Cash scored his Premier League debut goal in September, and was then called up to the Poland national team in November after switching allegiances
Matty Cash is about to be a right-back for Poland, a country he didn't grow up in and a position that he never wanted to play.
Unexpected turns are common for players who go from selling toys in Windsor, to rising from League Two into the Premier League.
He is now a regular at Aston Villa and will be in the Poland team for Friday's World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
Wycombe released him at 16 but he didn't have a club.
Stuart Cash, his father, said that he was "lost".
He loved it so much that his wife and I took him to Daniel Department Store. We wanted him to have a real work life. He felt like he was living without football after having been so close.
I remember sitting down with him, and saying, "Look, if Daniel's is your dream job, you and your mom will support you. But you've got too many talents on a football pitch for that."
He knew exactly what he needed to do. He was motivated by his job to decide he didn't want this and he wanted to be a footballer.
"I made them run laps around a 2-acre green."
Slough-born Cash, who is eligible to play for Poland through Barbara his mother, was granted citizenship in October and received his first call-up on November. He will now be able to link up with Bayern Munich's forward Robert Lewandowski and Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Zczesny, as well as Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich.
Stuart, a Chesterfield former full-back, and Adam, his elder brother, are semi-professionals with Northwood FC in Non-league. A sister is on a scholarship to play golf in America.
Stuart said, "I've always told Stuart the truth, good and bad."
"When he wasn't young, I would bring him home if he or his brother didn't put enough effort in their football game that weekend. I would get my stopwatch out, and have them run laps around the two-acre green next to our house.
"I used to tell them that if you and your mum don't make an effort to make it work, you'll be doing this."
"I am not one of those dads who will only be nice. I will give a kick in the rear to him or his siblings if it is needed. If they are deserving of a pat on their backs, I will also do that."
The "perfect modern-day fullback" who started in midfield
Cash played five seasons at Nottingham Forest Championship, making more that 141 appearances.
Although Cash is now a right-back through trade, it has not always been so.
Cash had a great start to his football career at Bisham Abbey's FAB football academy. He was then picked up by Nottingham Forest. This club would allow him to develop into a "perfect modern-day fullback".
Gary Brazil, Nottingham Forest academy manager, said that he took the boy on trial after playing against Bisham Abbey.
His enthusiasm and drive to move around the pitch was what really attracted us. At first, he was a midfielder, but after a few minutes, we realized that he was a footballer.
"He was one those players that we believed we could go on a journey together to achieve something.
It began in east London when League Two strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge loaned the 17-year old attacking midfielder for the final stages of the 2016-17 season.
Brazil said that he returned from the trip much more satisfied than he was before.
He said, "It was an opportunity for him to learn more about the'real game' and the demands of men’s football. He came back knowing that he could handle that environment."
Cash made his return to the City Ground, where he made his Forest debut the next season.
However, it was not until the 2019-20 season when an injury crisis required cover at the back that defending became his full time job.
Cash said last year that Sabri Lamouchi, the ex-Forest boss, was responsible for making me a full-back.
"I was told that I would be playing right-back in a preseason friendly, and I didn’t want to do it. It was something I had never done before, but it worked out and I now love it."
Cash played five seasons for Forest, was named player-of-the-season in 2019-20, and then signed a five year deal at Villa Park in Sept 2020. This was after a PS16m transfer. He went on to make 40 appearances.
"It wasn’t too long ago that he might not have been footballer'
Cash's energy and aggressive displays at right back, along with his spectacular strike against Everton in September, for his first Villa goal, have raised his profile, which has in turn raised his prospects of an international career.
Stuart stated, "We talked about him possibly playing for Poland when we signed for Villa. We've always spoken about progression."
"We talk about the next step every day, even now. It was five years ago to play first-team football. Then it was to be part of the Forest team. Next, it was to participate in the Premier League. Now it's on the international stage. It all goes according to plan.
According to his friends, Cash is a dedicated and hardworking pitchman.
Brazil said, "He's an amazing lad."
He's a great kid and has a positive impact on everyone around him, even if you take away the football. He is a bright light in a room and has a wonderful attitude to life. Because he is a good person and works hard, he will continue to improve.
Dad Stuart said, "He knows that he is in a privilege position.
"His feet are planted on the ground. He may not have been a footballer for a while, but this just shows how much you can accomplish.
"He still comes back to Daniel's and he always tells me, 'dad! Remember when I used to work there'
He is reflecting on the journey he has made. He says that working there was the best thing that he did, because it allowed him to reach his goals.
