This time last year Mike Fondop spent part of his summer holiday walking with lions, having emerged from the lion's den of a relegation battle not unscathed.

Twelve months on - with new owners, a new manager, new players, a new pitch and a whole new vibe - Oldham Athletic is a very different beast. And Fondop feels it is ready to roar.

Where there was once desperation and despair, there is optimism and hope.

Wounds of relegation have been licked and have started to heal.

Fondop has also put behind him the injury that wrecked his reunion with John Sheridan, who he had worked with at Chesterfield and enjoyed his best ever season. Until last season.

Thirteen goals, the majority of which coincided with a strong second half of the campaign in the National League, provided the striker with his best return since becoming a professional footballer.

And therein lies another story.

When he arrived on these shores from Cameroon to go to university it was with the intent of studying actuarial science - the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, pension, finance, investment and other industries and professions - at the University of East Anglia.

But when he arrived there he was told that his visa application did not correspond with them, but instead with the University of Essex.

Fondop does not know whether there was an administerial error in the initial application. But he does believe it was his destiny.

"If I went to East Anglia I wouldn't have had the chance to play for the university football team because I would have had to start a programme called INTO before I started my degree there," he explained.

"At Essex I went straight on to the degree course and into the football team. And that's where I met my first manager.

"That can only be explained by God. That is the path I've been put on," added Fondop, who is one of five children and whose Christian faith was influenced by his mother.

"My mum raised all of us in the church.

"I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. Even if it's negative if you look at it with eyes of faith that particular thing can be used for your own good."

Oldham's story, he feels, can also be one of triumph over adversity.

"One hundred per cent," he says.

"I didn't know much about the old board because I only came the previous January.

"As a player I'm just coming to focus on football. I was part of a club that was going through a difficult moment."

There were debts, demonstrations, fan boycotts, transfer emargos. The list is endless. 

"Obviously you want the crowd to be with you but if they are boycotting or shouting things at the players... we know it wasn't always directed at us, it was for the love they have for the club and they weren't happy about the way it was run," Fondop reflected.

"If some players have been treated poorly by the club in the past, directly or indirectly it affects the result and we were the result of that.

"Everyone knows there was a lot of things going on and (John) Sheridan did everything to keep our focus on football and not get involved."

Times have changed.

"The new chairman has done great things and Darren (Royle), the CEO, the manager. It's so easy to approach them, they are down to earth," the striker added.

"It's easier for players when you know you can talk to these people. We can see the things they are doing to improve the club and get it back to where it belongs."

There have been big changes for Fondop off the field to, with the birth of his first child during the course of last season.

"People told us to sleep before she came."

He laughs.

"I was sometimes coming to training with one or two hours' sleep. Fans don't see that.

"The day before games I was sleeping in a different room to try to get some rest, but still it's not the same.

"But I love her to bits.

"My partner has been amazing supporting us."

Becoming a dad to Honey-Faith last October changed his whole perspective.

"I used to take individual decisions. 

"Now I have to think about three people, me, my partner and my baby. You have to sacrifice things.

"It's been different, it requires a lot of sacrifice and hard work but my parents raised me to the person I am today, and I want to do the same."