IT WAS ten years ago that Simon Ainge was part of a youthful City defence beaten at Rotherham.

If you had thought that a decade on we’d be having this conversation, he would have seriously questioned my sanity.

But no, we are talking goals – and lots of them.

Forget Harry Kane or Romelu Lukaku. Nobody in the top six levels of English football has scored as often in 2017 as Ainge.

His haul of 31 – eight more than Kane – for Harrogate Town includes four hat-tricks and a four.

Suddenly at the age of 29, Shipley-born Ainge is being touted as one of the deadliest marksman in the non-League game.

Yet he hadn’t even played up front before January.

No wonder Ainge is as perplexed by his dramatic change of footballing fortunes as any former team-mate at City, Avenue, Guiseley or Halifax.

“It was a bit of a laugh at first,” he admitted. “I was coming home to the missus and saying ‘I can’t believe what’s happening’.

“I’d wake up on Sunday morning and think ‘did I actually do that and score a hat-trick yesterday?’

“It’s nice to be noticed but it is just mad really; total madness.”

Simon Weaver, the long-serving Harrogate boss, is credited with a positional switch that now looks one of football’s most inspired decisions.

With resources stretched by a growing casualty list, he turned to his aggressive central defender to have a go up front.

Ainge recalled: “I’ve always chipped in with over five goals a season in non-League – but that’s playing centre half or at full back.

“We had a good team last season but there were a lot of injuries and we weren’t scoring.

“We had a practice game and the manager just told me to put myself about up there and see how it went.

“I scored a goal and didn’t feel out of place and he kept me there when we played Alfreton that Saturday.

“I got four and from then on seemed to keep scoring just about every game.”

The turnaround in his career has been so dramatic that Ainge, who made 18 appearances for City as a teenager, has now rekindled dreams of having another stab at the Football League.

Harrogate’s ambition means he is playing full-time again – and eager to race the clock.

He said: “I thought being a professional footballer was a ship that sailed now that I’m 29.

“But I’ve just felt so comfortable since I’ve been moved. I could have had more goals.

“So I’ve come full-time to see what I can actually do.

“If I was a centre half, I’d probably still be working and playing part-time.

“I’ve still got dreams of playing in front of big crowds at a higher level.

“The only way I’d be able to do it is to set some kind of ridiculous records because of my age. Goals pay the bills, as they say.

“If I’m honest, it’s quite exciting. Because of my age, I’ve got a short space of time to see if I can actually do something with it.”

It is all a world away from the 19-year-old thrust into the heat of a relegation battle at Millmoor by City caretaker boss David Wetherall.

Ainge said: “I remember that as my second-to-last start for Bradford. I think Martin Woods scored with a free-kick for them and it was hard.

“I can’t believe it was so long ago – but loads has changed since then, not just for me but the club as well.

“They’ve gone a full 360 and are on the way back up now, which is great.”

Unfortunately – or fortunately if you’re a rival National League North defender – Ainge will not have the chance to increase his own tally for the next few weeks.

He recently went under the knife for a groin operation after his adductor muscle went pop while lining up a shot. It was a nagging problem from the end of last season that flared up.

“I saw a specialist at the Yorkshire Clinic who said I needed an op but said I could keep playing if the pain was manageable,” he said.

“I played over the Bank Holiday and got a hat-trick on the Saturday. We played again Monday and I probably shouldn’t have but was buzzing from scoring.

“I went to hit a ball first time and just felt it go – and had to have the operation two days later.

“I’m hoping to be back for the beginning of November. It’s not worth rushing back. I’ll be fresh as well and hopefully I can drive us forward. We’re top of the league at the minute.

“I’ve never been at a club where it’s been so unfortunate with injuries but we’re playing well. It’s probably the strongest team I’ve played in at this level.

“We’ve played all the big boys now and the fact we’re full-time, come Christmas time and January I’d like to think we’ll get our second wind when other people are feeling tired.”