Paul Konchesky and Scott Parker were playing in our age group in cup games

Paul Konchesky and Scott Parker were playing in our age group in cup games.” And then he was let go, despite breaking into the reserves.”It was heartbreaking really. All I ever wanted to do was be a professional footballer and it took a long time to get over the disappointment. We were there, waiting downstairs at the training ground and were called in one by one. I was just 18 and remembered thinking that I had just wasted my time.”Terry went to Millwall – but manager Billy Bonds did not have the funds to sign him – and he drifted to the Daggers via fellow non-Leaguers Bromley. He was picked up by the legendary Ted Hardy, who had three spells in charge at Dagenham and finally retired after taking the club to an FA Trophy final at Wembley in 1997 (they lost).Terry has now made 160 appearances for the club and recently gave up his job as a fork-lift driver to concentrate more on football. “Working 12-hour shifts, from 6am to 6pm, was affecting my game,” he says. Now he plans to teach driving and will study Monday and Tuesday and look after the baby on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Saturday, of course, is for football.Terry has not given up hope of becoming a professional footballer – either with Dagenham or elsewhere. “I still hope that a League club might give me a chance but would also love to do it with Dagenham I have always got to believe that it is possible,” he says “The Cup run proves that our players are good enough. There are a few who could play at a higher level.”There are several who already have – not least goalkeeper Tony Roberts (ex-QPR and Wales) and veteran striker Mark Stein (who played for Chelsea in the 1994 FA Cup final).The Daggers – in existence for just 10 years – are a phenomenon. The team spirit is exceptional and partly fuelled through the idiosyncratic behaviour of their exuberant manager Garry Hill.

After the Cup triumph on Tuesday he made the entire first-team squad turn up for the reserves on Wednesday against Billericay Town. Only Paul Terry – on as a substitute – played but they were all made to attend the 6-1 victory. Even on Tuesday, Hill was claiming the priority was yesterday’s League game against Scarborough Town.In their first season in the Conference, the Daggers finished third – up until then the best performance by a part-time side in a league containing eight full-time teams Last season they were second on goal difference. This time they are more than 20 points adrift but harbour ambitions of making the first-ever play-offs. Don’t bet against them – especially as they have lost just two of their last 15 games.”The players are buzzing,” says Terry. “The morale and team spirit are excellent and there is a great feeling of togetherness.” That was demonstrated by the elaborate goal celebrations in the first game against Plymouth and in the replay. It also explains the appearance of the metal detector – unveiled after Terry opened the scoring against the Devon side in the first game – and a tribute to treasure-trove enthusiast and striker Steve West (aka “Weirdo” to his team-mates).As for passionate Cup-ties, involving would-be giant-killers, Paul’s brother John has his own G-day on Sunday as Chelsea meet Shrewsbury Town, the slayers of Everton, at Gay Meadow.