I was working for an IT recruitment firm in Shrewsbury just two months ago… now I’m facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
pBarely two months ago he was sitting at a desk, propping up his non-League wages at Hereford with a part-time office job in Shrewsbury./p
figure id=attachment_23699016 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 637pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/92a0f19f-40dc-4b36-ab1f-dea6041a1581.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt=Ryan McLean - AFC Wimbledon. Andy Dillon Interview Pic Jamie McPhilimey. 29.08.23 class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23699016 width=627 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textRyan McLean was working as an IT recruiter two months ago/figcaptionfigcreditJAMIE MCPHILIMEY/figcredit/figure
figure id=attachment_23703020 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 10pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ryan-mclean-841167334.jpg?strip=allamp;w=800 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23703020 width=627 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditLinkedin/figcredit/figure
figure id=attachment_23703681 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 730pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/unnamed-1.jpeg?strip=allamp;w=720 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23703681 width=720 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textMcLean couldn#8217;t have imagined playing against Premier League opposition when he was typing away at his desk/figcaptionfigcredit/figcredit/figure
pJust about as far from London’s glamorous King’s Road as you can get in every sense./p
pTonight he will bid to knock mighty a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1196660/chelsea/Chelsea/a out of the a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/topic/carabao-cup/Carabao Cup/a while simultaneously attempting to take stock of a whirlwind span id=6b7f6383-b1cb-4525-9bbe-a3a22e20d449 class=suggested-linksummer/span that has transformed the life of Ryan./p
pMcLean, 23, signed his first professional contract in June #8211; just two days before span id=8bca1e54-cf41-4c35-8a5d-ec60f4bb5431 class=suggested-linkpre-season/span started at a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/topic/league-two/League Two/a Dons./p
pNine weeks later he could line up against not one but the TWO most expensive players in British span id=1bf4138e-72f8-48f3-931d-888d25b580aa class=suggested-linkhistory/span in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez./p
pHe said: “I am trying to take it in my stride but I can’t really explain it. To come from playing in parks to Stamford Bridge is pretty cool./p
p“It will probably hit me more when I am there but I am buzzing, I can’t wait and am desperately trying not to overthink it./p
p“A big away day as a player has always been my dream but I always thought it might come in the a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/topic/fa-cup/FA Cup/a./p
p“I have never even been to Stamford Bridge as a fan. The best ground I have ever played at is probably Plough Lane. I have played in front of crowds of about 20 people at times./p
p class=has-text-align-centerstronga href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/betting/21007381/best-no-deposit-casino-bonuses/ target=_blank aria-label=BETTING SPECIAL - BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS (opens in a new tab) rel=noreferrer noopenerBETTING SPECIAL #8211; BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS/a/strong/p
figure id=attachment_23699056 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 658pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/f2afb902-d849-4db5-a5aa-029940dc211e.jpg?strip=allamp;w=648 alt=Ryan McLean - AFC Wimbledon. Andy Dillon Interview Pic Jamie McPhilimey. 29.08.23 class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23699056 width=648 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textMcLean is over the moon to be playing at Stamford Bridge/figcaptionfigcreditJAMIE MCPHILIMEY/figcredit/figure
p“At 18 I was playing Saturday county league stuff and not getting paid at all. Being at Hereford I needed a job and I worked as a mechanic at span id=ddc747c6-9607-437e-80ff-f6ad11871314 class=suggested-linkAudi/span as well./p
p“I worked as a ‘resourcer’ #8211; matching companies with IT vacancies with the right people via websites like Indeed./p
p“One day I was at work when my phone rang and it was my agent asking me if I fancied moving to League Two./p
p#8220;It was a very quick decision even though there were only a couple of days before pre-season started./p
p“I can’t even remember how it all panned out because everything happened so fast. It was a bit confusing really.”/p
pGreenfield IT Recruitment’s loss is Wimbledon’s gain./p
pOn his professional debut, McLean smashed a left-foot volley home against Coventry that earns The Dons a trip to their illustrious South West London span id=fe0095cd-2796-48ef-b7fb-d622265396c5 class=suggested-linkneighbours/span./p
pHe said: “That was my weaker foot as well. When it went in I really wasn’t sure what to do./p
p“I wanted to do a knee-slide but the Coventry fans were right in front of me so I just charged along the pitch and dropped to the floor./p
p“Goalscoring isn’t my strength either. I am quick and direct, hardworking and like to run with the ball at my feet./p
p“I am a late starter in the professional game, I get that. But everyone has a different pathway./p
figure id=attachment_23703805 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 802pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/4188a701-4c72-4b11-b79d-5d05f72bf59a.jpg?strip=allamp;w=792 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23703805 width=792 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textRyan McLean signed his first professional contract two months ago/figcaptionfigcreditJAMIE MCPHILIMEY/figcredit/figure
figure id=attachment_23699090 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 637pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/9ef6fa04-2d3c-4966-81c9-c641bc8f143f.jpg?strip=allamp;w=627 alt=Ryan McLean - AFC Wimbledon. Andy Dillon Interview Pic Jamie McPhilimey. 29.08.23 class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23699090 width=627 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textRyan McLean was a late starter in the game/figcaptionfigcreditJAMIE MCPHILIMEY/figcredit/figure
p“Turning pro isn’t even getting me extra money. I’d say I earn a similar amount now to what I was before at Hereford and with my part-time office job. But it’s amazing./p
p“I’m in a house with a couple of the other lads and it’s great although Southerners do take a bit of getting used to. Everyone is a cheeky chappy down here.”/p
pMcLean’s impact has got everyone connected to a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1824428/afc-wimbledon/AFC Wimbledon/a talking with some at the club nicknaming their new recruit ‘toothpaste’ because of his surname but also because of his dazzling start to life at their club./p
pHe added: “I went to Wembley before with Hereford for span id=09827aa0-eb3c-4e0f-a240-1f45c25ecb26 class=suggested-linkthe FA/span Trophy final./p
p#8220;But I was cup-tied. I was allowed to walk out onto the pitch, even warm up with the other players but had to sit in the stands because I had played for Newcastle Town in an earlier round./p
p“That’s obviously a magnificent stadium but Stamford Bridge will be just brilliant. I know how loud it is going to be as well./p
p#8220;The away end is sold out already because it’s a big night for span id=acd4439a-5a8e-4329-b02a-498278271ab0 class=suggested-linkWimbledon/span and their fans./p
p“I have loads of friends and family on my case for tickets #8211; so far about a dozen, it’s crazy.”/p
pMcLean will do his best not to be starstruck but also hopes he can take home a souvenir on the night./p
pHe said: “As a winger, I do think a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/raheem-sterling/Raheem Sterling/a is a cracking player and a great example. /p
p#8220;If he plays and I can get a word in, I will try to get his shirt.”/p