FORMER Torquay United starlet Mike Williamson believes that plenty of other League Two players can follow him from football's 'basement' to the riches of the Premier League.

Centre-half Williamson, 26, from Paignton, is now enjoying life at the top with Newcastle United.

But after starting his career as a trainee at Plainmoor, he didn't make it at first after a £100,000 move to Southampton.

Williamson spent four years with Wycombe Wanderers, before spells at Watford and Portsmouth culminated in a dream move to Tyneside in January.

He helped to clinch Newcastle's Championship title triumph last season.

Now he is getting to grips with life in the Premier League, starting with a recent opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford!

"It was a hell of a fixture for my Premier League debut," admitted Mike, who attended Oldway Primary School and Paignton College.

"I can remember as a lad sitting on the subs' bench for Torquay in a (League) Cup-tie at Tottenham, and wondering what I was doing there really.

"To play at Old Trafford was a special day for me.

"I felt the adrenalin starting to come through the night before!

"And then our manager told me I'd be marking Vidic at set-pieces.

"But after the first ten or 15 minutes all the nerves left, I felt good and strong and confident.

"For me, I get worried if I don't get nervous before a game.

"Every single match now, you're playing against some of the best players in the world.

"There's never going to be a game where I can sit back and relax.

"But this is where I've always wanted to be."

Williamson, who missed a year at Wycombe with a serious knee injury and then a broken wrist, stressed: "Getting to the top is not a given, and I remind myself of that all the time.

"I remember very well what a very, very tough division League Two is.

"It's a different style of football, and you can get tied down in it.

"But there are a lot of players in League Two, including friends of mine over the years, who could easily step up to at least the Championship.

"The trouble is that the qualities needed in League Two don't always catch the eye of clubs higher up.

"You have to be mentally strong to come through that.

"Fortunately for me, I had a good grounding at Torquay.

"I still keep in touch with (scout) Mike Steer who first spotted me.

"And when (coach) Paul Compton gave you a compliment, you knew you deserved it.

"Then Roy McFarland gave me an opportunity in the first team.

"After Southampton, I had a great four years at Wycombe, not just with things like Play-Offs and cup runs, but because it was such a great grounding.

"It's not been plain sailing all the way.

"When I went to Portsmouth, my hopes were to get in the team, and try to turn things around in the Premier League.

"But I never really got a chance to prove myself.

"It had been between Newcastle and Portsmouth when I was at Watford, but Newcastle didn't have the money at the time.

"So it was a huge relief when they came in for me again.

"I hadn't played for four or five months, and you never know how people are going to react when you haven't been in the shop window.

"But I was more than happy to jump on a plane to Newcastle.

"The manager (Chris Hughton) told me that I would be starting, and that was good enough for me.

"The club had been through a lot of problems, but I think it bonded the players together and it had made them stronger.

"Hopefully that will be a vital component in doing well in the Premier League this season."

Mike, who now lives in Whitley Bay, took the opportunity of the recent international 'break' to spend three days relaxing in Barcelona.

But he manages to get home to Torbay regularly, to see his family, including son Tyler, and he also has a daughter, Mia-Mae, 4, with his partner Jade.

And, of course, across the St. James' Park dressing-room is a certain Dan Gosling.

England Under-21 midfielder Gosling, 20, from Brixham, played for Plymouth Argyle and Everton before moving to Newcastle this summer.

He and Williamson are now two Torbay lads playing at the top of the game for the same team — but 400 miles away.