Chris kicked off journey to the top in Costa Coffee

CHRIS WOOD’S journey to St James’ Park started with a coffee in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre – and ended with his mum providing lodgings for West

Brom’s young players.

As Newcastle’s £25million striker (above) joined the Tyneside revolution this week, he did so against a backdrop of family sacrifice that has turned full circle since the day when he turned up in the West Midlands as a young wannabe from New Zealand.

Wood was just 16 when he arrived at Birmingham’s New Street Station, looking to start a career in English football after a recommendation from a scout.

Fast forward to yesterday – and his debut in the Toon’s 1-1 draw against Watford – and he is now billed as Eddie Howe’s great hope, while mum Julie still helps look after the Baggies’ teenage wannabes as a thank-you for the help her son received.

Steve Hopcroft, former head of academy recruitment at West Brom, recalled: “I remember exactly where I was when I met Chris – Costa Coffee in the Bullring in Birmingham.

“He’d come down with his mum on a train from Merseyside because Everton were trying to get him as well.

“We had a chat and I said, ‘If I had the papers, would you sign?’ They looked at each other and Chris nodded.

“I went to the boot of my car, retrieved them and that was that.

“We gave him a two-year scholarship. But he didn’t start that well. Before Christmas, he couldn’t score for love nor money.

“He came back after the break and it was the old, familiar story – he bagged one off his backside and then there was no stopping him. It was like turning on a tap.”

Most families make sacrifices to help their offspring to follow their dreams in professional sport.

But Wood’s mum went further than most, moving 12,000 miles to Birmingham and living apart from husband Grant and daughter Chelsey in New Zealand for twoand-a-half years while he settled in.

Although the fledgling forward’s breakthrough was not instantaneous, West Brom looked after him so well that his mum retained links with the club and even today continues to look after their academy players.

Hopcroft added: “Julie knew Chris needed support and it was invaluable in his development. It’s a lovely touch that she is now taking care of other lads.”

Ex-west Brom full-back Paul Robinson said of Wood’s early days at the club: “Chris was in and out for a while after joining us for a few sessions.

“He was a big lad – most of them these days are big lads to me – but he was always going to have a job getting in ahead of the forwards we had at the club then.

“Kevin Phillips remains one of the best finishers the Premier League has ever seen and we had Ishmael Miller who was a handful.

“Luke Moore arrived from

Aston Villa for big money and Jay Simpson from Arsenal, too. Chris was competing against that lot – and he was still a teenager.

“Gradually, he became used to the physicality of the first team and that’s what it was about.

“He wasn’t afraid of a challenge – of putting himself out there to get that first-team experience.

“To me, that’s what’s enabled him to have the career he has.”

He bagged one goal with his backside and then there was simply no stopping him – it was like turning on a tap