Victor Anichebe was training by himself just 20 miles away at non-League Knutsford FC when Sunderland opened their campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City.
The free agent - released by West Brom at the end of last season - had spent the summer a further 5,000 miles away in Los Angeles, working three times a day with personal trainer Nicky Holender and positing videos on social media in a bid to prove his fitness to the outside world.
But it was all geared towards days such as Saturday. Anichebe mouthed 'Oh my God' as the Stadium of Light reverberated following his second goal to seal the 3-0 win over Hull.