weeks went on it did hit me. The surroundings weren't the same, the food wasn't the same. It probably took me six months to get comfortable with it. I had left Conisborough College in London to join St Bede's College, which is where a lot of the City boys go. It took a lot of adjusting to.

I did eventually settle but in time I wanted more first-team opportunities so I left for Leeds. My time at City was amazing with the coaches and the confidence they give you. But I could also see that I could get closer to the first team at Leeds and it was the fastest route to me learning the men's game, which I'm now doing on loan at Plymouth.

Grassroots football was so crucial for me though, back at school and Cray Wanderers. There was no sense of pressure and there was a freedom to just play and enjoy yourself. That's really important and something I still try to relate back to today.