IT'S taken 13 years, but finally, Paul Benson will get the chance to pick up where he left off on Sunday - by proving that he IS good enough to play League 1 football, writes Jackie Bass.

Despite taking one of the longest routes since Ernest Shackleton asked if anyone fancied crossing the Antarctic continent, Benson now finds himself at the same crossroads as he did in 1997.

Just as the great Victorian explorer's ship was trapped in pack ice, leaving him to set out on foot instead, Benson was also frozen out. Shown the door by Southend as a 17 year old, he assumed it to be a blip and that he'd soon be back.

Benson explained: "I never really experienced any sort of shock as I just assumed I'd find another club, but it never transpired like that. I was only in the youth team and a new manager came in, didn't like the look of me and I got phased out.

"I was told I was too slight, which you could say I was already aware of. We used to have to wear the first teams' hand-me-downs and my number 10 shirt belonged to Stan Collymore. It was about ten sizes too big."

Benson went through the usual rigmarole of sending letters to various clubs asking for a trial. He sent six letters to clubs in the local area and only received a reply from Brentford - yet again he was told he was too small.

"Luckily my older brothers played park football and I joined White Ensign. It was real jumpers for goalposts stuff, we weren't exactly changing on the side of the pitch, but it wasn't far off it. You paid your subs and got stuck in.

"I was scoring about 50 or 60 goals in a 30 game season and the manager told Steve Tilson at Southend about me and said he should come and have a look at me. To his credit he did and he invited me to train with them.

"They were looking good for promotion to League 1 at the time and I played a few reserve games and scored four goals."

Tilson liked what he saw - for League 2 that was - and told Benson that should Southend gain promotion, it was likely that he wouldn't be signing him up. As it was, they were soon promoted, but Benson was told that Dagenham and Redbridge had already been scoping him out.

"I still don't know who it was who scouted me, whether it was John Still, Terry Harris or one of the scouts. Southend said I was welcome to train with them that pre-season, but Dagenham were ready to offer me a contract and I jumped at the chance."

At the time, the Daggers were a Conference club and you may say it's been a long, hard slog to get back to the prospect of League 1 football. But Benson doesn't see it like that.

"I wouldn't change a thing, I've thoroughly enjoyed it and we've had some great times. It doesn't feel like it's been hard work at all. You're free to play your football with no distractions; I don't know how some of the Premier League boys do it. But here, it's all about the game.

"I'm really lucky to have such a settled family life; I play better when everything's happy at home and in my head. You hear of people like Gazza who, despite all of his problems, was able to put it aside once he stepped beyond the white line.

"But for me, I know I play a lot better when I'm happy, it's like any walk of life, if something's bugging you, it affects your performance and I'm lucky enough to have a happy home life and that has certainly helped me in my career."

So with such a long and winding road behind him, it all comes down to Sunday's game against Rotherham at a venue that has the propensity to propel players into a new stratosphere of stardom and make princes of paupers.

Benson has yet to make a trip to the new Wembley; even his FA Trophy final ticket from last year's final remains unused in his house due to other last minute commitments.

This weekend will be his first visit to the nation's new stadium and you can guarantee there will be no complaints on the condition of the pitch from the former Essex Olympian League lad. The dressing rooms might be slightly more impressive too.

The plush surroundings have been something Benson has long been dreaming about.

"When you're little and playing over in the park, you always dream of scoring the winning goal in a FA Cup final. The way my playing career has panned out it hasn't quite worked out that way and I doubt I'll ever be on that stage, so for me, the League 2 play off final will be my cup final.

"Sunday will be the pinnacle of my career, ever since I was about seven I've dreamed of playing at Wembley.

"You hear people say that the whole day was a blur and I'm really mindful of the fact that I don't want it to be like that for me. I'll have to make sure I take a camera so that I can capture the day.

"As for the national anthem, I'm definitely not one to be belting it out, and those who mime it always end up looking a bit stupid, so I think I will be stoically staring straight ahead, taking in the surroundings and looking for faces in the crowd.

"The weather will definitely play a part in it; hopefully it will cool down a bit before the weekend. We've been training in it this week and we've only been at 80 percent but it's even affecting us at that pace. If it cools down like they say it should then I think it will suit us as we've got such a high tempo game. We like to move around, pass the ball, and be in the opposition's face."

As for the opposition, Benson isn't at all fazed by the fact that the Daggers are none for two and are yet to score against the Millers this season - that just means they'll have to bring their 'A game.'

"They're a good side and we're aware of the fact that they've beaten us twice this season already. Josh and I always know that we're in for a tough game against their two centre halves Ian Sharps and Nick Fenton.

"I watched their semi finals and to be honest I'm glad we're playing them. They're tough and it means that we won't be resting on our laurels. The harder the opponents, the less you allow complacency to creep in and that's something that you can't afford on a day like Sunday.

"I'll be preparing in much the same way as I have been all season - and that's by pretty much doing a whole lot of nothing. I've got my little baby girl, Ruby, who takes up a lot of time and it's my missus' birthday on Friday. We'll go out for a meal and then it's time to start focussing on the game."

And when game time comes, there will be no one more prepared or more deserving than the rags to riches Dagger.

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