Life at Gillingham is taking Southampton defender Tom O’Connor’s career to another level.

The 20-year-old joined the Gills fresh from under-23 football with the Saints but now has 13 Football League appearances under his belt, a first senior goal and a couple of games with the Republic of Ireland under-21s.

Gills boss Steve Evans has stated that he believes the youngster will go to the top of the game but O’Connor knows this is just the beginning.

He said: “It is a big step from 23s and academy football, and I don’t think people realise how much different men’s football is to under-age football.

“A lot of people are very good at under-age and then can struggle to make it into men’s football. It is about trying to make that step and trying to lay your mark down in the men’s game.

“It has been a good start for me but there is a long way to go. It’s only a start.

“I have only played 15 senior games and if I stopped now I wouldn’t be happy with that as a career so I have to keep going and making my mark.”

O’Connor will be pushing for a return to the starting XI at Gillingham this Sunday for the FA Cup second round match against Doncaster.

He played in the first round tie at Sunderland, helping the Gills to a 1-1 draw and bringing the tie back to Priestfield for a replay.

But he missed that game after being selected for the Irish under-21s for the first time.

He played 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory out in Armenia and followed that up with another

full match as the Irish beat Sweden 4-1.

O’Connor was walking off the pitch at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin as the Gills were heading into extra-time in their replay against Sunderland.

He said: “Someone told me it had gone to extra-time and I just kept up to date after that.

“It was a good enough result in Sunderland to bring them back here.

“Playing for Gillingham has helped me get this chance.

“Last season, Stephen Kenny (the Irish under-21 manager) watched me a few times and said ‘you are playing 21s and there are other lads of the same age group playing first team football’ and that gave them an advantage.

“Coming to Gillingham and playing games in League 1 has definitely helped me out.”

Kenny was in the crowd at Priestfield to watch the recent match against Rotherham.

The matches against Armenia and Sweden were another step into the unknown for O’Connor, but he certainly made his mark.

“It was a good experience,” said the versatile left-sided player, who had previously played under-15 to 19 youth football for Ireland.

“I didn’t know what to expect because there is a lot of competition in the squad between players and I just had to go in and try and do my best. I thought I had done well enough in the first game and the manager put me in then for the second game.

“The next competitive international game is in March, so a long time away and a lot of football to be played.

“Hopefully by then Gills will be in the top half. There is enough quality. We have been putting in some good performances and we are better than the opposition most days, it is just about being clinical in both boxes.”