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On the face of it, Chris Cadden couldn’t be happier.

And why not? He’s at the start of a new adventure, one that will take in Oxford, Ohio and who knows where next?

In the village of Bicester, his biggest worries are how to wash or iron his clothes after moving into a flat on his own for the first time.

Thankfully, mum Avril is down for his 22nd birthday to provide some home comforts.

But behind Cadden’s upbeat exterior, there’s sadness too.

About how his time at boyhood club Motherwell ended, in controversial circumstances.

(Image: Getty)

As it stands, the Fir Park club are still in dialogue with FIFA about trying to recoup a six-figure compensation fee from MLS outfit Columbus Crew.

Cadden signed for the American club when his contract expired at Well, before being sent on loan to Oxford United for a year.

To fans and outsiders, it looked like a loophole had been cleverly exploited.

MLS clubs hadn’t yet been ranked by FIFA for cases like this, having only joined the system in April.

A move to Oxford would have earned Motherwell at least £200,000 cash. But by doing it this way, they’d be entitled to nothing.

None of it was Cadden’s doing. That’s not in his make-up. But he’s been hurt by some of the criticism.

For the first time, he’s revealed the truth behind his move to the USA and subsequent stint in England’s League One.

And the player is still troubled by the fact he wasn’t able to say goodbye properly to the people who developed him at Motherwell from the age of eight.

(Image: Getty Images)

Cadden, who’s been capped twice by Scotland, told MailSport: “It wasn’t how I wanted to go. And it did upset me, the way it ended. It wasn’t great.

“I’ve phoned the chief executive Alan Burrows and Motherwell haven’t fallen out with me or anything like that.

“But I got a wee bit of stick on Twitter because of the way it happened.

“People don’t know the full story. When I heard of Columbus’ interest I told everyone it was an opportunity I wanted to take. I wanted to go to America.

“It was weeks after that someone said I might be able to go there for nothing.

“But I didn’t have a clue about how that would work. I just knew I wanted to go.

“I did nothing wrong, even if that’s not how it’s been perceived. I left it to the clubs to sort out compensation. That stuff was out of my hands.

“Nobody knows this but I WASN’T supposed to go to Oxford on loan. I was meant to be going to America right away.

“Columbus were trying to get an international roster spot for me in the MLS. They’re only allowed eight so were trying to trade a player to do it.

(Image: SNS Group)

“When they couldn’t, they said they’d take me for next season but couldn’t do it this year.

“So they asked if I’d be interested in going on loan. Because of that, my agent contacted Oxford who were interested in me anyway.

“Everyone thinks something has gone on and it’s because Columbus and Oxford are pally. That’s not the case at all.

“I was waiting by the phone waiting on that roster spot. When it didn’t happen, I thought the move was off.

“But thankfully they still wanted me for next season.

“I got some flak on social media but these people didn’t know the truth.

“If I’d done something wrong, I’d have deserved it. But I hadn’t and I didn’t feel, until now, that I had to explain myself.

“What I’ve said is the truth.

“I didn’t step on anyone’s toes or do a dirty deal, anything like that. It’s just the way it worked out.”

Because of the delay at the American end – and the furore over the move – Cadden wasn’t given the send-off he’d earned.

He was a Fir Park youth product who’d go on to play 137 first-team games in different positions. At 21, he’d appeared in two Hampden cup finals.

(Image: SNS)

That’s why the decision to leave Lanarkshire was the most difficult of his career so far. He said: “I had been at Motherwell from the age of eight. So it was a big wrench to go.

“People seem to think it was easy. But it kept me up at night, thinking about it. It was so hard.

“Leaving home was tough too. I stayed a mile from Fir Park, it’s where I grew up.

“But I needed to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. I needed another challenge, one that Oxford and America will give me.

“It was the hardest decision of my life not to stay. Motherwell wanted to keep me and offered a new deal. It would have been easy for me to sign it.

“So much time was spent burning the ear off my dad and my girlfriend – just trying to come to the right decision. It was weird leaving. When it was all official and I’d signed for Columbus, I had to text the kitman, Karen the secretary, the gaffer, the coaches.

“I wanted to thank them for everything they’ve done for me. I’d been with those people for so long.

“But I didn’t actually get to go to Fir Park and say goodbye properly, which is quite sad.”

But Cadden can’t dwell on what he can’t control.

He’s got a career to carve out for himself, firstly at Oxford then in America in 2020.

Now a right-back at the Kassam Stadium, he’s loving his new life away from Scotland – and can’t wait to head Stateside.

He said: “This is all new to me so it’s a bit strange.

“I put my first washing on the other day. My cooking skills are alright, it’s the cleaning and ironing I struggle with.

“But it’s great, I’m enjoying it.

“It feels like the start of something new. I have a chance to experience English football then America’s on the horizon, which I can’t wait for.

“I messaged Johnny Russell and Sam Nicholson who are over there before I made my decision.

“I asked them about the lifestyle and the league. They love it and said the

standard is very good now.

“They didn’t have a bad word to say so that helped make my mind up.

“I’ve been recording some of the MLS games late at night and watching them the next day.

“And I’ve already seen the derby between Columbus and Cincinnati

“There were 40,000 fans there then and the league is just getting better and better.

“That’s why I wanted to go and experience it.”