ON-loan Reading youngster Johnny Mullins talks to 'The Harrier' on his career since being released from Chelsea, and his belief on Harriers' chances of survival.

Just a little bit about your career before this point, how did you start off at Reading? Was it a Youth or YT system?

I was released from Chelsea when I was 16 and later got a phone call from Reading saying they wanted to offer me a scholarship so I went down there and was over the moon to sign that with them. It just progressed from there.

MULLINS: Young starlet at Championship side Reading

When you look at a club as big as Chelsea, it must've been hard to have been let go from there, did you think 'my world is ending' and that you weren't going to make it or did you think you could start off down the lower leagues?

Well immediately after my release from Chelsea I was absolutely gutted and didn't really want to do a thing. It was really hard. But my Dad always said to me that to go back up I needed to go down and my deal at Reading really gave me a confidence boost and a new lease of life.

What kind of club are Reading now? A few years ago they were really down in the doldrums and now with the new stadium they've spent a lot of money and progressed through the leagues haven't they?

Yeah they are a very good club and to be fair they are very well run. The Chairman isn't likely to go bust and they are a very well run outfit. Alan Pardew and now Steve Coppell have done brilliantly down there.

Up until three months ago you weren't even on a professional deal were you?

No, I actually said to someone the other day that it's been a whirlwind few months for me really. It's just all happened so quickly. I got offered a professional contract at Reading and then got told I was going on loan to Kidderminster so I didn't really know where I was or where I was going!

When you compare the two sides, Reading an established Championship side gunning for Promotion and Kidderminster who were then bottom of the entire Football League, did you think 'What am I letting myself in for?' or was it a case of it being exactly what you wanted at this point in your career?

Well I could've stayed at Reading and played the whole season in their reserves, but I've come down to Kidderminster and I think I've played something like seven or eight games now which has been absolutely unbelievable for me. It's definitely what I wanted to do and I'm glad to be here doing it.

It must be hard leaving your home to come to a strange place around people you've never met before, how well do you think you've adapted and settled in?

I think I've settled in quite well and adapted quite nicely but the welcoming nature of the people down here has made that so much easier for me. Everyone from the staff to the players have made it easy for me so I'm just glad to be getting on with my football really.

LOANEE: Loves crowd encouragement at Aggborough.

 You've done very well since you came here and you've impressed quite a lot and the fans have been pleased. You played four games at centre-half when Wayne Hatswell was suspended and the popular belief is that those games were you better performances, did you enjoy that?

Yeah but I enjoy playing football altogether really. Maybe they were my better games and maybe they weren't, it's just nice to go out there in front of a good crowd. If the gaffer chose to put me in goal I'd probably give that a go!

Did you have any preconceptions about the standard of League Two football before you came here?

I knew it'd be physical but I've been shocked and pleasantly surprised about the standard of football at this level. There isn't a huge amount of difference really, only in the consistency. It's been very difficult physically but sometimes just adrenaline and the crowd can get you through it, their encouragement really helps when you're taking corners and things and they're getting behind you. You can get through a reserve game without really excelling but here, what you do matters.

Once your loan expires and you leave here, you're not going to want to leave us in the Conference are you? You must be really determined.

Absolutely - the genuine belief is that we'll get out of trouble and I think we will, our league position isn't really reflective of our ability and the spirit is unbelievable in the dressing room. Kidderminster is with me and it's my club now and I really want us to stay up, and I really do think we will.

Past Editions...
IN CONVERSATION WITH:

- Kelvin Langmead (Printed 02/10/04)
- Shaun Cooper (Printed 16/10/04)
- Abdou Sall (Printed 30/10/04)
- Simon Russell (Printed 6/11/04)
- Lee Jenkins - (Printed 27/11/04)

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