“I had played just a handful of games with Forest and a couple of games for the Under-21s.
“Mr Eriksson invited me to take part in a training session so it was great to look around and see the players I was training with. I loved every minute of it. I had a smile on my face for days.”
Having established himself as a Premiership regular with Spurs, Dawson is also one of the more experienced players for the England under-21's who play France in a vital game tonight.
And despite the strong competition for places in the senior squad, he added: “I look at the seniors and think that is where I want to be playing one day.
"I was like that as a young lad wanting to play in the Premiership and I am doing that at the moment."