Michail Antonio is relishing returning to his once home when West Ham take on Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road tomorrow night in the Carabao Cup second round.
The Robins handed the now England international is professional debut make in 2009 when he joined them on-loan from Reading, although he was unable to keep them from relegation during his spell in Gloucestershire.
“They were in League One when I went there and we got relegated that season,” recalled Antonio. “I had come to Reading from non-league a few months before and then went back on loan to [my former club] Tooting & Mitcham and people were trying to smash me.
“I went back to Reading and the very next day I went on loan to Cheltenham, so I literally went from grassroots football to Cheltenham. It was definitely better technically and stuff like that but it was hustle and bustle, hard challenges and everybody down there is fighting for everything and trying to get better.”
After his time at Cheltenham, Antonio spent a number of years on-loan at other clubs including Southampton and Colchester United, before earning a permanent move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2012. Since his move to The Owls, the 27-year-old hasn’t looked back, and has gone to be called up to Gareth Soutgate’s England squad in recent months following his impressive form for West Ham.
“I’ve never been back since I left, so it will definitely be nice to go back and see how the club is doing and meet the same people who were there when I was there all those years ago.”
