Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterEvery footballer must have their own tale about the big transfer move that got away from them - but Michail Antonio's will have stung more than most.The forward had already made the jump from non-league Tooting & Mitcham straight to then-Championship Reading as a teenager in 2008, but found minutes hard to come by in Berkshire.Instead, the Royals sent him out on a series of loans - five of them in total - before making the final one permanent by taking up a move to Sheffield Wednesday.'That was probably one of the best days Ive had'In the interim, though, Antonio spent time at Cheltenham, Southampton and Colchester...and his first two loan spells both left him with mixed feelings.Antonio told FourFourTwo of his EFL debut for Cheltenham in 2009: "It was under Martin Allen, on loan at Cheltenham against Leeds. I went from playing in front of 200 to 500 people at Tooting, to 20,000 people at Elland Road in the space of six months. Unbelievable. You may like Dougie Freedman was blocking my transfers, so I texted him that he wasn't my manager Id be playing for myself. Within two days I was at West Ham" Michail Antonio on dark arts that got him his Premier League move How Michail Antonio's mother influenced his early football career by rejecting a Spurs offer Exclusive: Michail Antonio reflects on how a poor performance delayed his international career "The first 28 minutes, I was on absolute fire, beating people for fun, doing long throws, taking corners I was doing it all. Then after 28 minutes, I tore three ligaments in my ankle."Upon recovering from that injury, Antonio was sent out on loan to League One again.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.This time he joined Southampton, where he played a part in their Johnstone's Paint Trophy triumph at Wembley.He said: "That was probably one of the best days Ive had."We had some unbelievable players in that Southampton squad Kelvin Davis, Jose Fonte, Dan Harding, Morgan Schneiderlin, Adam Lallana, Jason Puncheon, Rickie Lambert, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and we were in League One! What to read next From debut challenges to record scorer: Michail Antonio recalls his West Ham highlights At West Ham, I told Slaven Bilic Ill never play at right-back! Mark Noble argued with me, so I stormed off and got a taxi home Michail Antonio on his shifting roles at West Ham I sat on the bench for two months, so someone tweeted a picture of me to David Gold saying 'Missing person' and he retweeted. It was hilarious Michail Antonio on a curious incident from his early West Ham days "It was crazy. Southampton had started the season on -10 points, and we just missed out on the play-offs."But we won the Johnstones Paint Trophy final against Carlisle and I really enjoyed my time there."I actually wanted to sign for them again, but Reading told me no."The following season Southampton got promoted, then went from League One to the Premier League in only two years."I was left thinking to myself, That could have been me."Antonio made it to the Premier League himself just a couple of years later, though, leaving Sheffield Wednesday for Nottingham Forest before attracting the attention of West Ham, where he spent ten years and made 268 top-flight appearances.Sometimes you just have to be patient, as it turns out.TOPICSWest Ham UnitedSouthamptonPremier LeagueSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromChris FlanaganSenior Staff Writer
