Walsall's Interim Head Coach Jon Whitney has spoken to club journalists ahead of Monday afternoon's Sky Bet League 1 clash with Fleetwood Town, and has insisted that the team is in a rare position of being on the verge of club history, with plenty still to play for.
Speaking via Saddlers.co.uk, Jon said; “I’ve been here around 13 years now and usually, at this stage, we’re just seeing out the season. Of course you still want to win games but now it’s a totally different ball game.
“We’re playing for livelihoods now, for memories and the history books - and that’s an incredible thing. It’s easy for me to say that because I’ve been a player, I’ve won promotions and now I’ve come this side and realised how quickly it passes you by.
“We keep trying to tell our players that we’ve got the opportunity to achieve a bit of history. That’s what we’ve got to drive for. It can change lives – not just for players but for staff. It’s an incredible opportunity for our players to have and one we’re capable of taking.
“For four or five years we’ve been building this philosophy to get us into this situation. It’s been a slow burner but what’s important is that it’s kept burning – we’ve never let the flame go out.
“We’ve kept believing and it’s starting to get a bit more heat now. The lads really believe. They understand we’ve got the play-off place but we also realise that it’s going to go right to the wire.”
“We’re playing for livelihoods now, for memories and the history books - and that’s an incredible thing. It’s easy for me to say that because I’ve been a player, I’ve won promotions and now I’ve come this side and realised how quickly it passes you by.
“We keep trying to tell our players that we’ve got the opportunity to achieve a bit of history. That’s what we’ve got to drive for. It can change lives – not just for players but for staff. It’s an incredible opportunity for our players to have and one we’re capable of taking.
“For four or five years we’ve been building this philosophy to get us into this situation. It’s been a slow burner but what’s important is that it’s kept burning – we’ve never let the flame go out.
“We’ve kept believing and it’s starting to get a bit more heat now. The lads really believe. They understand we’ve got the play-off place but we also realise that it’s going to go right to the wire.”
SOURCE | WALSALL FOOTBALL CLUB | SADDLERS.CO.UK