WHEN John McGinn walked out of St Mirren Park in the summer of 2015, the ambitious midfielder departed for Edinburgh knowing it would put him on a pathway of progression.

It was a route that was taking the much-fancied prospect back into the Ladbrokes Championship as potential top-flight suitors circled along with interest Stateside, but McGinn signed up at Hibs knowing the doors playing for such a big club could open.

A year-and-a-half has gone by since that happened and the 22-year-old would tell you himself he is surprised how much his career, and stock, has risen in that relatively short period of time.

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Awarded the man-of-the-match gong on his Scotland debut against Denmark back in March, the man who is a key part of Neil Lennon's central midfield is now a regular face under Gordon Strachan. As the national side look to tomorrow's showpiece World Cup qualifier against England down at Wembley, McGinn isn't shy in admitting the glitz and glamour of the fixture, and international football, is something that has arrived much sooner than expected.

"Some of the Hibs boys were saying that on Saturday," McGinn told SportTimes. "I'm going from Somerset Park one week to Wembley the next. It's crazy but that's football. You don't get to where you want to be without going through all these different places. I couldn't do it without my team-mates at Hibs either. They all sent me good luck messages so I'm hoping I can really do them proud.

"Absolutely this has come sooner that I thought it would. When the American move came up I was thinking whether that would harm my international chances.

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"When I went to Hibs, I ended up getting the armband. It was strange how it worked coming up from the Under-21s. I knew it was important to impress while I was away internationally because the Championship doesn't get as much attention.

"I was lucky that last season there were a lot of eyes on the league. It was really unexpected when I got the call from Scotland but I was delighted. It's still the same feeling when I get called up now - it's like Christmas morning. Every young Scottish player wants to be involved in this."

Given the likes of Craig Gordon, Darren Fletcher, Shaun Maloney and Scott Brown who have filled the Scotland home dressing room for years, it could be a daunting experience for such a young player from the Scottish Championship to fit in.

McGinn explained how the group ethos and togetherness in this squad under Strachan dispelled such worries.

He said: "When you first come in, you start thinking, 'what will the boys actually be like?' or 'am I going to feel out of place here?'

"But the guys are just normal people who want to do their best the same as you. I've settled in really well and I thoroughly enjoy it every time I'm with the squad. There are always jokes because I'm the young one but I'm used to it now.

"You always need to be on your toes. A lot of people have missed out on this squad who feel they should be in it. It's up to myself to keep impressing when I'm here and establish myself in the squad. Obviously, my aim now is to try and force my way into the starting line-up.

"That isn't going to be easy but it's my aim. I got my competitive debut last time [against Slovakia]. You're always looking to go one step further and I'm an ambitious boy.

"I feel as if I can do it. I just have to impress the manger this week and put some thoughts in his head."

McGinn has two Scotland caps to his name and is clearly keen to build on that tally. As he no doubt will as the years roll by and the talented box-to-box midfielder's stature grows even further.

Of course he is desperate to play a part tomorrow night and will be joined at Wembley by his family, keen to see a glimpse of the former St Mirren starlet pull on, err, pink for his country.

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Regardless though of how much part he plays in proceedings, it is an occasion like no other. A fact not lost on the youngster who was just fives years old when Don Hutchison nodded Scotland ahead on that very ground back in 1999.

"It's a game everyone's excited about so you can't get yourself too bored or down. You remember you're living everyone's dream," said McGinn. "You've got the opportunity to play in one of the biggest games on the calendar. I think everyone is focused but excited at the same time.

"It's a dream come true if you get a chance to be involved. You work so hard to get to a level and you need to grab your chance with both hands. We've all got an opportunity to get a positive result and hopefully we do that."