ADI Yussuf’s debut season at Oxford City has been nothing short of a dream come true for the 21-goal striker.

Yussuf, who celebrates his 23rd birthday tomorrow, has found the net five times in his last two league games to become the joint leading scorer in the Vanarama Conference North.

But after enduring several frustrating, injury-hit seasons at Burton Albion and Lincoln City before pitching up at Marsh Lane last summer, he admitted initial expectations were low.

“I’m surprising myself, because I didn’t expect this when I first started,”

he said.

“This is my first season playing regularly, so I want to play as many games as I can.

“At the start of the season I couldn’t possibly have dreamed that I would be playing so much or scoring so many goals.

“This is just a dream come true for me.”

Everything has gone right for Yussuf since joining the club – his goals have fired City up to ninth in the table and put him in the spotlight.

But he was keen to praise his teammates’ contribution to the success, as well as give thanks to his father, Yussuf.

“It’s always my name in the paper because I’m the one scoring the goals, but it’s not really fair,” he said.

“The team is doing well at the moment and they’re the ones creating chances for me.

“It’s not all about my goals, it’s about the team and I want the whole team to get the credit.”

He added: “I owe my dad a lot.

“When things were not at their best and I was injured he always stood by me and believed in me.

“I thank him every day for everything he’s done for me.”

Yussuf ’s success this season also owes a lot to City’s recruitment policy, which has seen them supplement the existing part-time squad with several players who train every day.

Yussuf, housemate Mamadou Fofana and City’s Spanish contingent have all moved to Oxford and train each morning with the Academy side, essentially on a full-time basis.

“I grew up in Leicester and I was still based there, but the club have given me everything I needed to settle in the area,” Yussuf added.

“Not many other teams are like this and not many would have given me the chance that Oxford City did.

“I’m just a very lucky boy at the moment.”