The spirit within the football club is exceptional
12:13pm Thursday 20th December 2007
THE thought that we are now just 15 points away from safety and maintaining our Football League status is a comfort.
It is also a philosophy that we will continue to adopt.
The first priority is to make ourselves safe, then we can look where we are in the league table and attempt to finish in the top half, a play-off place, promotion, or as champions.
We still have a very low profile in the league.
The majority of people connected with the game, and in particular League 2, would expect us to slip up and begin to slide down the table.
In many eyes we are not serious promotion contenders.
And in putting out those thoughts that our first priority is safety just perpetuates that little club' among the bigger clubs' syndrome.
But nobody holds any fears for us.
We have more than matched the sides around us when we have faced them and there is absolutely no reason why we should not continue with the quest to gain promotion.
Considering there has been such a big change in the squad - only four players at Bury started the game against them last season - it has been a remarkable almost-first-half of the season.
Players have gelled very quickly, we have had setbacks with injuries but other players have come in and taken their opportunities extremely well.
The spirit created within the club is exceptional.
I realise, of course, that comes about with good results but, even when the going gets tough, there seems to be that little extra something that the players can pull out of the bag.
The longer we stay up near the top of the table, the more respect we will gain and the more difficult it will become to win matches simply because teams raise themselves against the bigger clubs or those in contention for promotion.
But I am more than confident that we can cope with anything like that.
I see no reason why we shouldn't strengthen the squad in January.
However, this has to be very carefully done.
The spirit I have alluded to has been a big feature of our success so far and any player we bring in must be capable of joining in that spirit.
Following a long period of mediocrity in the Conference, this is something we have worked tremendously hard to achieve.
To be second in the league table, in the FA Cup third round and financially stable is all the result of many months' hard work.
I would like to thank the supporters who have stayed with us over a difficult period.
I hope now they are enjoying what they are watching.
I will conclude by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and an enjoyable New Year.