"We need to find consistency" - Jesse Debrah on his time at The Shay, Town rediscovering their form and his future

The centre-back has impressed at The Shay since joining the club last summer, and is considered one of the club's star assets after developing into a commanding, quick and strong centre-back.

Debrah's contract expires in the summer, but he says he is leaving his future to take care of itself.

"Obviously it's every footballer's dream to play as high as possible and try to progress your career through the ranks," he said.

"Regardless of where I am and where I end up, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have played for this amazing club.

"They welcomed me with open arms. I was at a stage in my life where I was lost in terms of football.

"I didn't know where I was going to be, I was on trial to different places.

"When I came here on trial I was welcomed with open arms and I'm forever grateful for that.

"Regardless of what happens, I really have enjoyed my time here."

Town triggered a one-year extension to Debrah's contract last summer amid transfer speculation linking him with a move to Huddersfield Town.

"I'm just leaving it until the summer, I'm trying not to get bogged down with whether I'm staying or going," Debrah added on his future.

"It's more about just focusing on the team and not looking at it from a selfish point of view.

"It's not about me, it's about the team and trying to really give the second-half of the season a good go and get to where we want to get to."

The Shaymen are currently 15th in the National League, six points off the top seven, with last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Torquay casting them further adrift of the play-offs.

"We've definitely improved since the start of the season obviously, which wasn't hard," Debrah said.

"We need to find consistency. As you can tell by the results, at home we're very strong and winning most of our games - we've won six and drawn one of our last seven.

"However, away from home we need to find much better form if we want to get to where we want to get to, and it's up to us, all of us, to find consistency."

When asked how Town can do that, Debrah said: "I don't think it's just one answer, but it's up to us on the training pitch to find the answers and it starts with doing the basics and doing them as well as we can.

"That's a good start, but it's up to us as a team to find the answers and produce that, and we'll try to do that."

Debrah concedes Town have come off the gas lately, having failed to win any of their last three games, having won four of their previous five matches.

"I feel like it's been hard, without trying to make excuses, in that every week it feels like we're losing players, getting players back, losing players, getting players back, so it's hard to find that consistency when we haven't had a consistent team, myself included," he said.

"I've been out in spells so far this season, but hopefully we'll be able to keep everyone fit in the second-half of the season and really give this a push."

And Debrah does feel there is much more to come from the Town squad.

"I do think so, I'm with these guys every day in training and I know the quality we possess," he said.

"We are where we are at the end of the day though, it's all well and good talking about potential but the fact is, we're not where we want to be and if it is that we do have the quality and it's not reflected in our league position, then it's up to us to correct that."

Debrah's season has been disrupted by injury and illness, while the defender's form hasn't regularly reached the same high levels it did last term.

"This season's really different to last season, obviously the change in players, change in management etc," he said.

"I feel like it's been hard to find consistency. Obviously we had that poor start to the season, then I thought I was picking up form and I got injured, and I got ill.

"I came back against Dorking, Guiseley then I get ill again, so it's been hard to find that form that I produced for large parts of last season when I did play.

"However, coming into the second-half of the season now I need to improve, we need to improve as a team and really step it up.

"I feel like it's up to me to find those answers on the training pitch of how I do step up my game and reach higher levels.

"That's what I need to do."

Debrah added: "When I first came in, Pete signed me as a backup to Niall (Maher) and Tom Bradbury and I've just tried to keep the same mentality of working hard and putting one foot in-front of the other every day.

"I feel like once I did that I was able to break into the team when I took my chance and this season, we've had ups and downs, but the attitude and application has never differed, I've always tried to do my best and give it 100 per cent."

Debrah's development at The Shay was recognised when he was given the captain's armband earlier this season.

"It is a good feeling," he said. "When the gaffer first told me I was going to be captain before the Dorking game I was quite surprised because there were more senior players on that pitch in that game than me.

"It was a great moment for me, I have captained teams before in the ranks at Millwall, and I felt a bit honoured.

"I have a good relationship with the club. I feel like last season, when I did play and we played well as a team, I built that connection and chemistry with the club, the fans and my team-mates.

"This season I'm trying to do the same thing. I am grateful and really honoured - Tylor Golden joked that I must be one of the youngest ever players to captain the club.

"When I think about it I'm quite honoured if that is true."

Next up for Town is their FA Trophy fourth round tie at Harrow Borough.

But despite Halifax needing to make up ground in the play-off race, Debrah says they are just as determined to progress in the FA Trophy.

"100 per cent, we go into every game trying to win, trying to be professional and the FA Trophy is a good competition," he said.

"Everyone wants to go to Wembley, it's massive. In the lower leagues we don't get as many cup competitions so it's another opportunity to win a trophy.

"So it's really important in my opinion."