The prospect of grabbing a place in Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 squad will be on Conor Washington's mind if he makes his international bow in the city he once called home.
The 23-year-old QPR forward is back in Cardiff this week with Michael O'Neill's squad ahead of Thursday's clash with the Dragons, who are the first of four friendly opponents for Northern Ireland before they head to France this summer.
It may be an unfamiliar group for the uncapped striker, but Washington can relate to his surroundings having lived in the Welsh capital when his major break in the game came with Newport.
"It is a bit ironic that I could make my international debut where this journey started," noted Washington, who qualifies for Northern Ireland under the grandparent rule.
"I lived literally across from the hotel so it is a bit strange, but that would add to the memory of it."
Washington, who moved to QPR in January after scoring 15 times in 31 appearances for Peterborough, knows he has little time to force his way into O'Neill's plans having watched the historic qualifying campaign on television.
However, that will not curb an ambitious drive that has taken him from postman to Loftus Road in under four years.
"I was absolutely buzzing with the call-up," Washington added. "It's something I've known about for a little while having spoken to the gaffer a couple of times and he's been to see me a few times at Peterborough and a little bit at QPR .
"My aim is to get a bit of game time and show what I can do and hopefully be an asset to the squad. Of course the aim is to make the squad for France but at the minute I will take it game by game and enjoy training and see where it takes me."
There is plenty of inspiration among the top two divisions for Washington, whose career path has followed a similar arch to a number of strikers currently lighting up the top two tiers of English football.
"A lot of it comes down to the hunger," he explained.
"A lot has been made of how a lot is given to young players but with the likes of myself, Charlie Austin, Jamie Vardy and Andre Gray, we've been down at a lower level and don't want to go back.
"It's obviously a great life as a footballer and I think we probably appreciate that a bit more."
