CLEANING UP
Saints ace Toyosi is bathing in the warm light of Saints after dirty battle to the top
TOYOSI OLUSANYA remembers having to skip showers after training as he was forced to balance his day job with attempts to break out of the nonleague doldrums.
But now the St Mirren striker is looking forward to bathing in the warm embrace of the Paisley faithful as they look forward to next season’s Europa Conference League campaign.
The 26-year-old aims to complete a journey from the seventh tier of English football playing with clubs like Kingstonian, Walton Casuals, Fleet Town, Gosport Borough, Cheshunt and Billericay Town.
But having convinced manager Stephen Robinson to give him a chance with the Buddies, Olusanya has now helped the Paisley men climb their way into the European slots.
It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve changed a lot of things about myself
TOYOSI OLUSANYA HAS COME SUCH A LONG WAY
Saints can wrap up fifth place and book the club’s first UEFA ticket in 37 years today if they beat Kilmarnock at home and Dundee slip up against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Former Wimbledon trainee Olusanya said: “It has been an incredible journey. I’ve reflected on it this season as I’ve played the most games in my career.
“I am proud of myself. I want to keep pushing. If I’d said to myself a few years ago this might be possible, I might not have seen it. It’s important to keep believing.
“I’ve come a long way and I’ve changed a lot of things about myself.
“It was tough back in those non-league days. I’d do nothing most of the day, meet up at 5.30pm to get a lift to training for half past seven.
“We’d train under the floodlights at sports centres, on astroturf, sometimes grass pitches.
“Every couple of months I was trying out for a new team so I never had a proper routine.
“I never remember showering after training, I just remember grabbing my stuff so I could get my lift home or run for the train!
“You’d get home at half past 10 or 11 o’clock some nights then you’d eat.
“When I started work as a student mentor at a school after Covid, I’d be getting up at 6am. I was playing part-time for Billericay Town.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays I’d finish work at half past four, get on the train, train from half past seven to half past eight or half nine, get back to the station where my school was by about 10.45, then a bus down the road.
“I’d get home after 11 o’clock on Tuesdays and Thursdays so Wednesdays and Fridays I was absolutely dead!
“I come from humble beginnings, nothing was handed to me, and I’ve had to work hard for everything. I appreciate the good times.”
Saints will have to avoid a repeat of their last clash with Killie if they are to nail down fifth place today.
They blew the chance to move four points clear of Derek McInnes’ team in fourth in March when the Buddies let a two-goal lead slip before slumping 5-2.
But Olusanya said: “We haven’t spoken about what happened that day. We closed that book.
“Everyone is so positive here, we all have each other’s backs.
“We had a day to reflect on the result then we forgot it. Football’s like that. Thinking about games from the past isn’t healthy for the group.
“We’ve heard all about 1987 and the team that last played in Europe. That was a long time ago and 10 years before I was born!
“But with the work of the players and the staff at the club this season, I think we deserve to be here.”