Steve Lawson realised he was at the right club when Hamilton Accies' players offered to lend their boots to him when his luggage went missing.
The 27-year-old says captain Brian Easton greeted him like a long-lost friend despite having never met him before, and he felt at home immediately in the dressing room.
But there was a more urgent imperative for the former Livingston midfielder to find himself a club, with a baby on the way.
Lawson, who today became Accies' fourth January signing behind defender Dan O'Reilly, winger Ellis Brown and forward Kai Kennedy, told the club's website: "It means a lot for me to be here because it's a good club. I played against the club a few times in the past, during the last three seasons, and it's a real pleasure to be here.
"My luggage was lost when I came in, I didn't have shoes or any boots to train, but other players said 'here, take my shoes, it's OK' so I was very happy to be here at that club.
"The other players have been very good. I knew two players, Josh Mullin and David Moyo, from my past, but actually the first player I saw when I came in was Brian Easton.
"He was very friendly, like he knew me a long time before, but it was the first time I had met him, so all the players kept me involved.
"The way I came here, it's really good for me, because the gaffer kept me involved. He called me, explained to me the football philosophy of the club and that's why I'm here today, because he had the good words to bring me in."
Lawson was without a club for several months after leaving Livingston in May of last year, but says he kept fit by training at one of his former clubs back in France.
He said: "It was a very difficult period because I didn't have a club, my missus was pregnant, so in my mind I was like 'I have to find a club'.
"No club means no football, no money, nothing - with a baby coming in, it's hard. I was thinking about getting a club, but sometimes you have to think about the baby, your wife, and there was a lot coming in my mind.
"My family and friends kept me up, they said it's OK, go step by step, try to keep your fitness levels up as high as possible. I called my former club in France and they said to come in and train.
"I did that in mid-September, or the end of September, so thanks to them, because they were nice with me and kept me at training for almost four or five months, so I was in good shape when I came in."
Though he has operated as a midfielder, Lawson says he feels that he will serve Accies better as a right-back, which is a view shared by head coach Stuart Taylor.
Lawson said: "I just want to play and enjoy the game again. Doing the training is OK, it's nice, but nothing is like the game so I want to play, and good games. I want to be as good as possible for the team, for the club.
"For me, Hamilton has nothing to do with the Championship, they have to be in the Premiership, so I'm here to help the team get promoted again.
"I think [where I play] depends on the game we're going to play, if we're going to have possession or not, it depends on what the gaffer wants me to do, but I think I've played every position.
"At Livingston I played striker once against Motherwell, so I think I can play everywhere!
"I'm an explosive player, I can play short or long passes, but I'm not good with headers.
"I can play all different styles of football, so I think I can help a lot at right-back.
"I can play and help a lot as a midfielder, but the player I think I can see in that team, I think I can help as a right-back a lot more."
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