Chris Basham used to play alongside painters and decorators for Stafford Rangers, but has now painted a perfect Premier League picture for himself at Sheffield United having penned a new deal.
Basham, 32, was one of the Blades' outstanding performers this term, playing every game as they finished ninth and came within a whisker of qualifying for Europe.
His reward has been a new two-year deal at Bramall Lane and deserved accolades as the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year.
'I had to clean my own boots at Stafford and, to be fair, I had to do that at Blackpool as well,' reflected Basham.