FIFTEEN years ago Rhyan Grant was a Bathurst District Football player dreaming about the A-League, now he's about to run out for his 300th game for Sydney FC.
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Grant has transitioned from a kid who played for Churches United and Bathurst '75 and had big dreams, to someone his Sydney coach Steve Corica says "embodies what it means to be a footballer".
"[He] embraces every moment he plays whether that's in a game or during a training session," Corica said.
"He has been central to Sydney FC's key moments over a good number of years and has given his all for this club."
Grant is already the club's most capped and longest serving player and will set the new landmark in Saturday's A-League match against Western United at Allianz Stadium.
It was in September 2008 that Grant was first signed by Sydney FC on a two-year Youth League deal.
"I just couldn't believe it and said yes straight away. It is a pretty good feeling," Grant said at the time.
"I definitely want to play for Australia one day and would certainly love to start in the A-League. That's my goal at the moment."
Grant didn't have to wait long to live out the first of those dreams. On December 21, 2008, the 17-year-old made his A League debut.
He came on for the final 12 minutes of Sydney FC's 4-1 loss to Perth Glory.
His youth coach Steve O'Connor predicted more minutes would come, saying Grant "had the raw ingredients" and was a "very aggressive and a good athlete with potential".
But neither O'Connor or Grant would have predicted that kid would go on to spent 15 years in sky blue and play 300 games for them across a range of competitions.
Along the way Grant has transitioned from a central midfielder to a key cog in Sydney FC's defensive line up.
He's had his struggles - including a pair of knee reconstructions - while Grant also realised another dream when he made his Socceroos debut at 27.
Through it all the kid that grew up in Canowindra and once called Proctor Park home turf didn't forget his roots.
"My Dad always likes to say 'A small country town makes you work harder and makes you work for things a little bit more' - whether that's true, I'm not sure, but that's what Mum and Dad instilled into me," Grant said.
"If you look at the way I play football, it's not always skilful or the best on the pitch, it's just about trying my best and never giving up and I think that's where it's come from, my country background."
Grant was Sydney FC's first 10-year player in 2018 and in April 2022, he became the club's most capped player of all time when made his 268th appearance.
Grant has scored in three A-League grand finals for Sydney FC. He's won four championships with the club, four premierships, and an FFA Cup as well as.
He's naturally hoping to add more triumphs to that list - Sydney FC is currently placed sixth on the ladder - but first Grant is going to soak up his latest milestone.
"It's a huge honour to become the first to 300 appearances, especially at the biggest club in the country," he said.
"It feels fantastic to have represented Sydney FC so many times and to have had so much success throughout the years as well.
"It will be an extremely proud moment for me and my family on Saturday and it would be great to cap it off with a win."
While Grant is now 32, he has no plans of retiring from the A-League any time soon.
In fact the club stalwart reckons he can push for another 100 games after Saturday night.
"I still think I've got a good three or four seasons left in me after this one, so it would be nice to think I can get close to the 400 mark," he said.
"I've always had tremendous support from all of our members and fans and I still plan to give even more back to them.
"But for now the focus is on Saturday and rewarding them with a very important three points."
Grant will be honoured before the clash with Western United on Saturday, the match set to kick off at 7.45pm.
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