'More than a dream' - How Harrison Burke's step-by-step approach propelled him to Walsall
Walsall defender Harrison Burke strolled out onto the pitch at the Bet365 Stadium earlier this month and gazed in amazement as he took in his surroundings.
It was the night of his competitive debut and the 22-year-old was unable to conceal his childlike enthusiasm ahead of the biggest night of his career so far.
Burke absorbed every emotion, and allowed himself a moment to reflect on his journey.
"It's the stuff you dream of," Burke smiles. "I've drove past the Bet365 Stadium a number of times and thought that it's an unbelievable stadium.
"Then to make my competitive debut there was a bit of a dream. There were a lot of nerves and excitement, but both of those emotions mixed together is how I fuel myself for a game."
Burke lived out one of his dreams that night in Stoke-on-Trent but he has always tempered his wildest aspirations with a dose of reality.
