John Egan has come a long way since playing football with his Gaelic football hero father in Ireland.

The Brentford defender joined the club from Gillingham in the summer and has already shone at Championship level, scoring twice in the 2-0 win over Ipswich last month.

He signed for Sunderland in 2011 after playing for Greenwood FC before he had a brief loan stint with Crystal Palace in 2012.

Egan takes up the story: “I was young at the time and I went to Palace on loan to play two games. I was guaranteed two games and it was a fantastic appearance for me.

“I made my debut against Derby and did well. I went back to Sunderland before going to Sheffield United and then my loan move to Bradford was when I broke my leg. After that I went to Southend in 2014.

“Palace were in the semi finals of the League Cup at the time so it was exciting to be a part of it. It was a great experience.

Forest manager Dougie Freedman.

“Dougie (Freedman) was great with me and I got to test myself in the Championship. I look back on that as a great experience.”

Egan had less joy, though, at Sheffield United where he went soon after and he felt he had been misled by the end of his stint.

He explained: “Sheffield United was a bit of false promises. I went in on loan for a month and told if I played well I would keep my place.

“I think a couple of lads were suspended. I played a game and as soon as they came back I was dropped.

“I was annoyed at that one. At the end of the loan spell, I wasn't going to sit at the bench instead of going back to Sunderland and train with the first team.

Wycombe Wanderers FC (white) v Brentford FC (blue), Pre season friendly, Adams Park, High Wycombe, Bucks. Wycombe Wanderers FC Myles Weston and Brentford's John Egan

“That was a disappointing one, being told you've got a chance of playing and then you're left in the wilderness. You learn from that. It's a really good club.”

A loan move to Bradford soon followed and it was one punctuated by the highs of playing regular football with the lows of suffering a horrific broken leg which ended the spell.

Egan said: “It was my best and worst experience. I was starting to play regularly and feeling confident.

“You then get brought back down to earth. That was a really testing time but I was lucky that Sunderland had the best facilities to help me get back to full fitness.

“It's another experience and obstacle to get over. With the help of Sunderland and my mental strength I got over the line and back to play football.”

John Egan

A long stint on the sidelines followed and Egan, knowing he was likely to leave the Stadium of Light under Gus Poyet, then moved to Southend, which earned him a move to Gillingham.

He revealed: “It was a bit of both (regarding getting game-time again and putting myself in the shop window). I was coming back and playing reserve games. With the change of manager at Sunderland with Gus Poyet, I never really spoke to him.

“I knew if I wasn't training with the first team I needed games. Phil Brown gave me the call and I did well there and off the back of that and Gillingham saw me.”

He joined the Gills and felt home at last as he was playing week in week out, which earned him a move to the Championship.

He said: “The biggest thing was the confidence you get from playing week in week out.

John Egan

“That was the first time I was at a club and playing week in week out. You grow up really fast. I really enjoyed it. The fans were great with me and I enjoyed my time there.”

Egan, like any professional footballer, wants to play at the highest level for club and country and he wants to achieve that during his time at Griffin Park.

He stated: “I'm an ambitious guy and Brentford are an ambitious club. You want to finish as high as you can and want to get promoted.

“We have the potential to do something really good here and try and show more quality and more competitiveness and we're a match for any of them on our day.

“When you're young and watching your country play football, it's a dream to play for your country. I was really proud to play for my country.

“Ireland are a proud nation. I loved wearing the jersey and I want to break into the senior setup. It's all about doing well for your club and if things like that happen and focus on number one.”