Bristol City winger Ivan Sproule admits reaching the Premier League would be the realisation of a dream for the former welder.The Robins play Hull in the Championship play-off final looking to secure a place in the Premier League for the first time in the club's history and a return to the top flight for the first time since 1980.

For Sproule, promotion would represent an amazing achievement for someone who just four years ago was working as a welder and only playing football part time near his home town of Castlederg in Northern Ireland.

Sproule was playing to crowds of only a couple of hundred spectators in the League of Ireland, but the 27-year-old is set to walk out in front of around 80,000 fans at Wembley on Saturday.

He said: "Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure this is really happening and that I am not dreaming it all.

"It was only a few years ago that I was working and playing football part time for a few quid a week.

"If you'd told me then that I would be on the verge of the Premier League in four years' time I would never have believed you.

"I'd play in games watched by just a few hundred people and you could hear every word from the terraces.

"I would train twice a week, play on a Saturday and spend the rest of the week working hard to keep a roof over my head, so it has been an amazing turnaround for me.

"To be 90 minutes away from the Premier League and playing at Wembley is incredible and because of my background and where I have come from, I really appreciate my current situation. I will never take any of this for granted."

Sproule's life began to change at the beginning of 2005 when he was spotted by a scout from Hibernian whilst playing for Institute.

Then Hibernian manager Tony Mowbray followed up that initial interest with a firm offer after Sproule had impressed during a trial at Easter Road.

Sproule admits he owes his career to current West Brom boss Mowbray, and hopes to be joining his mentor in the Premier League next season.

"It was a huge thing for me at the time. I was offered professional terms at Hibernian until the end of the season, which meant I had to give up my job," said Sproule.

"But I owe so much to Tony Mowbray. He decided to take a chance on me and gave me my first big break in football.

"It is because of him that I am where I am now, just one game away from being a Premier League player.

"I have played for Northern Ireland - I was in the team which beat England 1-0 a couple of years ago. I scored a hat-trick for Hibernian against Rangers in the SPL and now I am going to walk out at Wembley with Bristol City.

"Had Tony Mowbray not had faith in me, maybe I wouldn't have had these opportunities. He was promoted with West Brom and hopefully I can join him on Saturday."

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