Darnell Furlong celebrated a new QPR contract this week that keeps him at the club until 2019 - and admitted one of the reasons he got it was because life in League One has toughened him up.
The 21-year-old reckoned that beside his dad, Paul, something of an Rs legend, the man he used to admire most at Loftus Road was Clint Hill.
The veteran, who also got a head start in the lower leagues, has since moved on to Glasgow Rangers, while Furlong has been kicked to here and back with loan spells at Northampton, Cambridge and Swindon.
The right-back believes that kind of experience either makes or breaks you.
“You grow as a player in general and just become more of a man really,” he said.
“The first time I went out on loan to Northampton I was going there as a kid essentially.
“It is a different environment out on loan where you have to work in a different place and you have got to meet new people.
“You have got to grow up fast. You can’t go there and be a kid because you will either be sent straight back or you just won’t be involved. You have definitely got to be a man when you go out there.
Furlong junior has the added advantage having dad Paul to help with the growing pains.
Dad made over 500 league appearances, and has a strong influence over his son.
“Dad has always said to me I’ve just got to keep working hard,” he added.
“He has told me to be humble and appreciate the opportunity I’ve got and I’ll just keep on doing that.”
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