Much-travelled Glenavon striker Michael O'Connor says he is enjoying his football more than ever under Lurgan Blues manager Paddy McLaughlin.

The former Cliftonville boss has revived the fortunes of the Mourneview Park club since succeeding Stephen McDonnell in the role in November, guiding them away from the Irish Premiership relegation zone.

McLaughlin's side have won five of their last six league outings and O'Connor's contribution, including eight goals in all competitions, has been a significant one, earning him a new contract.

The 26-year-old frontman's former clubs include Irish League sides Linfield, Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts, while he has also plied his trade in the League of Ireland, Scotland and Sweden.

"I think it's the best spell I've had probably in football. Paddy is getting the best out of me and that's why I signed a new deal because I'm enjoying my football and going to training," he said.

"It's just someone believing in me - believing I can be a number one striker, playing week in, week out. Paddy's given me that chance and hopefully I keep taking it.

"I have good people around the club like Paddy and the staff that back me and I plan to keep doing it on the pitch for them."

O'Connor offered an insight into the influence McLaughlin has had as he resurrects the fortunes of the mid-Ulster outfit.

The Dundalk native explained that the present incumbent of the manager's chair was "more demanding" than his predecessor.

"He [McLaughlin] expects hard work, whereas previously maybe some got away with that when the previous manager was there. It's about realising your mistakes, growing up and taking responsibility I suppose.

"Paddy doesn't mind falling out with you because he's a winner and that's what winners do. He's just given us that confidence and that belief and he's getting that potential out of us."

O'Connor has forged a productive partnership with strike partner David McDaid, another player who has been on the books of several Irish League clubs, including Cliftonville, Larne, Ballymena United and Coleraine.

"Davy's very experienced and I'm still learning off him. We've got a good relationship off the pitch and on the pitch it's showing. Hopefully it only continues to get better.

"I've been around the block but I'm a tough character and it would have been foolish of me to lose everything through silly mistakes."

McLaughlin put O'Connor's current fine form and the enjoyment he is deriving from the game down to "his own hard work and attributes", plus a desire to "prove his doubters wrong".

"Whenever you get him focused on his football he's one of the best strikers in the country, there's no doubt about that, and he's proven that over the last number of months that I've been here," said the Glenavon boss.

"He has his own desire and determination to prove his doubters wrong and he's doing that brilliantly at the moment. There are a few out there, maybe not as many as there were in the past.

"He's like every player, he needs encouragement and an arm round his shoulder sometimes, as well as needing a kick up the backside sometimes. He responds to both really well."

Glenavon's impressive series of recent results has elevated them to ninth place in the table, level on points with eighth-placed Coleraine above them and 13 ahead of Carrick Rangers, who occupy the promotion/relegation play-off spot in 11th.

McLaughlin's charges host another in-form side, Crusaders, in their next top flight encounter on Saturday.

"It's important we continue to keep level headed and grounded - keep our feet on the ground and don't get carried away.

"We need to keep doing what we've been doing, working our socks off and playing our football.

"The quality's there within the group and we knew that before we came in. Now we're getting the best out of them. With the momentum we have you never know what can happen."