IT’S been a well-documented testing time for us all over the last few days. There has been plenty of doom and gloom and there can be no denying we’ve had a disappointing couple of months.

But it’s time to be positive again now and for us all to be lifted.

We are still in a wonderful position in the league and if we win seven of the remaining 13 matches we have left then we will gain automatic promotion.

That is certainly possible too because we’re good players in a good team and we want to get back to showing that again.

We also need to show pride and desire in playing for Southend United and if we do then the fans will certainly get behind us.

We will need their backing during sticky spells in games but we want promotion and have to work together if we want to achieve that.

That makes it essential that we act and play like a team because now is certainly not the time for individuals.

I didn’t actually travel to Morecambe at the weekend because of my injury and I, therefore, wasn’t present when the club’s code of conduct was breached.

Discipline goes hand in hand with team spirit and you don’t really have one without the other and there can be no denying that a lack of control from people has cost us this season.

People need to work hard and fit in to a team ethic and if they don’t then there will never be harmony within a dressing room and success will never be reached.

Unity, togetherness, hard work and desire, coupled with ability, is what wins promotions.

Moving forward as a squad, we start again at Burton this weekend.

I’m confident of being involved again because my injury has progressed nicely.

It was disappointing to have to miss the Morecambe game but I hope to return to training tomorrow and be ready for what is our biggest weekend of the season so far.

Burton made a great start to the season but have not been on the greatest of runs just recently.

We haven’t either but we want to go there, put in a good performance and get the result we need.

After that, we’re at home to Crawley Town on Monday night.

And, if we’re going to be finishing above them this season, we will need to beat them at Roots Hall.

It’s not the be all and end all just yet but it’s a very big and important match.

It’s also being shown on the television and we will definitely want to give a good account of ourselves and make sure we’re making the news for all the right reasons.