DAGENHAM & Redbridge winger Danny Green believes his early season form proves he is well on the way to filling the boots of his predecessor Sam Saunders.

The Daggers have made a stunning start to the season and currently sit in second place in League Two after beating Darlington 2-0, with Green scoring one and fellow newcomer Josh Scott grabbing the other.

The 21-year-old joined Dagenham from Blue Square South outfit Bishop’s Stortford during the summer, after impressing boss John Still during a week training with the Victoria Road side, while Daggers scouts also watched the midfielder numerous times last season.

He arrived with a stiff task, as he was charged with making the right winger’s position his own, following Saunders’ move to last season’s champions Brentford.

Fourteen goals last year earned Saunders rave reviews, and Green admitted that he was apprehensive about stepping into the midfielder’s shoes.

“It’s fair to say I was nervous about replacing Sam. He is a good player. I saw him play against Brentford last season and he scored a really good goal. I was a bit apprehensive at first but now I’ve got into my stride I feel a lot more settled,” he said.

Indeed, it has taken Green no time to find his feet after such a big step up in class.

His first two goals arrived in the third game of his Daggers career in the 5-3 win over Torquay.

Two more have followed since then, although it is his trickery down the flanks that has terrorised defences up and down the country so far this season.

“We are different players. Saunders likes to get crosses into the box whereas I prefer to run at people,” he continues.

“But I’ve started well. He scored a lot of goals last season but it’s up to me to be better than Sam Saunders.”

The right winger has had a rollercoaster ride in his early football career.

He has had to deal with a cartilage injury, which kept him out for over six months, and rejection with Nottingham Forest before Bishop’s Stortford proved an unlikely route back into the Football League.

“Football has its highs and lows. Being released from Forest was absolutely awful. As a footballer being released is the worst thing that can happen. The feeling of pain is indescribable.

“When I moved to Stortford I was determined to make it back into the Football League by the time I was 23. Being at Dagenham is a definite high. The gaffer Still said he really wanted me and his man-management is superb. You don’t get that with some managers,” he said.