Ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup game against Havant & Waterlooville, left back Jack Connors talks about the season so far…

After a promising team display against Weymouth last weekend, Jack Connors is optimistic that Dulwich can get their season back on track - and also perform well in the cup competitions.

“I thought it was a good performance, we looked solid,” he says. “We passed it a lot better, we created a load of chances - should’ve won the game. Obviously their first goal was a worldy and the second one a penalty, I thought we’d done enough to win the game, so we just need to build on that performance and start winning games of football.”

Connors was named in the National League South Team of the Week for his own display, and while he is grateful for the recognition, he feels there is still more to come from him and his teammates. “I’ve probably played the same, if not better, in other games this season as well. I just think obviously with the formation, it allowed me to get forward a lot more, being a wing back. But I probably could’ve scored, maybe should’ve got an assist or two, so there are still things to work on.”

As one of Dulwich’s most consistent performers and a regular in the starting XI so far this season, the 24-year-old has taken to life at Champion Hill well after joining this summer from Hampton & Richmond. “I’m enjoying it, I really like it,” he says. “A big part of me coming was obviously the gaffer and Kads, and that we were training mornings.”

“We get a lot of fans, which I think every footballer wants to play in front of as many people as possible, so that’s always nice. I just think we’re a club trying to go in the right direction, that matched my ambitions of wanting to try and get out of this league and go to the one above.”

Connors received his footballing education at Dagenham & Redbridge, coming through as a scholar and spending three years at the club as a pro. Such early exposure to League Two football has helped shape him into the player he is today. He cites the physical aspect as particularly important.

“I was only 18 at the time, so I used to get singled out quite a bit and teams would try and play on me, whether that’s playing in a ball over the top or diags, to see if I could deal with stuff like that. But even though I’m not the best in the air, I’m quite smart so I always dealt with that fine.”

“I’m the youngest of five, I’ve got four older brothers, so I’ve always grown up playing with older people. You might look at me and think you can push me off the ball, but I’m quite strong for my size and I’m quite intelligent, so I’ve never found it a problem.”

While playing for Dagenham, Connors was called up to the Republic of Ireland Under 21s and would go on to be capped 15 times for them. His experiences with the U21s were a world away from League Two and helped to further his development.

“When you look back on it now, you’re playing against the best players in the world at your age group, so there’s me playing in little League Two and I got boys that I’m playing with who are at City and all the top teams, and then you’re playing against say Italy, Germany, England...it’s a good challenge.”

“I probably didn’t realise how lucky and how good of an achievement it was, until you’re not able to do it anymore. That was the only age group I played for, I didn’t play Under 17s or 18s or anything with them. Obviously it was a big honour to be able to play 15 times as well. I owe a lot to the manager Noel King, cos he called me up, even times when I wasn’t playing at Dagenham.”

Among Connors’ Ireland teammates was a certain Jack Grealish, now captain of Aston Villa. Even at youth level, Connors recognised the talent his namesake had.

“He’s very, very good - a level above. A lot of us could all really tell that he was destined for big things. He just moved with the ball so well, like he doesn’t have loads of tricks and things like that, he just glides with the ball really well. As you think he’s about to lose it, he just nicks it away to another side and carries on going.”

Connors also faced opposition players who stood out at the time. “Jesse Lingard, his movement was very, very good. Every time he got on the ball he just always seemed to be in space,” he smiles. “Emre Can. It was just so easy for him really!”.

Turning his attention to Saturday’s FA Cup game against Havant, Connors is relishing the chance for Dulwich to be in the hat for the First Round. It is a competition that holds a special place for him.

“It means a lot. I’ve been fortunate, I’ve had quite a few good cup runs. When I was at Dagenham we got to the Third Round, we got Everton away. At Hampton last year we played Oldham and it was on the TV,” he recalls.

Unsurprisingly, playing at Goodison Park was a particular highlight. “It was unbelievable, the most people I’ve ever played in front of. Just being able to play against players in the Premier League - the likes of Ross Barkley, Aaron Lennon. It was unreal.”

Connors knows that Havant will be no pushovers but this Dulwich side is capable of getting a good result. “It’s going to be a difficult game. Havant are a very good team. They’ve got very good players but so have we. So hopefully we go there, perform like we did on Saturday and get a positive result.”

Good luck to Jack and the rest of the boys this weekend!