THERE was a time when Shay McCartan never thought he would settle in East Lancashire.

But now that he considers the area his “second home” he is hoping to stay for a bit longer, and play his way into a new contract with Accrington Stanley.

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The young striker was just 16 years old when he left his Northern Ireland home for a new life at Burnley Football Club, living in digs in Padiham for the two years of his scholarship.

“It was hard, especially at the age I was,” he said.

“When I was 14/15 I was going back and forth on trial to numerous places but I knew I was going back home.

“But the night I was leaving and the first night I spent in digs I was crying my eyes out, I just wanted to get back home.

“It got easier as time went on but the first year and a half was tough.

“I’m used to it now. I’ve matured and I love it.

“When I was in digs I used to leave the house at about half past eight and get back around 1pm-2pm and you’d have the rest of the day to yourself.

“I was lucky I lived with a lad from Ireland so we had the same sort of connections, but often I used to sleep to pass the time.”

He had quite a nomadic existence for a while after that, albeit in a 30-odd mile radius, living in Burnley’s Manchester Road with a few of his Clarets team-mates, then spent short periods in Accrington - after joining the Reds - and Fallowfield, before returning to East Lancashire to share a flat with Stanley team-mate Kal Naismith in Blackburn. Fellow Reds Josh Windass and George Bowerman are neighbours.

Out of contract in the summer, the young forward who couldn’t wait to return home less than five years ago now hopes he won’t have cause to move again just yet.

“I’m loving it here,” said the 20-year-old, who is joint top scorer this season with five. “I haven’t really made much of an appearance in the last couple of games but the team’s been winning.

“We went on that bad run (Accrington lost five games in the spin across January and February), but otherwise this season over last season I’m enjoying it more because I’m playing more.

“Last season after getting released by Burnley it knocked my confidence completely. Once you take that away from most players they’re not half they player they were.

“I had a few problems with my back as well, which I got sorted out this season, just before James Beattie left.

“I was getting my confidence back and the pain in my back had gone away.

“When Beatts left and the gaffer (John Coleman) and Jimmy (Bell) came in it changed my career a bit.”

McCartan still finds himself in and out of the team, but accepts the fight for a place is an ongoing challenge, and not just for him.

“Everyone goes through it. We’re all a squad and we all have to stick together,” he said. “It is a squad game these days, and we’ve got quite a big squad for Accrington.

“I’m enjoying it, and the team’s started winning. I’d probably enjoy it more if I was making more appearances but hopefully that will come.“The gaffer always says one week you could make an appearance from the bench and the next week you could be starting. That’s how quickly football can change.

“If I can get back in the team and hopefully score a few more goals we’ll see what happens.

“I’d love to stay.”