MANAGER: I think it will be a lively encounter

“I don’t think it gets any bigger,” he said. “We’re at the start of the run-in with four or five teams chasing the last play-off spot. We have three games away and two at home and sometimes you think it might be a slight advantage playing away from home. 

“Crowds and supporters get nervous and that can have an affect on the players. Anxiety can creep onto the pitch and players can retreat into a shell. It’s exactly the same situation as it has been all season for us as we will take each game as it comes.

“Every team we face will be given the respect they deserve but ultimately we think we can go into each game and be competitive.”

“Cambridge won last week so the expectation levels will be rising down there,” he commented. “It’ll be a nervous encounter for them, with them being in front of their own crowd, but they’ll want to win it as much as we do.

“There are areas within all second division sides which can be exploited and that’s what we will try to do. We have a full complement of players and even the physio is fit! There’s a good atmosphere around the changing room so we go there confident we can get something.”

“I know their manager very well,” he told us. “We signed him when I was with Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace and QPR because we knew what he would bring to the group. Cambridge will be organised, disciplined and aggressive with an element of structure. 

“They’ll also look to play with a bit of freedom in the final third and they have similar attributes to what we are trying to bring to this football club. We won’t be taking a backward step and we’ll take the game to them as and when we can. 

“I think it will be a lively encounter with two passionate managers driving their teams on. They’re competitive, but so are we. They score goals, and so do we. They concede goals, but so do we. They have a manager who likes winning games and so do I. 

“We have a good understanding of how they play and I have a feeling it will be a ferocious encounter where neither team will want to take a backward step.

“We’ve got fantastic vocal support, so we won’t get out-shouted, and it will be a very competitive match. We go there knowing about the support we’re going to get and the pleasing thing is they know their players will go out there and compete.”