Spurs' rising star O'Hara says he owes his success to a loan spell at boyhood heroes Millwall

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The midfielder has ended the year on a high after making his senior debut and then his first start for Spurs in the last two weeks, having been at the club since 2003.

It was an opportunity the 21-year-old thought would never come, particularly so soon after returning from a loan spell at Millwall, the club he follows, only one month ago.

He made such an impression at the League One strugglers that Millwall had hoped to take him back for another loan spell in the new year.

But instead of pulling on the shirt of his boyhood idols again, he will be trying to help Spurs climb the Premier League table after impressing manager Juande Ramos.

It is a turn of events that has taken even O'Hara by surprise, but he believes he has Millwall to thank for helping him fulfil his dream of playing in the top flight.

He said: "I came back from Millwall thinking I'd have to work very hard to get a chance, but I didn't think I'd be involved so quickly.

"I really enjoyed my time at Millwall. The first few weeks were really tough when I was trying to adapt to a different kind of football.

"When I went on loan to Chesterfield earlier in my career, I was young and still learning my trade, but this was different.

"I saw it all while I was at Millwall. They were bottom of the table and it was a dogfight. I learned very quickly about how I had to close people down.

"With the other side of my game I was comfortable, that was why I was with Tottenham. But I made myself strong for that type of football. I had to go out and learn that you do have to graft and work hard on the pitch. There were a few games where it was end-to-end football and I grew up very quickly. I made myself very strong for that kind of football. I ended the spell at the top of my game and feeling really good about coming back to Spurs."

Just three weeks after his final game for Millwall at home to Yeovil, he was coming on as a substitute in Tottenham's win at Portsmouth and playing a part in the winning goal.

Three days later he also came off the bench to make a sublime pass to Steed Malbranque which set up Spurs' second goal in their 2-0 win over Manchester City in the Carling Cup.

But the ultimate reward came last Saturday when he made the starting line-up against Arsenal, the club who released him as a schoolboy.

Instead of being up against Yeovil's midfield, he now had players such as Spanish international Cesc Fabregas to deal with in a passionate north London derby at Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham may have lost the match 2-1, but O'Hara's impressive performance stood out and had the away fans already chanting his name.

He added: "I have always been taught to respect who I play against but to never fear them. I have belief in my ability and it was great to show people what I can do.

"It was a dream come true to hear the fans singing my name at Arsenal. I've been at Spurs for a long time and my dad was crying in the crowd, he couldn't believe it. It was just a great feeling and I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

"But this is where it gets hard now as I try to establish myself as a first-team player. Players can come in have a few good games and then disappear, but I don't want to be that player.

"I want to really push on and work even harder in training. I want to be a squad player and be involved all the time."

The emergence of O'Hara, who will hope to play against Reading tomorrow after starting his first home game in the 5-1 win over Fulham on Boxing Day, has proved that Ramos will give anyone an opportunity in his new regime.

O'Hara is already a big fan of the Spaniard and is confident he can sustain his progress.

He said: "I feel I have turned a new leaf at Spurs. Obviously a new manager has come in with new methods and to be honest I am relishing everything that is going on.

"I really love the two-touch football that is going on in training, it's the way I love to play football."