The midlands-based side are on a hot run of form right now and have eased themselves away from the relegation spots they were in just a few months ago with a strong run of impressive victories.

But Fatadjo, 24, also knows Leiston are in a healthy position themselves. They sit just five points off the play-offs, with games in hand on a couple of the teams above them, and their form is good.

“We see every game as a tough game no matter if a team is first or last,” Fatadjo, who hails from Sao Miguel, the biggest island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago, said.

“We know we will have to work hard and stay together to come out with a result. But we are confident and more than ready to face any team in this league.”

In a very tight Southern League Premier Central Division, Leiston have found decent form of late, including a fine 1-0 victory over second-placed Stratford Town last time out.

“We had a slow start to the season, but we all realised that we are much better than that," Fatadjo said.

"We focused and stayed positive, started picking up results and realised we can push ourselves into the play-off picture, which we have done.

“So, now we have a target, and everyone is motivated and believes that we can reach it.”

Fatadjo left Portugal in 2012 with his family and moved to Great Yarmouth. He joined the Norwich Community Sports Foundation shadow squad at the age of 16, and then won a professional contract with Portugese side Beira Mar in 2018 until 2020, as he returned to Portugal.

Covid hit and he came back to England, before going back to Portugal to play semi-professional for Sporting Clube Ideal, before another move back to the professional league when he played for Moncarapachense in 2022/23. He returned to England after that and joined King’s Lynn, before he moved to Leiston last summer.

A firm fans’ favourite, Fatadjo admits he very much likes life at Victory Road.

“I’m enjoying myself here,” he added. “We have a very good group, we all have a laugh, get along well, which makes things easier when it comes to stepping on the football pitch. I have no bad things to say about Leiston.”

And he knows his form of late has continued to impress, with some man-of-the-match performances thrown in.

“Yes, I’ve been doing pretty well of late,” he said. “I must give credit to the team, they have been performing well, so it helps me. I’ve been putting in extra work in the gym and eating healthier, which helps, so I’m glad it’s paying off.”