Even when a golden opportunity to play for Mamelodi Sundowns went up in smoke, Kaizer Chiefs star Happy Mashiane never despaired.

The Tembisa-born Mashiane spent some time at Sundowns academy in his salad days. The 21-year-old wing-back's childhood aspiration to play top-flight football took a slight knock when the Brazilians decided to move the academy from Chloorkop to Pretoria.

"I started playing football when I was very young, playing for an amateur club called Tembisa Black Pirates in Tembisa. After that I went to the Sundowns academy, but I stopped when they relocated from Chloorkop to Pretoria," Mashiane told Sowetan.

"I was very young to travel from Tembisa to Pretoria alone, so I left the academy. At that time I felt like the dream of playing professionally was dying. gradually, but I kept on believing. I never dropped my head and I think that's why I am at Chiefs today."

Having just burst onto the top-flight scene in January from Chiefs' MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) side, Mashiane has already earned a lot of plaudits in the local football fraternity. Despite shooting to stardom at a young age, the Amakhosi gem maintains he's still a child, abiding by his parents' teachings.

"I am still the same Happy I was when I was still playing in the MDC [the reserve league]. I am a focused boy, who listens to his parents [Mable and Emmanuel Mashiane]," said Mashiane, who joined Amakhosi youth set-up from a Sandton-based academy called Future Trough Football.

"My mother always tells me to be mindful of fame. She has made me understand that I am a role model now, meaning I must be disciplined on and off the field."

Mashiane has just recovered from a toe injury that sidelined him for several months. Featuring for the first time this season, the Tembisa boy played the last 10 minutes in Chiefs' 1-0 win over Baroka last month. "It feels good to be back. I hope to continue where I left off last season. People expect a lot from me, so I do not want to disappoint," said Mashiane, who impressed in all four matches he featured in in all tournaments last term.