|
"You can't go into the game playing for a point. If you do that you inevitably end up getting nothing. The way we set ourselves up and play I don't think we have that in us anyway. We try to take games by the throat and play for all three points - home or away - and I don't see that changing on Saturday.
"It doesn't surprise me that they have such a good home record. It is such a long way that has to mean sides don't fancy going there. But they also play good football and are up there on merit. We are flying up on Friday so it will give the boys the best possible preparation. Hopefully that will pay dividends and we can get that play-off spot in the bag now.
"The play-offs were our aim and it looks like we're going to achieve that. So the pressure will be off us and we'll be able to go out and give it our best shot. I think in the play-offs we will be the underdogs, because you've got Forest and Leeds who are two massive clubs. Doncaster look like they're going to end up third, so we'll be the underdogs whatever."
The Shrimpers only have three players out of contention for tomorrow's match, the first of those being 18-year old striker Hal Robson-Kanu, who is on loan from Reading. Robson-Kanu again being sidelined with the achilles problem that has seen him take no part in Southend's last four games. Meanwhile left-back Che Wilson and former Carlisle midfielder Richie Foran are out for the rest of the season with respective achilles and knee injuries.
In other news Southend manager Steve Tilson watches his last game of the season from the dug-out tomorrow after receiving a two match touchline ban and a £500 fine from the Football Association. Tilson now viewing the Tranmere Rovers and Port Vale games from the stands after using abusive and/or insulting words towards referee Danny McDermid in a 2-2 draw at Leyton Orient in early February.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Anthony Taylor from Wythenshawe in the Greater Manchester area, and he will be assisted down the lines by two County Durham men in Gary Beswick from Newton Aycliffe and Brian Parry from Peterlee. Meanwhile the fourth official is Paul Tierney from Wigan.