'I was in shock with jelly legs. I couldn't even sleep with just taking it all in'

WHEN Micah Hamilton smashed into the roof of the net on his City debut, the ballboy story became even more impossible to ignore.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Making the step from restarting games from the sidelines to winning games on the pitch is the sort of script that producers would jump at, and the fact that Hamilton had been involved in a significant exchange with Pep Guardiola six years ago also added to the narrative.

City's manager could not remember the incident - little wonder given everything that must have gone through his head in the time since - but being presented with the picture even drew a 'wow' from him.

For the 20-year-old making all the headlines though, another moment was in his head. His start in Belgrade came a year after he was having injections in his ankle to try and bring his injury hell to an end.

All in all, issues with his ankle robbed Hamilton of about 18 months of his blossoming career and it cannot be underestimated how difficult that can be to overcome.