Former Hibee part of Great Britain students squad

But McNeil's stay in the Far East will last just three weeks rather than the three years Riordan has signed on for with Shaanxi Chanba.

The 24-year-old has been selected as part of the Great Britain football team taking part in the World University Games, a multi-sports event which will attract around 13,000 athletes from around the globe.

McNeil qualifies as he's currently undertaking an HND in sports coaching at Edinburgh's Telford College even although he hasn't kicked a ball for the establishment's football team.

Today McNeil, who flies out to Sweden for a training camp with his new team-mates on Monday, admitted he'd been surprised to be invited to play, revealing: "I hadn't heard anything about it until Stu Fowlie, the general manager of the GB team who also plays for Spartans, phoned me up having heard I was at Telford.

"I've since been sent a slide-show and I have to say I was really impressed and excited. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, playing for Great Britain isn't something you'd normally get to do as a football player.

"I also have to say China wasn't on my list of places to visit, I've never been to that side of the world so it's going to be a terrific experience, the culture, the food and so on. I've also had to have a few jags so I can tell you all about rabies and yellow fever."

A League Cup winner with Hibs in 2007, McNeil believes his experience of playing in the European Under-19 Championships and Under-20 World Cup with Scotland can help his student team-mates both on and off the pitch. He said: "A couple of the boys play part-time in Scotland and a few play in the Conference down south. It's a strong squad but I don't think any of them will have the experience I've had of playing in front of big crowds at places such as Hampden, Ibrox and Celtic Park.

"We are expecting big crowds at the matches in China which some of the lads might have difficulty adjusting to so hopefully I can help in that respect.

"I've seen pictures of the grounds and they look fantastic. People may say it's only student football but the standard will be good, the Japanese side which is in our group along with Ghana and Canada, is actually their Under-21 team.

"It's the same with some other countries but with two teams from each group progressing, our coaches feel we have a good chance of qualifying for the next stage.

"Off the park can also be difficult, being away from home for three or four weeks as I was in Canada at the Under-20 World Cup and in Poland with the Under-19s.

"Boredom can become an issue while sometimes being so close to people you do not know too well for such a long time can cause problems." Having been released by Raith Rovers after the Kirkcaldy club's push for promotion to the SPL faltered at the last hurdle, McNeil appreciates he's taking a chance in heading for China just as the new season gets under way but, he insisted, it was too good an opportunity to turn down.

He said: "I've had a couple of offers but I've committed to going to China. A lot of people have been good to me, I've been training at Livingston with Tony Bullock and enjoyed some very good friendlies playing for Berwick Rangers, against Hibs, Hamilton and Stenhousemuir and this Saturday coming against Newcastle United.

"In the short-term I want to go to China, do well, win and come back to get myself sort out in terms of finding a team. There again, you never know who might be watching out there.

"Speaking to guys at other clubs makes you realise how difficult it is in terms of finance in Scotland at the moment so if other opportunities elsewhere were to arise through this then that would be fantastic."

McNeil was delighted to find Telford College were willing to underwrite the cost of his travels, admitting he was doing so "through the back door" having never actually played for the student team.

He explained: "As a professional when you sign a contract there are certain things you can and cannot do. One of the things you can't do is play for another team. Telford did ask me but I just couldn't do it, particularly not with the title charge Raith were on last season.

"Obviously going away for three weeks - we've got the training camp in Sweden and a couple of days in Hong Kong before moving to the athletes' village in Shenzen - will be pretty expensive but Telford have offered to pay which is fantastic.

"They've asked me to document the trip and to make a presentation to the other sports students, which I am more than happy to do, when I come back to study for a second year after the summer."

Factfile

Name: Andrew McNeil

Born: January 19 1987 (Age 24)

Height: 5ft 11in (1.80m)

Position: Goalkeeper.

Clubs: Started career as a youth at Southampton before leaving for Hibs in 2006. He won the League Cup in 2007 before being released by manager Mixu Paatelainen in 2009. Signed for Montrose for a season before joining Raith Rovers for 2010/11. Released at the end of the campaign, he is now a free agent.