Dickinson: 'If we play like we did in second half on Saturday we will beat anyone in this league'

 

 

1	Southend United	25	7	4	2	21	9	9	0	3	29	17	16	4	5	50	26	52	+24
2	Cheltenham Town	25	9	2	2	19	6	7	2	3	20	15	16	4	5	39	21	52	+18
3	Crawley Town	25	10	1	2	29	11	5	5	2	18	18	15	6	4	47	29	51	+18
4	Swindon Town	25	8	2	1	25	7	6	2	6	15	13	14	4	7	40	20	46	+20
5	Shrewsbury Town	25	9	3	0	20	6	4	3	6	17	18	13	6	6	37	24	45	+13
6	Oxford United	26	5	5	2	21	12	6	3	5	15	13	11	8	7	36	25	41	+11
7	Gillingham	25	7	3	1	19	8	5	2	7	22	23	12	5	8	41	31	41	+10

 

That's not a bad stat for Shrewsbury at the Greenhous, the one remaining unbeaten home record left in League Two, and of of only three in the entire football league; Birmingham in the Championship and Chrissy Powell's Charlton in the third tier.

 

Then again, look at that Shrimpers away record, something's gotta give, I'd take a boring 0-0!

 

However, after the storming Southend performance after the break at the County Ground last weekend that saw them turn a 1-2 deficit into a cracking 5-2 win, the squad are nothing less than confident as they face the Shrews in their own arena this coming Saturday.

 

One man who obviously can't wait is 11 goal top scorer Liam Dickinson, a brace against the Cobblers including another successful spot kick, his fifth of the season.

 

Dickinson told the Echo - 'If we play like we did in the second half at northampton we will beat anyone in this league. So we are looking forward to Saturday'

 

Meanwhile, defender Mark Phillips, and that's certainly where the Shrimpers will have to improve concentration against Shrewsbury, is on the ball as much off the pitch as he is on it.

 

Phillips - 'Shrewsbury will feel like they owe us one so we're in for a really hard game. It's a six pointer if ever there was one.'

 

As for loanee striker Jack Sampson from Bolton, who impressed in his small cameo at the end of the Northampton bashing making Liam's second, is just hoping to play!

 

Sampson - 'Hopefully I did enough when I came on at Northampton to warrant a start against Shrewsbury this weekend.'

 

He might well do if Blues boss Paul Sturrock decides Elliot Benson isn't quite making the impact in his first three games for the Shrimpers that Luggy would have hoped, not that he's doing anything wrong, good signs of aggression towards the end of his time on the Sixfields pitch Saturday that gave you the impression an opening goal for his new side will turn things round for the former Swindon striker. 

 

Sturrock has also announced that he has offered Ryan Leonard a new contract and has decided Anthony Flood is not ready for first team footy just yet.

 

CP also tweets that two Shrimpers have attracted "solid interest" from Championship clubs during the transfer window, I smell that 'source' again!

 

We've reported that second tier clubs have been sniffing around Ryan Hall and Kane Ferdinand, the later he seems to be dismissing, who else? (Bilel Mohsni possibily, can't see it being Anthony Grant on present form, but maybe that's why he's not been at his best?)

 

This one looks an attempt to sell papers, and why not, but roll on Jnauary 31st, and for us, we're stick to to the facts for now.

 

So back to Luggs, and with the usual merry-go-round of football league managers carrying on at the start of the year, the Shrimpers faithful don't seem to have anything to worry about on that score, especially has he's just signed an extended contract! (Click on link below).

 

Sturrock said:'I'm a quarter of the way through what I want to achieve here so I'm happy to be staying for longer.'

 

Blimey, what's the other 75%?

 

It's all quite exciting.