When the Under-18s' fixture against Charlton Athletic was postponed just before last weekend because of snow, 16-year-old Jake Larkins was probably expecting a quiet weekend.
Instead, the stocky teenager suddenly found himself travelling on the first-team flight to Blackburn on Friday afternoon. Larkins got a late, late call to join up with the senior squad when Robert Green was withdrawn at the eleventh hour because he had not recovered from minor surgery in time to make the trip.
That meant Ruud Boffin was elevated to No1 status for the pressure Barclays Premier League match at Ewood Park and, with Marek Stech and Peter Kurucz already sidelined, Larkins was designated as his cover on the bench.
For the youngster, who had kept a clean sheet for the Academy side in a 1-0 win against Fulham the previous weekend, it was a welcome but hugely unexpected call.
"I had just got out of the shower on Friday afternoon when I found out," the club's new No46 told WHUTV. "James [Saban] the kit man came in and told me. Everything went so fast. I had to go to Stansted. I left Chadwell Heath at 3pm and got there just in time at 4pm. I was lucky.
"I had four missed calls on my phone. I didn't know what it was before James told me I had to travel with the team to Blackburn. It turned out to be a great experience - especially warming up with [goalkeeping coach David Coles] before the match. I'd love to do it again any day of the week."
Larkins was not overawed by the occasion, paying tribute to his coach for making him as relaxed as possible while he was also delighted for Boffin who "played very well". He added: "I thought it was going to be more intense but nothing changed. I have worked with Colesy a couple of times and nothing changed."
With Green expected to face Fulham on Boxing Day, Larkins will revert to U18 duty and faces a battle to dislodge Deniz Mehmet for starting duties in January's FA Youth Cup fourth-round tie against either Manchester United or Portsmouth. It will be back down to earth, but he knows he has to keep on going. "I will have to work hard for it and see what happens I will try my hardest."