Like most Irish footballers, Pat Hoban always dreamed of moving to England as a professional and it's clear from speaking to him now that he still holds onto that dream.
The 27-year-old has just became the record goal scorer in the League of Ireland with 27 goals so far this season.
His team Dundalk have won the SSE Airtricity League and next month have the chance to do the double when they take on Cork City in the FAI Cup final.
The Galway native is riding the crest of a wave but can't shake that desire to play across the Irish Sea.
"I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t like to go back, of course I'd like to go back and correct what happened the last time I was there," Hoban told Soccer Republic.
"I’d like to put that right and put those doubters wrong as well. I’d only love to put the ball in the back of the net in England. I’d love to do that, but right now I'm happy here.
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The striker adds that he would happily see out his contract, which runs until the end of next season, if no move materialises.
"I’ve another year at Dundalk. I’m really happy with the environment, with Stephen (Kenny) with the back-room team, the whole staff. There is not one bad egg in the team, we all get on like a house on fire and are on the same page."
For Hoban, the most important thing is that he is playing football with a smile on his face. That wasn't always the case.
He's in his late 20s now and has neither of his two stints in England went as he had hoped.
His first move was to Bristol City as a teenager.
"I went to Bristol City and I came back, It was a lot harder when I was 19. Basically you are told you aren’t good enough. Well that’s how I took it anyway.
"But I went back to Mervue, under the wing of Johnny Glynn, and I was lucky. I kept the head down and kept working hard.
"I know a lot of players who come back and just give up football. It's not easy but thankfully I got through it, I was with the right people."
Dundalk registered another win against Waterford at the RSC as Pat Hoban chalked up his 27th goal of the season pic.twitter.com/x6k2apkt3W
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) October 15, 2018
In 2014, after winning the League with Dundalk, Hoban made his second move to England. This time it was to Oxford United, a League Two side, and again it didn't go to plan.
After a couple of loan moves to Crawley Town and Grimbsy Town, he moved to Mansfield Town but it was the same story for the aspiring footballer and he ended up returning home.
"I learned a lot from the whole thing," he insisted. "I learned how ruthless the game is over there. At the end of the day, I got two promotions, with Grimbsy and Oxford and I got to play in Wembley. It wasn’t the worst experience but not playing regularly enough really halted my progress.
"The second time coming back, after Mansfield, I was plagued with injury. I was out of contract, I was injured before I was meant to sign for a club but I was just stuck then, that’s how I'd describe it.
"I didn’t know where to go or what to do with my injury. I had no one to look after me, I was doing stuff by myself in the gym.
"The two clubs I was at, no one saw the best of me and I wanted to make it right. I went to Crawley Town to train and I pulled my quad in the second training and I remember I didn’t tell anyone.
"I remember thinking I need a contract and they offered me a contract and it was terrible so I decided it’s time to come home.
"I was lucky Stephen (Kenny) still had belief in my ability from the first time I was in Dundalk and he wanted me, so thankfully everything has gone well."
"I wanted to tear the league apart, to be honest, after my experience in the UK for the two years. I felt I had a point to prove"
Hoban's confidence was at rock bottom when he returned at the start of this season but with every passing game it grew. Having a manager like Kenny helped but it was having a point to prove that really motivated him.
"I wanted to tear the league apart, to be honest, after my experience in the UK for the two years. I felt I had a point to prove.
"There are a lot of doubters out there and they fuel my fire. I got that in the UK and even when I came back here some people were saying 'why are we signing him?' he’s been plagued with injury.
"Lucky enough I had no injuries this season and that is testament to the medical team. I do injury prevention every day now and that is working.
"I’ve a great team around me too, who are going to create loads of chances. I'm just the lucky player who puts the ball in the net.
"It’s been a great year. At the start of the season I was saying Dundalk are getting me at a good time and I am getting them at a good time.
"My mindset coming back was that I want to make things right, I want to make sure I am right."
The Dundalk style of play also suits Hoban. There is a trust between the manager and his top scorer and as a result Hoban is thriving.
Watch Pat Hoban score the @DundalkFC equaliser against St Pat's - cue the celebrations at Oriel Park #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/4RLFP3G5dD
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) October 5, 2018
"In England if you don’t score a goal in three or four games but your hold-up play had been excellent it doesn't matter, you are going to find yourself out of the team.
"With Stephen he has full belief in me, he always says it’s not just about the goals, you need to make sure you are playing well.
"Even when I was on 22 or 23 goals he would tell me that there are things I could be getting better at and I would think 'Ya I’m going to prove you wrong' and I would improve.
"He would say that during the whole season, he would say you haven’t scored a goal with your left foot you need to do that. Things like that can drive me on in the pitch."
Dundalk's season isn't over yet. They may have already claimed the league title and Hoban has bagged a record number of goals for a single season but there are two more games in which to extend it.
"Everyone was talking about the record. Goals were going in but I wasn’t counting my goals, I was happy enough to be scoring.
"Then you see stuff on social media about it and when I went home to Loughrea people were telling me I should be beating the record and then I was thinking I have to beat the record because everyone is talking about it.
"There was relief then when I scored against Pats' and we won the league, I was emotionally all over the place after that game."
After Hoban's heroics for the Lilywhites his name was linked with an international call-up and of course this would be a dream come true for the Galway man.
"I’d love to represent my country. It’s always been a dream. I never got to do it underage, if I got to do it at senior level it would be an honour.
"I think that’s coming from social media, it’s great to hear and see. I can only keep focusing on myself. If you had said that to me a year and half ago I'd have said no chance.
"All I can do is focus on myself and my team. We have another trophy we can win in November, all I can do is keep putting in good performances and you never know what will happen.
"When Graham Burke was called in and played against the USA, we could have had three boys from our team who could have easily played that game. So it does give you great confidence and it shows that they (Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane) are coming to games in the league.
"Richie (Towell), Andy (Boyle) and Daryl (Horgan) have been in so it just shows players who come through the league of Ireland can get in."
Next month, Dundalk will face Cork in the cup final for the fourth successive year.
Hoban enjoys being involved it in the enduring and "spicy" rivalry between the top two teams in the league.
"There’s no doubt about it, there is a big rivalry. It’s good for the league. I remember doing an interview and saying it is a spicy affair and it is. The games are totally different to other games, they are always full-blooded every time you play.
"They are the type of games you want to play. There's always a great atmosphere and a great buzz around them."
