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" The confidence picked up from taking the point at Huddersfield, and it may not sound a great deal in terms of our progress on the league front and points, but it is a massive step from our point of view confidence-wise. Because that was a tough place to go to with the great home record they have got.
" So that in itself, just kept us that distance away from them at the moment in time. Although they played midweek and we have got a game in hand but at the same time the lads have taken a lot of confidence from that. They have shown in training, they have gone out there and been very, very bright all week.
" Of course you look at other results, you would be foolish to say you don't but at the same time we can't affect it. We are not praying that this happens or that happens, if anything happens it is just a bonus that we will take on board. We know that it is down to ourselves and if we can maintain the run of form we are in, and certainly the return of points-wise then it will be close.
" We take nothing for granted with our home games and the next home game is the most important one. Stockport will look after itself on Tuesday but certainly on Saturday I think Carlisle is a real big game for us now. Because there are one or two tough fixtures out there with teams in and around us on Saturday. But certainly on the merit that Carlisle are in, they are doing very well at the moment in time. "
" Although they were beaten 2-1 in midweek they have just come off the back of beating Leeds over two legs and MK Dons 5-0, so they have to be reckoned with. They have done very well and people say that MK Dons on the day didn't have a particularly good day but you have still got to score the goals, so we will totally respect them when we play on Saturday.
" They've got Matty Robson who I had at Hartlepool, and Joe Anyinsah who was a young lad with me at Bristol City and I know all about them. So they've got pace down the sides that's for sure, and we'll have to be wary of that. Both those players can turn defence into attack very quickly with that pace, so that's an area in which we'll have to be very guarded, but in saying that, we've got some very good players as well and they'll be mindful of that.
" The good thing about us, and I have said it many times, we have got a great squad of players and they are very supportive of each other. I think they understand that their team is doing well, any player outside of the team, if they were in the team and it was doing well then they would expect to stay in, and that is their reward.
" But in saying that we do have to take every game on its merits and if we feel that somebody in a different position would give us a bit more prowess in certain areas then we would change it. We are not scared of that at this moment in time but the boys are doing very well. But we have assessed Carlisle and we have assessed what their strengths and weaknesses they have got and we will pick our team accordingly.
" David Lucas is fine, he just had a little reoccurrence of the groin problem the other week and obviously we don't want to take chances with anybody at this moment in time. With Dave, we have got a very good understudy with Phil (Smith) at the moment so in that respect we gave him an extra day and it seems to have worked. "
" I'm sure Vincent Pericard will play a part in the game, because we brought him in to contribute and he's done that so far - albeit perhaps not as much as he might have liked. He'll be very much looking forward to the game because he'll be wanting to do well. But like I've said many times before, it's about the team and we'll pick a team that we believe can win the game and if Vincent's in that then great.
" I don't think there are many clubs up and down the country who can offer two tickets for two home games for £25. What we want is a great atmosphere out there. We really want to get fans out there who can give us a push forward. The big clubs like Leeds are used to playing in front of big crowds.
" But with all due respect to teams like Carlisle and Stockport, it might be a bit intimidating for them to come and play in this arena when it's full and as vociferous as it was before. That might be an extra man for us, and we need as much help as we can get. If the fans can give us that then it will be a great boost for us.
" The boys have shown the rest of the league what good players they are, both individually and collectively, and they will really want to cement a place in the play-off positions. Things have gone very well over a short space of time, but there is still a lot of football in front of us and we can't get carried away with anything. We don't want to end up like a certain horse, Devon Loch, getting all that way and then fall away at the final hurdle.
" I think we've progressed very well and would be bitterly disappointed if we didn't get there. In the big picture I suppose you could say we've made great progress, but having been in and around the area for so long then everyone would be bitterly disappointed if we don't make something out of the season, or prolong it. But it depends how you define success or failure - that's not for me to say. "