Michael Bryan's debut for Northern Ireland against Turkey last month completed a remarkable four years for the Watford winger.

The 20-year-old was a 66th-minute substitute against Guus Hiddink’s side and started against Chile four days later. And this week he has signed a new one-year contract with the club and the Hornets have an option of extending it by another year.

But in 2006, Bryan’s career hung in the balance when he was released by Queens Park Rangers after the London club chose not to offer him a scholarship.

Without a club, the slight teenager began a BTEC National Diploma in Sport Performance and Excellence course at college, which involved playing for non-league Hayes.

“When I got released by QPR it was always my aim to get back into a pro club, it didn’t happen as quick as I would have liked it,” he recalled.

“I would have liked to have gone straight from when I got released back into a pro club but it was probably the best situation to go to Hayes which helped me build my confidence a bit and start playing regular football.”

Any player released at 16 will tell you how hard it is, but Bryan paid tribute to his family for helping him overcome the blow of being rejected by the club he joined as a nine year old.

“For me my family helped me out a lot, especially my mum and dad,” he said. “I guess I was expecting it as well because most of the season I wasn’t playing regularly which you’d expect. The fact I knew it was going to happen helped me prepare for it.”

It was at Hayes where Bryan first got noticed by Watford after impressing Hornets officials when the two sides met in a friendly. He was told to attend Watford’s London Colney training ground for a week’s trial and he was eventually signed on a non-contract basis.

Bryan signed his first professional deal at the beginning of July last year after impressing for the Watford Academy and made his first team debut in the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United in August.

Since then the pacey midfielder has made six more appearances for the Hornets, including his first start for the club in the 4-0 defeat of Coventry City on the last game of the campaign.

Bryan’s first start and brief cameos did not go unnoticed by Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington and he was called up to the full squad after a number of key members were left out.

“I would have liked to have got on a bit more at times but I would definitely have taken this at the start of the season,” Bryan said.

“Hopefully next season I can force my way into the team and if I don’t force my way in as a regular, being someone who comes off the bench regularly.”

Bryan was one of 11 Academy graduates or current scholars in the 18-man squad at Coventry and the 20-year-old paid tribute to the way Watford promote their younger players.

He said: “Youngsters definitely get a chance at Watford. It’s a good club to be at and hopefully it will be my time to shine next season.”