Sturrock: 'We have one of the quietist supports I've known'
Blues boss Paul Sturrock has returned to the theme of how quiet the Shrimpers faithful are at home, he is at the other side from the West Stand but you should sit where I do Luggs, anyway, with the atmosphere always going up a gear under the lights at Roots Hall and the third coming of Lee Sawyer in some shape or form, we should be in for a noisy one, as long as the players perform that is.
Sturrock told www.southendunited.co.uk: "We have one of the quietist supports I've known so it would be great to change that but the players have to help sort that too. They can trigger the fans with their performance, attitude and zest to do well and that's something I will be stressing to them."
Fair enough Luggy, sections of the crowd are certainly too quick to pass judgement on players who are, at the end of the day, doing their best in League Two.
Sturrock continued: "I'm certainly not blaming the fans or saying it's their fault but it would be great to have them right behind us. Hopefully playing on a Friday can help us and if it does then I may be looking to change all of the home fixtures we have left."
After four home defeats in five games we're taken on a side with more away wins, seven, than any other team in the fourt tier.
Hopefully the lack of confidence Bury should have after a winless streak of six games will swing the match in the Shrimpers favour.
For the legendary, (well, who's to argue?), S24 look at the game:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/t
he_s24_preview_southend_united_v_bury_622612/index.shtml
Bury boss Alan Knill is in a similar position than the Shrimpers manager in wanting to freshen up his squad, but needing some players to leave Gigg Lane first.
He is also trting to turn around a dip in form that has seen them not taste victory since that amazing 5-0 win away at Tilly's Lincoln City on Tuesday, November 23rd, six matches ago, now that's a result we don't want repeated!
Knill told http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/bury/:
"We're just lacking something at the moment. We're not in a position to go and get whoever. I think we need some fresh faces but we're not in a position to do it. Until that time comes we just have to carry on working hard. We are trying but at the moment we have to do some business elsewhere and get somebody out to get somebody in and that's not easy at all."
Arguably the Shakers most dangerous player, striker Nicky Ajose, who is on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season, was rested for last weekend's 1-1 at home to Aldershot but will be back leading the line against Southend this evening.
Knill continued: "I wanted Nicky to have a rest. It's his first season in the league. He comes in and he looks really fresh and sharp and then all of a sudden he doesn't. Games in the league are a lot bigger than reserve team football. There's a lot riding on it. People's livelihoods are riding on it, so mentally it takes its toll. I wanted to pull him out before and rest him but we just couldn't. Hopefully, he'll come back fresher."
A report on that nap hand away win against Tilly's Imps:
www.buryfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10422~52121,00.html