JOE Adams has only played half a season of league football but he’s had to come quite a way to get that far.

The on-loan Wigan midfielder is eyeing his first City involvement tonight in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

The 20-year-old is aiming to build on his recent stint in League Two with Morecambe – and progress a career path that began on the Channel Islands.

After Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, Adams is the only other Guernsey native currently playing in the top four divisions.

The island, that sits 27 miles off Normandy, was put on the football map by Matt Le Tissier. But few others have made the grade.

That’s why Adams made the conscious decision to up sticks for the mainland at 16.

He said: “It’s tough coming from a small island because not many people get noticed playing in Guernsey. You have to come over.

“I started playing non-league around Southampton and Portsmouth and then tried to just build my way up.

“My mum came over with me which was a massive help. But meeting all new people in a new area, moving away from friends and home was tough.

“But I enjoyed it because I was playing football all the time. I spoke to my dad a lot about it and he believed I had a good chance.

“But we believed that I had to make the step over to England and start playing men’s football as soon as possible.”

Adams relocated north to join Wigan in 2022 and then learned to fend for himself for the first time when he lived on his own at Morecambe.

Moving again nearer to City, with fellow loan recruit Olly Sanderson as a neighbour, won’t be an issue.

“I’ve moved quite a bit. I obviously had to move up to Wigan as well and was in digs there which was probably best for me at the time because I was so young “I’ve been away from home for quite a while but Morecambe was the first time I’d lived by myself.

“Cooking for yourself, sorting yourself out and doing everything is different but I think if you prepare right off the pitch, you’re going to play better on it.

“I’m used to moving now so it feels quite normal for me.”

Adams will hope to fair much better than City’s previous Guernsey-born recruit.

Striker Kurtis Guthrie spent a year at Valley Parade without registering a single goal.

Guernsey-born striker Kurtis Guthrie had a difficult year at CityGuernsey-born striker Kurtis Guthrie had a difficult year at City (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Adams was high on Graham Alexander’s shopping list during the summer window and had planned on taking him on the training trip to Obertraun.

But an injury in pre-season at Wigan, the first Adams had suffered in the pro game, meant a delay in the deal getting done.

“It’s been difficult because I’ve probably been lacking fitness from my usual levels because of the injury,” he added. “But I was working hard at Wigan and then came here determined to get as fit as I can as soon as possible.

“I’d have liked to have gone away with the lads to Austria but obviously I wasn’t able to do that. From what I’ve heard, it was a tough week out there.

“Training is a bit different here and the sessions are full on. But that’s been perfect for me.

“The gaffer has been great, talking to me all the time (through the summer), so I know what I have to do when I get out on the pitch.

“I take every game the same, it doesn’t matter what competition it is. I just want to go out there and play my best.”