MANAGER: We know we can win games

“Northampton are on a run of disappointing results,” he said. “Their manager will want a reaction from their result last weekend and that’s exactly the same for us. We played well and competed at Exeter until a lapse of concentration cost us. 

“This weekend we need to turn the half chances we’ve been creating into goals. If we can do that we know we can win games.”

“We have strengths in the changing room which need to come to the fore week in and week out now,” he added. “People are asking if we build this game up as a massive game. Well, yes, we do, because that’s exactly what it is. 

“It’s an opportunity for us to get three points and our players are starting to relish the fact we are in a relegation battle. We have to come together to take it on because there’s no point in us all being separate entities. We all want to win every Saturday and we all want us to keep picking up three points. 

“This football club is a different place when we get a win. Good results bring a positive environment and, at the moment, it’s about how we handle our disappointment to allow us to turn things round. If the players can look at both me and themselves after every game and say, with all honesty, they’ve given everything, they won’t go too far wrong.”

“It’s a young changing room and results do change the mindset,” he commented. “Confidence is bred by winning games and, if you aren’t getting positive results, players will start to feel tentative. My job is to build people up through the week, address the negatives which happen in games and also concentrate on the positives from everything we do.

“We need a win but there are a number of teams above us I think we’re going to catch. All that’s missing at the moment is that next victory. When we get that a lot of things will change.”

On the role of the fans, he said: “If we go out there nervous and tentative, that’s what we’ll get back from our supporters. If we go out there vibrant and up for it, they’ll respond with the same. 

“I think the support we get home and away is fantastic but I completely understand the grumblings and disappointment. That has been building over a number of years and we have to understand we aren’t going to fix it overnight. We need the supporters to stay with us while we go about putting it right.

“In the mean time they want to see effort and commitment. I know our fans won’t accept a lack of effort or desire and the good thing is I also know our players have those attributes in abundance.” 

And on the news that second year youth player Connor Thomson is set to join Blackburn Rovers, he said: “We don’t have an U21 development squad so he wasn’t getting as much game time here as he needed. 

“We felt this was in his best interests, as a move like this will improve his chances of progressing from where he’s at right now. He’ll be involved with the U21 squad down there and we wish him all the best.”

This transfer remains subject to the completion and registration of all paperwork and includes a sell-on clause should Thomson move on to another club at a future date.