Chris Haigh feels he has a point to prove after being axed in the second half of last season.

The Ebbsfleet goalkeeper lost his place in the side to on-loan Wolves youngster Louie Moulden for the final 19 games.

He came back better and fitter than before in pre-season and was ready to battle it out with Mark Cousins for the No.1 spot, only to suffer a double leg break in the third league game of the campaign.

“I definitely felt I had a point to prove,” reflected Haigh, on the second half of last season.

“If I’m honest I felt I was more than capable of playing and I felt I deserved to play more games than I did.

“But I understood with Louie coming in on loan it was difficult not to play him, and he did come in and after a few games he did really well so at that point I couldn’t really argue.

“I came back in pre-season and did really well. I was flying and thought I was on my way to cementing that spot.”

It’s only driven Haigh even more to push forward during his return from injury. He’s taken heart from the positive reaction of Ebbsfleet fans and can’t wait to contribute to what he hopes will be a successful campaign.

“It’s one of them where you just go again, what other option have I got?” stated Haigh. “I can’t sit here and think I’m going to sulk about it as it doesn’t gain me anything.

“Now I can’t wait to play again. The boys have done well to get us in this position. I want to help us win games, keep us in games at times and be able to help them where I can.

“I’ve always felt wherever I am, you make time for the supporters as that’s what it is all about, no matter what level you play at. If you give them a bit of time then they really value you.

“After my injury, all the fans were so supportive of me and I want to get out there and do well for them. They’ve been part of it with me, for sure, as all that positivity really helped me, to be honest.

“A few kids wrote me get-well-soon cards so that was really nice. The supporters were brilliant. There was a period when I wasn’t in the squad and I sat in the stands with the fans, who were great with me.”

Haigh revealed that Fleet boss Dennis Kutrieb has made no promises about who his first-choice keeper will be.

Cousins signed from Bromley in the close season and has been a regular in Haigh’s absence after his injury at Eastbourne.

“When the gaffer sat us down at the start of the season he said it was me and Mark Cousins fighting it out for number one and early on both of us were going to play games,” said Haigh.

“Eastbourne was my first game, I felt really good and naturally you want to be on the front foot and be aggressive. If it happened again, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was the right decision and I was just a bit unlucky.

“We played a friendly a couple of weeks ago and a similar situation happened. All the boys watching said that when the ball went through, they were a bit nervous thinking was I going to be all right but in all honesty in my mind I haven’t even thought about the tackle. I’d just go and do the same again.

“As a goalkeeper, we have this thing where you have to be aggressive and on the front foot. If not then you’re not going to be able to do your job properly so there’s nowhere to hide. You have to keep that mindset, and do the same again as it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past.”

Haigh could feature in forthcoming cup games as he looks to prove his fitness to Kutrieb, although he wouldn’t say no to a short-term loan spell.

“I think the plan is to find games for me to play within our own fixture list and get me ready to then challenge and go again,” he added. “I’d had a really good pre-season and was looking good to play a few games.

"If something was to come up where it was a guaranteed opportunity to get games in a league environment then I wouldn’t be surprised if the club was interested in that and it could potentially suit.

“I wouldn’t say that won’t happen but from the discussions we’ve had I think I’m going to stay in and around it.”

Haigh’s recovery has been overseen by Dan Bernardin and Sean Byrne. Bernardin founded FSCR, a company that specialises in players’ strength and conditioning, and Ebbsfleet have enlisted their services this season to help give them an extra advantage in National League South.

“I’ve been going there regularly and getting up to speed,” said Haigh. “They’ve put me through my paces and tested my ankle. My right ankle is actually stronger than my left now!

“The start of it is so tedious as you’re doing exercises you could do in your sleep, normally, but you’re finding them quite difficult. For example, the first thing the specialist said to me was we’re going to teach you how to walk again. I was literally walking around my house trying to learn how to walk again for two weeks.

“The amount of help that I’ve had was brilliant. It was fortunate that the operation was on the NHS and they had a cancellation on the same day, that’s so lucky.

“A lot of it is mindset. For me I straight away set a target to be back training in and around eight weeks.

“I’ve been doing all the testing and training almost waiting for something to give, waiting for that reaction of 'that don’t feel right' but I’ve never really had it.

"I get soreness but I’ve done a lot of training. I’m starting to move super freely now, as well as I was before. That’s the stage I’m getting at.

“I’m super competitive. If someone says I can’t do something, then I’ll show them I can do it. If someone says 10 weeks then I’ll make it in eight weeks.

"I’ve always been competitive from a really young age and always had the mindset of pushing myself to the limit.

“When I spoke to one of the physios when I did it, he said ‘our problem with you is we’re going to have to slow you down’ as I want to keep going all the time. All the boys say I’m really busy, they always banter me for it, but I like it as it means I’m doing everything to the best that I can.

"Craig Tanner banters me for it all the time. I don’t know if he banters me because I’m busy or he’s lazy!

“I’m normally one of the first ones in and last ones to leave. I’m always in the gym and they’re always giving me a bit of stick.

• Whirlwind 24 hours included X-ray, McDonald's breakfast, sleeping at the ground and operation

"I put in a lot of work during the close season to get myself in the best possible physical shape and I think when I had my injury and lost muscle, I didn’t go down to as bad a place as I would have done otherwise.

"It was one of the times I was really grateful for being a person who does extra work.”