"I feel fitter than ever" - Defender Raheem Conte on being rejuvenated at FC Halifax Town

The full-back has been one of Town's star performers so far this season, having joined in the summer, establishing himself as John McGrath's first-choice at left-back.

Conte was at Morecambe last season as they were relegated from the National League, and became disillusioned with the game during that time, but feels rejuvenated at The Shay.

"To be honest, I felt like I lost myself, lost enjoyment for the game, I wasn't defending, I wasn't attacking, I wasn't even playing," he said.

"It was a difficult period for me. I lost hope for football until I came here and I thought 'you know what, you can get on the ball, we can zip it about, everyone can play, everyone's on board'."

Conte feels he is now in the best form of his career.

"One hundred per cent," he said. "If you look back on my career, this is around the same number of games, say 15, 16, that I've played in a whole season.

"And some of those were me nicking a couple of minutes at the end.

"I feel fitter than ever, the gaffer's given me so much trust. Even on Saturday, I had a little blip but he didn't take me off, and I appreciate that."

Conte played just 17 league games for Morecambe last season, but already has 12 league appearances for Town under his belt this campaign, and says he appreciates being in a good place after his troubled time last term.

"That's why I appreciate it because that spell at Morecambe, I think the team changed every three games, it was completely different teams, people getting signed every two weeks.

"It wasn't easy to try and get to know your team-mates or someone on your side (of the pitch) but I've been playing with Tolls (Ben Tollitt) for ten games in a row now, and everyone in their units is working well. We're a talented team."

Conte has linked up brilliantly down the left with winger Tollitt, both of whom were at Morecambe last season.

"He didn't really have the time he's having now either, so it's a little redemption arc for me and Tolls"," said Conte.

The 23-year-old joined Brentford as an 11-year-old, before signing for QPR aged 14.

"When I reached 18, I didn't get a contract there so I had a period of around six months where I was out with no club, and then Cardiff signed me.

"I felt like I had my foot in, but I couldn't keep it in.

"There was a lot of experienced, established players at the time, so I couldn't really get my foot in and because of the lack of games, I had to filter down.

"But the way this team plays, we're like a league team. We can get things going, especially at The Shay.

"It suits me because I like to get involved in the play as well."

Conte says he could see signs in pre-season that The Shaymen were on the right track.

"After that first game, even things that weren't clicking then, I knew it would click," he said.

"I can depend on players, there's players you can depend on, in midfield you've got the likes of Cody (Johnson), players who've come out of nowhere like Tayt (Trusty), who's shone since he got his chance.

"Obviously me and Tolls, when people see us play, you can tell we've played together before.

"Everyone's pulling their weight though. We're actually a young team but it's not felt like it.

"The balance of the older heads like Hobbo (Shaun Hobson) and Amari (Morgan-Smith) helps, because you don't want the team to be too young.

"There's experience in the right places and it's a settled team.

"I'd heard that Halifax had been written off a bit before the season even started but now I think people are like 'this lot might go and do something', which we've shown.

"Who knows how the season can go?"

Conte says the ultimate aim this season is promotion.

"If you look at the games where we've dropped points, we can really kick ourselves because we're really talented and there's times where we're pressing the life out of teams, passing the life out of teams," he said.

"I feel like this team can do whatever it wants, it's just about believing and making sure we get in that top seven and fight from there."