Bar the knee injury, suffered during the summer, which kept him out of action until last month, it sounds like Richie Towell is enjoying his time at Brighton.
On Tuesday night, he made his second appearance for the club this season. He also scored his second goal in a 2-1 win against Wimbledon.
Towell sustaining that injury was a source of real frustration for the former Dundalk player. After joining the club in January, he was unable to force his way into the first team. He saw pre-season training as a chance for him to stand out.
Towell was speaking to Joe Molloy on Wednesday night's Off The Ball.
When I initially signed, the lads were flying. They were really really pushing for promotion. They had a really strong midfield.
I knew I would just have to bide my time and wait for an opportunity. When pre-season came, I thought that would be best opportunity to grab it with both hands.
Unfortunately, the day before the first friendly - after doing all the hard graft - I got a scan on my knee and it didn't show up too good. I had to take couple of months off which was really frustrating.
He stood out during pre-season by topping the ranks at Brighton in both fitness and strength tests.
We went out to Teneriffe and were up at five in the morning for swimming and spin classes. We got two or three training sessions in during the day which was nice in the good weather.
We did all the tests and I won nearly every single one of them. I'm not surprised by what I can do. I know how hard I work. When you know how hard you work, it's hard to think that anyone can beat you. I knew going into the running tests and the strength tests that I was more than capable of winning it. Luckily enough, over the summer, I was able to work with the likes of Graham Byrne [Dundalk fitness coach] and go back in great shape.
To get the injury that I did was unfortunate and it's something I was gutted about.
The 25-year-old has not spoken to Brighton manager Chris Hughton about going out on loan come January. Breaking into the first team and nailing down a regular spot in his next aim.
That ambition should be aided by his current condition. He feels as though the injury never even happened.
It's fine. 100 per cent now. I was saying to one of the lads the other day, it feels as though I was never injured even though I've a chunk of the season. Even in games, I feel fit and sharp.
