All it takes is one moment to change your perspective on everything that is around you.

This is what happened to Wycombe Wanderers right-back Jason McCarthy, who has exclusively revealed to the Free Press how he came to faith after suffering a ‘tough year’ at Barnsley.

This led the ex-Southampton man to try and find a ‘deeper purpose’ in life away from football.

In his only season with the Tykes during the 2017/18 campaign, the wing-back played 24 times and was an ever-present member of the team until March.

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However, the Yorkshire outfit were struggling near the foot of the Championship table and were eventually relegated back to League One after just two years in England’s second tier.

McCarthy reflected: “My path to faith came in what was a tough year in football.

“I was up north away from home and for the first time, I realised that all of my happiness was solely based on football.

“The truth is that football is incredibly unpredictable as there are moments that you can’t control.

“You’re in the team one week but you’re out of the team the next, you get injuries, you have dips in form, fans will not be shy in telling you what they think so you need to have a thick skin.

“And I’m alright in saying that it hit me and that it was tough.

“I’m vulnerable enough to say that and this stirred up some questions within me that there needs to be more life than this.

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“This led me onto a journey of seeking a deeper purpose.”

During his time at Oakwell, McCarthy befriended George Moncur, son of the former West Ham United fan favourite, John.

Admitting he ‘didn’t understand why he [George] was so happy all the time but loved being around him’, a move back to Wanderers took place in 2018 which is where he would meet ‘his best friend’ in Alex Samuel.

The two were acquired by Gareth Ainsworth that summer and it was Samuel’s advice and guidance that helped McCarthy to have ‘very deep conversations in the dressing room’ which would go on to change his mindset.

He added: “I didn’t grow up in a Christian home.

“I had a great upbringing as my dad had a great job which allowed my mum not to work, so there was no real need for me to go into faith, but we all have these big questions.

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“And when I was at Barnsley, George Moncur started to share his relationship with Jesus with me and he was great to be around.

“At first, I thought he was a bit of a phoney as I didn’t understand how someone could be this happy all the time, but George had all this energy and when I was around him, I was a lot happier.

“A few months later I was back at Wycombe and found myself hanging with Alex Samuel and he’s a Christian too.

“I started to be around guys who shared the same faith in Christ, and it hit me that they all had something that I wanted to be a part of, and that joy is way bigger than football.

“I knew there was something and one day, I had a real encounter with Jesus which changed my life.

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“I’m a very all-or-nothing sort of person and since then, I had a calling with my faith.

“This has helped me and my perspective on life changed.

“I know that God has got a plan for us all.”

McCarthy remains close with several Christians who he shared the dressing room with at Adams Park, with likes of Samuel, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Nnamdi Ofoborh, Andre Burley, Adam Leathers, Nick Freeman and Dennis Adeniran being just some of the names.

The club also has a Bible study class every Friday, but the right-back was quick to point out that the group ‘is not inclusive’ and that ‘anyone is welcome’.

He concluded: “I know some people will struggle to read the Bible, me included, but I try and read it every day and that has completely changed my life.

There is one verse, Jeramiah 29:11 which reads: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

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“I believe that we all go through dark times as I know I have, but what God is telling us through his word is that when you have faith, it completely changes your outlook.

“When you accept that there is a heavenly father who loves, sees and cares for you and has a plan for your life, that changes everything.

“Never give up and I hope that verse can change your outlook as God has a plan.”