Chris Wilder writes in the Bury matchday magazine
Last Saturday at Portsmouth it was always going to be a difficult first 15 minutes but we weathered the storm a little bit then the recovery and reaction from going a goal down was superb.
When we have brought players in, what we have spoken about is having robust players with experience for situations like we found ourselves in. They have to be able to handle pressure situations, and it was a pressure game for both teams. I thought we came through with flying colours all over the pitch.
A lot of people said it was one of the most memorable first days they have experienced and we are in the game for days like that. We know what the rewards are if we produce performances like that consistently throughout the season.
I didn’t say too much after that game because I didn’t think I needed to. The players said the right things for themselves and I trust them to do that.
On Tuesday they were the same after the game at Charlton where nothing really went our way. We played well in patches, had opportunities to score like at Portsmouth, and it was excellent to see two of the boys make full debuts. They can both be extremely pleased with their contributions. We wanted to know if they could handle it and they did, and they add another dimension to the squad. We were up against some top quality Championship players and I don’t think the scoreline reflected the overall game. You just have to take it on the chin and move on to the next game; something we will do after every game this season regardless of the result.
We changed things for that game but the front four who were exceptional at Fratton Park will all come back in today. They hit the ground running, with and without the ball, and were a constant threat, doing a great job for the team.
People say the league table doesn’t matter for a few weeks, but I think it does. Everyone always looks at them and we want to be up there from the start. We are one of a handful of teams with maximum points and the aim is to be part of the group with a maximum after two games as well. The way the league is organised this year is slightly different. There are fewer midweek games early in the season and it is less frantic to start with. That gives us more time to prepare the players and we will use that time to get ourselves right for every challenge.
Today I would like to welcome Kevin Blackwell and everyone associated with Bury. I enjoyed my six months there and they had a great result in midweek so will come here in good heart. They have a strong squad on paper and will be expected to go well this season. The league is very evenly matched and they will be going all out to get their league campaign up and running.
We will be ready and we will be giving it our all with your superb backing once again. It is important to realise what effect the great support you give us has on the team. It is vital that people know the lift they can give to the players; take a look at the joy on Dave Kitson’s face in a picture at Portsmouth last week as he runs towards the fans. The players need your support and will respond when they get it.
We are all in this together so enjoy the game and get behind the players as we look to start our home campaign the right way.
Chris Wilder
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