Christian Doidge says playing for Newport County AFC has reignited his passion for football and he's determined to help his hometown club climb the League Two table.
The Newport-born striker scored his first goal in County colours in last week's 1-1 home draw against Fleetwood Town and he's hungry for more, starting at Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
But the 34-year-old is also relishing his role as an experienced head offering a helping hand to the Exiles' young talents and a focal point for others to play off.
"I've loved every second of it," said Doidge, who moved to Rodney Parade in the summer after being released by Forest Green Rovers. "It's been everything I've wanted coming back to my hometown club. It's the best club for me to end on, but hopefully I've still got a few more years in the tank.
"I had a tough year last season and to come back to where I grew up...I'm really enjoying it," he added. "I've got that fire in my belly that I probably lost a little bit towards the end of last season."
Doidge admits that he's played more games than he expected when signing a two-year deal in the summer.
"The plan was for me to come in and help the younger boys but I've managed to play a lot of minutes," he said. "I want to contribute on the pitch and I've started every game I've been available for, so I feel like a big part of the group. And that's really nice to have that at a later stage of my career.
"It was a nice feeling to get off the mark," he added. "I've almost been concentrating on the other side of the game and working really hard for the group.
"The manager basically tells me to stay in the centre and that's music to my ears. I don't really want to be running down the channels. And I think it's helped the team to have a bit of a focal point.
"We've got some young exciting talent that I want to see progress and it's about supporting them and helping them as much as I can. I want to make the team better around me."
The stats prove that is exactly what Doidge has done so far and he is certainly making a big impression 12 years on from an unsuccessful trial with the Exiles.
"When I was at Carmarthen Town I came on a trial here just before I went to Dagenham but I didn't get anything," he recalled. "But I think that was more a favour for someone for me to come in for two days. I knew at the time that Newport had a lot of strikers on the books and it probably wasn't going to happen.
"I'm happy how it's gone and that I've managed to play for Newport at this stage of my career. I would have been gutted if I never got the opportunity.
"As soon as I found out the potential was there this summer, it was the easiest negotiation ever. Whatever my agent said, I just said let's go for it.
"We would have liked to have more points on the board, but we're on the right path and we've just got to keep going," added Doidge. "We need to pick up some points away from home and we're planning on doing that this weekend."
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