Miguel Baptista admits his legs were shaking when he was called up for his league debut at one of the world’s great stadia.

Four years on, the Eastbourne Borough winger has got opponents on edge as he works his magic in the National League.

Now his boss has urged the Portuguese flyer to keep doing what he is doing. And Borough will worry about whether they can keep hold of him.

Baptista was the star of the first half as Borough gave leaders Maidenhead a real test before going down to a harsh 2-1 midweek defeat.

That is quite a turn around for a player who was thinking about giving up football when he was 20.

It wasn’t the sport itself that was the problem. It was the business side of things in a country where many professional clubs are built like houses of cards.

But he is smiling again now and hoping for a happy 23rd birthday today as his side go to Poole.

He told The Argus: “When I was in Portugal, my professional club went bankrupt. I met some agents who promised things which didn’t happen. I watched my life go down and down.

“You know how football is – you have to be careful with which people you trust.

“Two years ago I was thinking of giving up football. My agent now in Portugal said I should come to England – different country, different opportunity. So I said, ‘Okay’. Our club here is professional and my contract is professional.”

Financial news and ‘casos’, an all-encompassing word for disputes between club presidents, agents, lawyers, politicians and pretty much anyone else who wears a suit and tie rather than a football kit, often dominate the front pages of Portugal’s three daily sports newspapers.

That was the case at Uniao de Leiria as they neared the end of a catastrophic 2011-12 season in the top flight.

Bottom of the table and already relegated, they were only able to name 14 players for the penultimate fixture, away to Benfica at the magnificent Estadio da Luz, a venue built to host Euro 2004.

The Argus: Chelsea training ahead of their Champions League quarter final match against Benfica match at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal

That 14 included four men on loan from Benfica who the host club, their title hopes over, allowed to play against them.

Perhaps as a sign of sympathy with their soon to be unemployed fellow professionals on the other side, Benfica stars including Javior Saviola, Luisao and Ezequiel Garay took it easy and strolled to a 1-0 win which had their own fans jeering.

Baptista said: “It was an incredible experience. I was a little boy and my legs were shaking. I only had a few minutes.

“They had players like Axel Witsel, Pablo Aimar – but our goalkeeper was Jan Oblak (on loan from Benfica and now a star with Atletico Madrid).”

Baptista had a longer run as sub in the final game at home to Nacional de Madeira, going on at 2-0 down and helping Uniao get back to 2-2 before losing to a last-minute penalty conceded by Oblak, who was sent-off.

With Leiria no longer able to employ him, Baptista bounced around lower league clubs, including his home town side Alcobaca before his agent offered that new lease of life.

It took to settle but he is delighted with how this season has begun.

“I think I am doing well. The team is doing well too. I spoke to Tommy last season because I wasn’t playing that much so I had a loan with Lewes.

“It was difficult – first season in another country. Now we have a different pitch and the gaffer said to me it would be better.

“I had an injury at Lewes and it stopped me playing for three months.

“The gaffer has given me confidence and I think I can go to a high level.

“I’m under contract until the end of the season and I’m happy here.

“The (artificial) pitch helps a lot. When the winter comes it will be very good for me. We pop the ball around properly.”

Widdrington made the unpopular call to take Baptista off for the final stages against Maidenhead so he looked to go more direct.

But he has no doubt about the talent he has out on his right flank.

He told The Argus: “I thought Miguel was outstanding on Tuesday, probably the best player on the pitch in the first half.

“But we knew, as the game went on, we would have to play longer. Miguel doesn’t play longer. He plays shorter.

“He completely understood what we did. It’s all about the group.

“But he more than played his part. Never mind his goal, I thought he was excellent and, if he keeps on playing like he is, we will do well to keep hold of him.”