Ipswich Town centre-back Cameron Burgess became just the eighth West Australian to play in England’s top flight when handed his Premier League debut on the weekend. Although the 28-year old defender was unable to prevent the Tractor Boys from going down 2-0 at home to Everton, it will be a day he will no doubt savour after a defiant rise up the ranks of English football.

Just four years ago Cameron was playing on loan to League Two side Salford City, with any dreams of appearing in the top-flight way off on a distant horizon. But a timely transfer to then League One side Ipswich put his career on an upward trajectory that included back-to-back promotions and a place in the Premier League.

After playing regularly across the past three seasons, Cameron has had to bide his time on the bench this term. The eleven-times capped Socceroo featured in Ipswich’s Carabao Cup loss to Wimbledon in August but he had to wait until yesterday for his second outing, and his Premier League debut.

Cameron joins an elite group of eight Sandgropers to have played in England’s top flight. Andy Petterson became Western Australia’s first Premier League star when he took the goalkeeping gloves in Ipswich’s 2-1 defeat of Nottingham Forest in May 1993. Left-sided maestro Stan Lazaridis came off the bench for West Ham United against Chelsea in September 1995.

Chris Coyne and Richard Garcia both made their Premier League debuts for West Ham against Leeds United, the former in May 1999 and the later in January 2002. Brad Jones kept goal in Middlesbrough’s January 2004 win over Fulham. Chris Herd was a second half substitute for Aston Villa against Manchester United in November 2010. And Jordan Lyden was also with Villa when he featured against Bournemouth in April 2016.