DARYL Robson is aiming to put his injury prone days behind him as he looks to help East Thurrock United into the next round of the FA Trophy.

The former Middlesbrough youth team captain linked up with Rocks in October, after failing to settle at a number of clubs, and he is winning rave reviews for his combative displays in the heart of the midfield.

It is that combativeness that has seen Robson, now 26, struggle with ankle injuries throughout his career, in which he lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2004.

And the Middlesbrough-born enforcer is now focused on helping East Thurrock enjoy a successful season, and knocking Maidenhead United out of the FA Trophy tomorrow.

“I have loved it since I have joined,” he added. “I am really grateful to Covo (Coventry) for giving me a chance after my injury troubles. In fact, I think this is the first time in the last five years where I have felt fully fit and it feels great.

“I was having a lot of injuries with my ankles and I saw a specialist who helped me change my running pattern and I was able to get playing again.

“I love tackling. I see it as I am the guy carrying the guitar and the other guys are the ones playing it. But I am happy with that.

“When you have guys like Sam Higgins, Lewis Smith and Tom Wraight who are so strong in an attacking sense it makes my job easier.

“With Maidenhead in the league above we are certainly the underdog, but we don’t doubt the ability in the squad and we want to bounce back from Tuesday night’s defeat (2-1 against Redbridge in the Essex Senior Cup).

“We were expected to win that game but Redbridge played a good game and got the result they wanted. Now it is Maidenhead who are favourites to win and we must react.”

Robson was playing professionally in England Ireland until he was 21, before he had a spell at Grays Athletic in 2009. He then moved overseas, where he played for the Indiana Invaders in the USL Premier Development League.

Robson was set to link up with Welling United but a transfer embargo scuppered that move, before he was offered the chance by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) to take an 18-month course in Sports Science.

He decided to make the move into teaching, and it is a move he is enjoying.

“I needed to take account of my life and decide what I wanted and I was fortunate the PFA offered me the course,” he said. “I am enjoying what I am doing and my football as well.

“I believed in myself and I want to help this team achieve good things.”