Solomon in dreamland with Daggers

9:00am Thursday 11th September 2008

SOLOMON Taiwo is living his dream.

The Dagenham and Redbridge midfielder - plucked from non-league Sutton United in November - admits his life has been devoted to making it as a professional footballer.

And he is definately starting to mark his full credentials in league football after winning the League Two Powerade Player of the Month award for August.

The 23-year-old played a key role in Daggers' early season success, notably scoring in the Carling Cup defeat to Reading and notching the winner in the game with Morecambe.

But it is an accolade as much deserved for his all-round performances, and something the talented youngster from south-east London is hoping to use as a platform to push on.

"The award is something to be proud of and shows that I can cut it at this level," said the Nigerian-born powerhouse.

"I've always had contracts thrown at me and the promise of big money from non-league clubs but being a professional footballer is what I've spent my life trying to achieve. I've come from nothing so I'm focussed on this for myself and my family.

"When I was playing non-league football I always used to push myself harder in training so that I would be as sharp as players in the league. That way if an opportunity came up I was going to be ready for it.

"No matter what situation I'm put in, I think I've got enough to progress as long as I'm given the opportunity."

Such is Taiwo's determination to succeed in the game, that he has in fact had to prove himself twice at Victoria Road.

He endured a torrid start to life with the Daggers, earning two red cards in his first two games - the first for a late tackle against Bradford in November and his second for an elbow on Shrewsbury's Ben Davis in December.

That saw him hit with respective three and five game, which looked to have put his month-to-month loan deal with the Daggers in jeopardy.

The former Bromley, Maidenhead and Weymouth man himself accepts that he needed to win back the faith shown in him by boss John Still.

"It was hard for the manager to swallow. He had shown faith in me and told me I could cut it at this level but not to keep thowing it back in his face," said Taiwo.

"The sendings off must have put doubt in his mind and I thought my chance might have gone.

"It is hard to get that faith back once lost. But I took my punishment on the chin, listened to what was said and continued to work hard in training."

Indeed, he has yet even to be booked since, and is now looking to knuckle down and help the Daggers get over Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Brentford.

"We made a couple of mistakes and let ourselves down. The lads are angry because if you're going to get beat, then get beat - don't beat yourselves.

"It's been a good start to the season and all of a sudden people are expecting us to get results.

"That shows the difference between this year and last year. There is a confidence in the squad and we really believed we could go there and get a result."

Daggers will be looking to get back on track at home to Chesterfield on Saturday.

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