"I've enjoyed the first three games" - Scott High on Huddersfield, Halifax and what might come next

The midfielder, who is on loan from Huddersfield Town, has started three games for The Shaymen so far and impressed in each of them.

And similarly, High has liked what he's seen from the squad so far.

"I said this when I went to the Irish League, because I'd never played there before, like I've never played in the National League before, but the standard's a lot better than you'd think if you've never watched it or played in it," he said.

"Hartlepool (High's debut) were a good team, and we were a good team, it ended in a stalemate but I was like 'oh, the standard's quite good'.

"We could have beaten Hartlepool, we could have lost it.

"We could have taken our chances more against Oldham and won that.

"I think the performances in all three games have been really good and I think they've been getting better in each game.

"The Eastleigh game was what we needed, we took our chances at the set-pieces.

"Hopefully we can kick on now and start scoring even more goals because the team we've got can create a lot of chances."

High has been impressed by the attitude of the Shaymen squad since his arrival.

"Everyone would say hard-working, but that's a given," he said when asked what had struck him most about the Halifax players.

"I want to say enthusiastic.

"We're a young group but everyone wants to learn.

"There are some senior heads in Bill (Waters), Johnno (Sam Johnson) and Smudge (Will Smith), but everyone's enthusiastic, and want to learn off the gaffer and Coops.

"Everyone seems bright and wants to get in the team and play."

Halifax is High's sixth loan club so far in his career, having also played temporarily for Concord Rangers, Shrewsbury Town, Rotherham United, Dundalk and Ross County.

"I did enjoy Rotherham when Paul Warne was there, working under him, we had a good relationship," he said.

"When Matty Taylor came in, he wanted different things so I went back to Huddersfield.

"I really enjoyed Dundalk, it was something different, all the lads were great over there."

High joined Huddersfield when he was eight, coming through the academy system, and had his most successful spell in the first-team under Carlos Corberan during the 2021-22 season.

"I think I played 25, 30 games," he said.

"Even from pre-season, we played Norwich and I played the full 90 minutes, played well, and since then I was in and the manager just trusted me.

"It was still a turbulent season to be fair because I played all the way up to Christmas, then after that I was sort of in and out."

The following season could hardly have been more different.

"When Carlos left, I then went to Rotherham and I think I had about eight different managers in one season," he said.

"Carlos got sacked, then they had Danny Schofield, he got sacked, then his assistant, who left, and then (Neil) Warnock came in.

"I had Paul Warne at Rotherham, then he joined Derby, and then it was Matty Taylor.

"Then I went back to Huddersfield, who had Mark Foderingham, and then Warnock came in at the end.

"So in a year, I had about ten different managers!

"So I never had it where I could build a relationship with someone.

"My best was under Carlos, but since then, I've not had a manager for onger than six months.

"Even when I went to Dundalk, the manager got sacked as well! I must be a bad omen!"

Even his loan spell in Scotland featured a managerial casualty.

"That was a funny one," he recalled. "I went to Ross County, the manager brought me in but never played me and then he got sacked."

High hasn't played for Huddersfield in over a year and admits his future looks likely to lie away from the club.

"Possibly, yeah. Personally I think I need to go out and start my own career," he said.

"I can't thank Huddersfield enough for everything they've done.

"I've been there since I was eight so that's all I've known.

"But the last two years has been a bit turbulent with some miscommunications with different people, so I think it's time to move on."

High might find himself at a relatively low level for his previous experience, but for now, he's enjoying the change of scenery.

"In the summer, I was waiting for a League One, League Two loan," he said.

"I thought with the experience I've got and the amount of games I've played, I'd get that.

"But speaking to some of the other lads at Halifax like WIll Smith and Billy Waters, and they were saying they couldn't believe how slow the market was.

"Nothing came up, so then the next best thing was National League, because I couldn't go anywhere else when the window closed.

"Halifax came up straight away and, it's like, it's close to home - it was a no-brainer when I spoke to the manager.

"He rang me on the Sunday before I signed and he went through things, he said he really wanted me to come.

"He said it was a young group. I know I'm still young but I've had quite a few games in the Football League.

"He said he wanted me to use my experience to help others, play as many games as possible and contribute to the team."

When asked what level he believes he can get to in the game, High said: "Definitely Championship, because I've played well and competed well in the Championship, and that was at a younger age.

"I know I can play in the Championship. If I had one or two full seasons in the Champiosnhip, competing in a team and having the confidence from a manager that's going to play me every week, I feel I could be top end Championship, that's what I really want."

The second tier may well lie ahead for the midfielder, but at the moment, Halifax is offering him the chance he needs to just get back playing.

"There was nothing that came up in the market so I was kicking myself a bit thinking 'I don't know what more I could have done in my career to date' but just playing games is what everyone needs," he said.

"Especially at my age now, 23, I need to play as many games as possible and show everyone what I can do.

"I could have stayed in the B team at Huddersfield but that's not what I want to do or what I want to achieve in the game.

"Playing competitive games for three points every Saturday and Tuesday is what everyone needs and I, 100 per cent, needed that."

On how he feels he has done so far in a Town shirt, High said: "Obviously I know I can do a lot better with match sharpness and minutes getting more, because I haven't played for a bit.

"I got injured towards the end of my time at Dundalk.

"But having that run of games and having that confidence from the manager to hopefully keep me in, that's what I need and hopefully I can contribute more."

And, hopefully, for a bit longer than early November, when his loan deal expires.

"100 per cent, I'd love to stay until January," he said.

"Just play as many games as I can until January and take it from there.

"I've enjoyed the first three games and training with all the lads.

"Hopefully it can continue."