Watford Media Relations Officer Jackie Bass takes an hour out with Jordan Stewart...

AS Jordan Stewart and I made our way into Starbucks, we realised it wasn't the best venue for either of us. He doesn't drink caffeine and I hate the smell of coffee, let alone the taste.

So two waters later, we park ourselves at the comfy seats and I tell him that the aim of my interview is to learn something about him that hasn't been printed before. An hour later, I've learnt that Jordan Stewart, as well as being a very adept footballer, should be kept in a box and hired out to people who need cheering up.

The man who admits to never wearing black is colourful throughout, although he admits his clothing choices have a little more to do with his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: "I turn taps off with my elbows and open doors with the cuff of my shirt pulled over my hand so I don't have to touch the handle." He divulges.

Jordan is buzzing ahead of his weekend break to New York and is sporting a white t-shirt, white jacket, jeans and white trainers. "It all has to match, if there was a bit of red on my trainers then I'd have to wear a t-shirt with a bit of red in it as well." I look down at myself looking like a gloomy Londoner personified, black top, black trousers and black shoes and raise my eyebrows at him. "It's ok, you're at work," he adds. Phew. A reprieve!

Despite his imminent trip to America's east coast, it is in fact in Los Angeles where his heart lies. Having visited California's largest city for the last six years running, the Watford left back knows that's where he wants to end his career.

"I'll probably play in America for the last few years of my career, I'd love to play for LA Galaxy, but we're looking at around eight or nine years down the line. In the next couple of years I want to look at buying a house out in LA. I love everything about the place. Everyone is so laid back and the weather is always fantastic. There's an incorrect rumour going around that I fancy myself as the next Vinnie Jones and will cross over into the film industry because I spend so much time out there."

The Hispanic and Latino make up of the city may enable Stewart to start up his Spanish lessons again, a pastime that he hasn't been able to indulge in since last season due to the Championship's schedule being that much more hectic. It's only when we get to talking about education, that I realise the 25 year old has got another aspiration he's kept quiet.

"I'd like to learn to play the piano, it's something different and I like the thought of being able to see one on show somewhere and go and belt a few songs out and surprise everyone. I've tried to play the drums, but it was a bit too hard on my hands. Plus I didn't have any natural rhythm, unlike when I'm on the dance floor."

Every time he cracks a joke both feet come off the floor, he claps his hands together and throws his head back. I find myself smiling along with him. It is impossible to be in a bad mood in his company. It is also impossible to keep the interview on track, as despite the lack of caffeine, we're both as garrulous as each other and keep wandering off on tangents. Before I know it, I'm drawing maps of Manhattan and pin pointing places of interest he should check out.

So back to the football. Jordan Stewart began his career at Leicester before the arrival of Craig Levein as manager in 2004 saw the Birmingham born left back leave the Foxes and become Aidy Boothroyd's first signing.

"I had five managers in six seasons at Leicester and when Craig Levein came in we didn't see eye to eye and he wanted to bring in his own players. I got a call from Aidy saying that Leicester had accepted a bid for me. We met up in Birmingham and at the time I didn't know much about him what with it being his first managerial job."

I remind him that whatever was said on that day in Birmingham was part of Watford history. That was the first time that Aidy Boothroyd, football manager, convinced a player to sign for him. So what was said?

"What he sold to me just blew me away. He said everything that you want to hear from a manager. He told me that reaching the play-offs was the minimum requirement and I felt that his confidence mirrored mine. He has his beliefs and he sticks to them. I can't say management's for me though, once I've finished with football that's me done!"

It was Aidy Boothroyd's style of play that has given Stewart a new lease of life. Originally playing in the hole behind the front two at Leicester on his debut against West Ham ("The most scared I have ever been in my whole life") he still has an offensive strategy despite flanking the back line.

"I was a left winger back in the day so I'm not scared to push on, but I feel at home now at left back. Two years ago we changed things and the gaffer told us he wanted us to play a more supporting role, so we get forward a lot more now. I prefer playing to watching football, I think it's worse when you're watching because you're not in control. It's like when your friend is driving a car, you're always more nervous as the passenger even though they know they're in control. So don't panic, I know what I'm doing out there!"

While we're on the subject of defenders pushing forward, I admit to him that I have nicknamed Lloyd Doyley 'the provider' due to his kamikaze sprints and assists so far this season. Yet despite the form of Doyley so far this campaign, it is Stewart who is storming ahead in the goal scoring race between the two of them with a whopping, solitary one.

He asks me: "Did you know that Lloyd has NEVER scored? Ever!"

I nod my head.

"I mean it, NEVER! Not even when he was in the youth ranks here. Marlon King has said that if we're ever 3-0 up and we get a penalty, he'd give it to Lloyd. I don't think he'd take it though - no chance. And there's even less of a chance of him scoring it even if he did! Can you imagine the grief he'd get if he missed it!

"Even in training, someone will put him through and we'll be screaming at him to shoot! There was one game when he was through on goal, he's gone to kick the ball and ended up missing it and somehow doing a somersault. The ball fell to Matthew Spring instead and he ended up scoring. I think that's the closest Lloyd will ever come to scoring a goal.

"We've all been there. I had a shot once and it hit the scoreboard, but in my defence, Filbert Street was a small ground! Somehow Lloyd thinks he's going to score more than me this season, he's already got some catching up to do."

I shoot him a look which translates to 'Are you really going to claim that goal at Molineux?' He knows what I mean.

"Look it up! You look it up! That goal has my name next to it. I'm having it."

And he's laughing again. I ask him if there's anything that he does take seriously or feel strongly about.

"I just think that life's not a dress rehearsal, so live it to the max. I don't see the point in having the hump because you'll soon get over it, so why not just get over it now and save yourself being miserable for a day or two?" Hmm, I'd never thought of it like that.

"I do feel strongly about eradicating racism from football. I've been subjected to a few comments back in the day, but not so much recently. My friend Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo were involved in an incident last season where they had heard racist comments being made by an opposing player and reported it. Nothing happened. That's why I don't wear my Kick it Out wristband any more." With that he rolls up his sleeve to show me where it used to reside. He's right; all that's there now is his watch. So I ask him what does he think the answer is?

"There's not much you can do. People will always have their perceptions of others and there's not much you can do to change them. You can do what I'm doing now, talk about it, make people more aware. I respect people like Rio Ferdinand and Thierry Henry who have done a lot of work on removing racism from football.

"I don't think you should have a campaign running for the sake of it, if you're going to have a mission then you have to carry it out from start to finish. Not just wear a t-shirt."

For Jordan's sake, it would at least have to match his trainers.

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