'I had to sleep in my car!': Burnley man reveals nightmare start to loan spell north of the border

The 20-year-old is currently on a season-long spell with SPL outfit St Johnstone, where he’s made 12 appearances in total, scoring once.

But while Costelloe is enjoying his football up in Scotland, he’s revealed it didn’t exactly get off the best of starts.

“I like it up here,” Costelloe told the Dundee Courier. “It’s good and I get on really well with the lads.

“It’s certainly been different to the first night I spent in Scotland where I had to sleep in my car!

“I’d agreed to sign so I drove up from Burnley late in the day and didn’t get to Perth until after midnight.

“I was booked into a hotel and they said there would be someone to contact to check-in after hours.

“But when I got there, I knocked on the door and phoned the number I was given but couldn’t get hold of anyone. I tapped on some windows as well hoping someone would hear me but nobody got up.

“I looked to see if there were any other hotels but nothing was available, so I had to give up and sleep in my car.

“I had all my stuff in the back with me because I’m up here for a year so it was packed, and there was hardly any room.

“Even though it was summer it still got pretty cold at night and my back was in bits the next day!

“Eventually someone appeared at the hotel and was able to let me in, so I got an hour’s kip before coming in for my first session.”

Having initially questioned the move to St Johnstone after his nightmare first night, Costelloe admits his experience has since been far more positive.

“It wasn’t the best of starts and I was thinking ‘what have I done’. It was maybe a sign sent to test me to see if I could stick it out,” the Irishman added.

“But since then everything has been great and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve made some good friends here and there’s a really good team spirit around the club.

“All the lads get on great and it’s a good place to be.”