In football's world of flash cars and million-pound mansions Gary Doherty stands out. At 21 he may have played for the Republic of Ireland and become a regular at Tottenham but he left his parents' house only this week and the sleek motor will have to wait. "I can't drive," he says, "so there's not much point."

Instead a battered taxi was waiting to whisk him away from training yesterday and if he enjoyed the journey it would be no surprise. Taxis, it seems, have played a crucial role in transforming a player, who was still awaiting his first Spurs start on St Stephen's Day, into a key figure for tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final at West Ham.

"I was taking the train from my parents' house in Luton to training earlier in the season, which probably affected my football," says Doherty, whose rapid rise is the more remarkable given that he was signed from the second division club less than a year ago.

"I was getting up really early and having a two-hour trek on the train, which is not good for anyone. So I started taking taxis and, even though it cost more, my football started taking off from that point. Now that I've moved into my own place two minutes up the road it's easy."

Win a make-or-break game at Upton Park and the Tottenham players may do well to leave in armoured cars. The 0-0 draw between the sides there on January 31st suggests a tight match and, whatever Chas and Dave think, Doherty is not counting on victory because the year ends in one.

"It's a bit of an annoying thing really because it's taken a lot of credit away from our performances," he says of the White Hart Lane superstition. "The comeback against Charlton was great but most people said it was bound to happen because of the year. If we win the FA Cup it's down to us having a good season."

It will, in no small way, be down to the versatile Doherty as well. Having scored the winner in the third round at Leyton Orient he played a major part in transforming a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 victory at the Valley.

The good news for Doherty is that he will be employed at the back tomorrow. His three international caps have come as a striker and he made his "nightmare" first Spurs start at Ipswich on December 30th up front, but the Spurs manager George Graham and the Republic manager Mick McCarthy apparently see his future in defence.

"To play in the Premiership as a forward you have to be a really special player," Doherty says. "You have got to have a quick brain like Robbie Keane or be powerful like John Hartson or Mark Viduka, and I don't think I'm either of them at the moment. Centre-half comes easier to me and I feel I've got the attributes to become a more established Premiership player there."

Strong in the air and in the tackle but also neat on the floor, Doherty appreciates he has come a long way fast.

"There's still a wow when I look at the players I'm playing against," he says. "There are no soft teams. Maybe in Division Two you go into a game against some sides and know it won't be as hard as others.

"In the Premiership it's a lot harder and a lot more physical but I've coped well so far and hopefully I can carry on."

Having exceeded expectations he hopes to make the Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifier against Cyprus this month. Part of the Ireland team, along with Keane, that won the under18 European Championship, Doherty's accent may be as Irish as Andy Townsend's but he was born in Donegal and moved to Luton aged six.

If he achieves as much as his boyhood idol Paul McGrath he will be happy. "He was always my main hero because of the World Cup and he was such a relaxed player," Doherty says. "I was lucky enough to play alongside him at centre-half in his testimonial, which was a great experience."

He hopes for another great experience in front of 25,000 tomorrow. Come up with another winner and the Spurs fans might even pay his taxi fare home.