What the Australian, who celebrates his 27th birthday next month, did not realise back then was the circuitous route it would take to realise his dreams.

Now, though, with a first Socceroos cap to his name – earned as a substitute in the midweek draw with South Africa – and the chance to help establish the Tigers among English football's elite, Garcia is finally where he hoped to be all those years ago when sporting the claret and blue of West Ham.

Ahead of today's trip to Blackburn Rovers, he said: "I made 22 appearances for West Ham. But I just got a lack of chances there and always seemed to come in for players who were injured.

"I was seen as a utility player, a jack of all trades if you like. I never got the chance to stick to one position and try and make it my own.

"They offered me a new deal but I chose to leave because I needed to start playing games instead of coming on for 20 minutes here and there."

It proved to be the ultimate case of 'one step back to take two forward' with Garcia moving to Colchester midway through the 2004-05 season. The following year, the U's upset all the odds to win promotion from League One and after an impressive first season in the second tier that yielded a 10th place finish, Garcia was on the move to Hull.

Twelve months on and the quietly-spoken Aussie is back in the big time he last graced more than four years ago.

Garcia said: "I wanted to show people what I could do and that was why I left West Ham.

"Joe Cole was there at the same time along with Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard, Rio (Ferdinand) as well.

"There were some fantastic players down there and a great youth system. I knew they would go on to big things.

"I haven't caught them up yet, but it is nice to be back where I want to be – in the top league. That is the stage you want to be performing on.

"Maybe it took me longer than I expected, but the chance never really came (at West Ham). I had to take a step back before I could take two forwards."

Garcia played an important part in City's promotion last season with five goals in 38 league appearances.

He also showed on the opening day against Fulham that a return to the big stage would not faze him.

He said: "I am a bit wiser now, maybe a bit more confident. You feel more pressure to take that chance as a youngster but now I have a different outlook on life.

"The Premiership is different to when I was at West Ham, but that taste I had back then always made me want to come back and play in the Premiership. Now I have got that chance with Hull and I intend to take it."

Tuesday night's appearance from the bench for the Socceroos capped a dream few days for Garcia but the wideman is quick to stress he will not be resting on his laurels.

He added: "It has been a fantastic week. I could not ask for anything more and to cap it off with another win (at Blackburn) would be even better.

"I am taking baby steps at the minute in terms of Australia and getting used to the environment, but, hopefully, there will be more squads to come for me.

"You come across different players from all over the world and it is good to take in. As for Hull, we could not ask for more than a win (against Fulham). We created chances and couldn't have done much better.

"We can surprise a few people this season. People have been saying we will go down, but we have confidence and ambition in the squad.

"Having said that, Blackburn will be a very tough game – one of many we will have this season. They had a good result at Everton last week, so we have got our work cut out."