JOSH WINDASS hated working on a building site and playing in England’s ninth tier.
But it’s when you compare him to his dad, Dean, that he gets really mad!
The 22-year-old is proud of what his old man did with Aberdeen, Middlesbrough, Bradford City and Hull City, amongst others.
His career is taking a similar path as he suffered rejection at an early age, played non-league football, then grabbed a second chance in the senior game before moving to Scotland.
However, as far as he is concerned, that is where the similarities will end.
He actually wanted J. Windass printed on the back of his shirt at Accrington Stanley to differentiate him from his old man.
He simply hates the comparisons and the accusations that he is living off Dean’s name.
Looking flushed after another intensive training session in the humidity and heat of South Carolina, he said: “When I was younger at Huddersfield, people would say, ‘You are in the Academy because of your old man, blah, blah, blah’.
“Then I got released, and when I started doing well at Accrington, people started saying it again.
“I have done well off my own back. It had nothing to do with him.
“People think it is easy but it is actually harder. People compare you.
“He played in the Premier League for a while, and people compare you when you are not doing as well.
“I play in a different position, so don’t score as many goals as him.
“I have not asked about getting J. Windass on my shirt at Rangers yet, but I did want it at Accrington.
“They told me the FA wouldn’t allow it, which I don’t understand.
“I just didn’t want people to perceive me as my dad’s son, if that makes sense.”
Released by Huddersfield in 2012 when he was suffering from a broken leg, Josh opted to work on a building site until he was fit enough to play again.
He then signed for Harrogate Railway in the ninth tier of English football, knowing that Accrington Stanley would take him in July 2013.
He said: “I never want to go back to working on a building site for 50 quid a day. It was horrible. I was helping my dad’s mate.
“It was just two or three days a week to get me some money when I broke my leg. They were the worst days of my life, quite honestly.
“I knew I wouldn’t have to do it for long, but my mum and dad wanted me to get some money so I had to do it for a bit.
“I knew I was going to Accrington for pre-season. I had to wait, so I did that until it came up.
“Lee Clark had told me that I would have a contract while he was the manager at Huddersfield but then he left. Then the Academy manager left as well, which was annoying.
“A new guy came in, never saw anything of me and let me go. I was injured so I couldn’t do anything about it
“While I was waiting for the Accrington thing to happen, I played for Harrogate Railway. It was more or less Sunday league.
“It was horrible, training in an indoor hall or a Tuesday and Thursday night. But it made me enjoy football again. That was the good part of it.”
Windass will get his first run-out with Rangers in Wednesday’s friendly against Charleston Battery of America’s third tier when manager Mark Warburton will play different 11s in each half.
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