We Can Put Another Run Together
Defender Harry Clarke is hoping history can repeat itself and that Town can replicate the scintillating form of last season when an unbeaten 15-game run steered them to automatic promotion from League One.
The Blues won 13 and drew two of their final fixtures following a goalless draw at Bristol Rovers exactly a year ago, a major turning point after a run of only one win in eight league games, near-identical to their current form, which has seen them win just one of their last nine in the Championship.
Clarke, who will turn 23 early next month, said: “Anything’s possible and we all believe we have a good enough squad to put another good run together.
it’s not like we’ve been playing badly and it’s the main thing I want to say. We’ve been playing well and I thought we were the better team in most of our recent games. Sometimes results don’t work out and we all know you don’t always get what you deserve in football.
“It’s just the way it goes in football. I think that what we did at the end of last season was something very special, but there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.
“The run of one win in eight last season was almost exactly the same as what we’re doing now. It’s just football; you’re not going to win every game and you must make sure you stick together, do the basics right and fight for the wins that make such a difference.”
Reflecting on Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion, which leaves Town in fourth, Clarke added: “The feeling afterwards was that we had played well and I think we were the better team.
we didn’t play particularly well at their place back in November when they beat us 2-0 and they were the better side, so to come from behind twice and play well against a good defensive team is a positive.”
The Blues have conceded the first goal in each of their last five outings, including the embarrassing FA Cup fourth round exit to non-league Maidstone United pf the sixth tier, but in their four league games they at least recovered to win [Sunderland] and draw with both Leicester and West Brom.
“It’s something we’ve spoken about a lot,” Clarke admitted. “Last season we found it quite easy to start well and get an early goal in games, but it has been different this season.
“It’s just football, really. You don’t always get the early goal and you have to find a different way of winning games and picking up points. But coming from behind and not losing shows the character in the squad and we’re doing well.”
Clarke agreed that the squad assembled by manager Kieran McKenna does not lack spirit, adding: “It definitely is our main strength. It’s a great group of players we have here and we never give up. We keep on going right to the end and it has paid off a number of times, like at the weekend.”
