For the final two months of last season, Carlton Cole drove away from Celtic’s Lennoxtown training ground facing a grim reality.

After already accepting he was to be no more than a bit-part player under then Celtic manager Ronny Deila, Cole was also coming to terms with a serious knee injury that threatened to end his career prematurely.

Fast-forward six months and Cole’s present post-training regime is rather more relaxing in the baking California sunshine. “After training, it’s lovely to have a dip in the pool. You don’t get that option at home… it’s too cold to go in the River Thames!” jokes the former West Ham and Chelsea striker.

Cole headed across the pond in August to join Sacramento Republic, who play in the third tier of football in the United States. While he regularly speaks with namesake and good friend Ashley down the west coast at LA Galaxy, Sacramento are a far more humble outfit.

It could easily prompt suggestions that with his 33rd birthday on the horizon, Cole merely made the move to one of his favourite holiday destinations as an easy way of winding down his career.

The Croydon-born centre-forward is aware of those suspicions but Sacramento — under the stewardship of ex-Cheltenham boss Paul Buckle — won the USL Western Conference, attract crowds of around 10,000 and have ambitions to be accepted as an MLS franchise within two years. That project appeals to Cole and has transformed his outlook during the autumn of his career.

“It’s always been a long-term ambition for me, so it’s a great opportunity for me to get my foot in the door,” he said. “I wanted to come over earlier in the summer but people were concerned that I hadn’t played enough games and wanted to know what my intentions were.

“Was it just going to be a pay day? They didn’t know what happened at Celtic. No one wanted to take a chance on me but I’ve got a good relationship with the coaches and staff here. They know I’m here to work hard and prove my fitness. I wasn’t very optimistic when I had the knee problem in March but because the medical team has given me so much attention, I can see a big future. It’s still a growing sport here and I want to prolong my career as long as possible.”

Cole had considered moving to the MLS when he was released by West Ham in May 2015 and any plans were then shelved when Celtic made an approach last November.

It was a “no-brainer” for him to join the Scottish champions but persistent injury issues and Deila’s faith in deploying a solitary central striker (40-goal Leigh Griffiths) limited Cole to just five appearances — four as a substitute. Both parties were happy to activate the break clause midway through his two-year contract. There were offers of trials from various English clubs during the close-season but Sacramento’s medical facilities, along with the presence of Buckle and director of football — and former Chelsea colleague — Graham Smith proved sufficiently tempting.

He said: “At Celtic in March I got a bad knee injury. I haven’t played a lot from then until now.

“Clubs in England wanted me to train with them, before deciding whether to offer me anything.

“But I really wanted to move to the States. It didn’t work out at Celtic but I had a great time there.”

Who are Sacramento Republic FC?

Sacramento surprisingly lost in the first-round of the USL Play-offs on Saturday — beaten in a penalty shoot-out by Orange County Blues — but Cole’s eye is on the long-term future in California as emphasised by him taking the first steps on a coaching career.

“I want to get involved in the youth [set-up] because there’s a massive need for that out here, with some professional coaching,” said the former England striker. “It’s a growing sport and if you can get into it now, it will be good for the future. I love working with kids.”

Cole, of course, graduated through Chelsea’s academy; a breeding ground which has not been particularly successful in converting prospects into first-teamers since his emergence more than a decade ago. Plenty from Cobham have thrived out on loan or after moving to pastures new, yet there has not been a clear pathway to making an impact for Chelsea themselves.

Under Antonio Conte, Cole believes there will be more emphasis on home-grown talent — perhaps evidenced by perennial loanee Nathaniel Chalobah finally making his Chelsea bow in last month’s League Cup win at Leicester.

Cole added: “They’ve bought young English players, like Glen Johnson, but they’ve not come from the youth ranks. I had high hopes for Josh McEachran but that didn’t materialise. When I was growing up there, I got my chance under Claudio Ranieri. I’ve always had a great time under Italian coaches, and Conte definitely is of that ilk.”