'I always dream about my games': How Bradford City loanee Tayo Adaramola pre-ordained destruction of Colchester

In front of Valley Parade's biggest ever league crowd of 23,381, Adaramola was simply dynamite in a show-stopping performance down the left flank against Colchester United.

Richie Smallwood was named as City's man-of-the-match on Saturday, but with respect, it really should have gone to the 21-year-old, watched on by several of his mates from parent club Crystal Palace, including Sheffield United loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

Speaking after City's brilliant 4-1 win, which moved them to within a point of League Two leaders Walsall, Adaramola said: “I had the boys come up from Palace and everyone is on loan as well.

"It's not all the time we are so close to each other. They came from Sheffield and Derby and for them to come up and watch me is what friends are for.

“I always dream about my games and here, the dream came true to a tee.

"Seeing the scarves and lights and hearing the noise, it was an excellent game to play in and I am so happy we got the result and performance.

“I looked at the crowd a couple of times and smiled and we shared a moment together. I am happy.

“It’s definitely the best professional game I have played in. We had fun and the crowd were excellent and it was just an excellent game to play in.

“We were relentless. The manager made sure we were packed into their half and kept attacking with balls in the box.

"It was ‘keep recycling and getting at them’ and just trying to cause as much havoc as possible. I think we did that."

Adaramola, capped six times by Republic of Ireland Under-21s, terrorised chastened Colchester down the left, with his pace and intensity posing no end of problems.

After some testing loan spells previously in his career, the wing-back is starting to fill his boots in West Yorkshire and showing a fair bit of character along the way.

He added: “It takes a lot and you go through a lot of adversity, but with my faith and religion, I read my bible a lot and it gives me a lot of hope and no stress vibes.

“We moved over from Ireland when I was 11 or 12 and I had to leave my friends, everything.

"It is all coming out good in terms of my parents seeing the ability in me and seeing what I can do and I am grateful for them too in making big steps in their lives to give me the opportunity to do what I love."

Alongside his religion, Adaramola also draws inspiration from several feted footballing names who play in his area of the pitch - who he studied observantly as a child when he dreamt of being a professional. Dreams can come true.

“In my early days, it was Messi and as I started to get into my wing-back position, I loved Ashley Cole and Gareth Bale and Alfonso Davies,” the 21-year-old continued.

"I watched them a lot; they were fast, strong and made things happen.

"Those three are the people I look up to."