I MAKE no apologies for looking rather scruffy at the moment as it’s actually down to my latest superstition.

For some reason or other not getting my hair cut is my current good luck charm and I now haven’t been able to get it cut since the middle of March when we lost at Burton.

The lads have been brilliant in getting seven wins in a row but it’s meant I haven’t been able to cut my hair!

I certainly won’t be getting it done before Saturday’s game at Morecambe where hopefully we will win to seal our promotion.

But, if we do, I will then be left with a difficult decision as to whether to get my hair cut straight away or whether to keep the superstition going at the start of next season in August!

A NORMAL WEEK AT THE TRAINING GROUND

IT’S just been another normal week at the training ground and that pleases me.

The players have been no different to any other week and they still have their feet firmly on the ground.

They’re focused on the job in hand but there can be no denying that it’s obviously a huge match at Morecambe.

Our whole 46 game season is coming down to this but we’ve done remarkably well to get this far and want to keep the run going.

It goes without saying it’s the biggest game of my time at Southend but I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy plenty of other big moments like this in my career.

There was obviously the Hull City play-off final we won against Bristol City and then the club’s first ever game in the Premier League, when we beat Fulham 2-1, was another huge occasion.

At Preston we won seven games in a row to take the relegation fight to the second last game of the season before losing to Cardiff in a massive game and there were plenty of others at Bolton Wanderers.

We beat Preston 3-0 in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium and they are games and moments that define you and you career.

But I’ll be stressing to the players that it’s these occasions they need to try and enjoy because it’s something good to be a part of.

It could be a real day to remember but, if things do go our way, I definitely won’t be singing on the pitch!

I’ll probably be belting out some kind of song somewhere but it certainly won’t be in front of any fans because I think I’ve only just about lived down the last time that happened when I was with Hull.

CONTRACT TALKS CONTINUE

I HAD another two hour meeting with the chairman about my contract yesterday and an official contract is now being sent to my lawyers to go through.

It will be nice if we were able to announce something ahead of Saturday’s game as the talks have been going on since last July.

I don’t think it’s really a case of anybody dragging their heels, I trust Ron (Martin) and I’m sure he trusts me.

But it would be great to get this all sorted out because I’m sure some players are waiting to find out what is happening and I’m sure my backroom team are as well.

ADDED TWIST TO SATURDAY'S GAME

THERE’S an added twist to the game this weekend after it was announced Morecambe’s Stewart Drummond will be playing for the last time before retiring.

I took a Preston North End team there for his testimonial a few years ago and there was a good crowd of around 2,000 there to see it.

We all certainly wish Stewart all the best in what he decides to do next.

BOXING BUILD UP A NICE DISTRACTION

IT’S nice to have a bit of a distraction in the build up to such a big game and for me it’s been the boxing this week.

Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao should be quite some fight and, as a huge fan of the sport, I can’t wait to sit down and watch it.

Hopefully we will have won promotion by the time it’s on but I’ve been left intrigued by all the stories about the fight this week.

I think maybe your heart says Pacquiao and your head says Mayweather although perhaps for other people it might be the other way round.

I think it depends on whether or not you’re a fan of the fine art of pugilism or if you like that raw Mike Tyson animal type of aggression.

I certainly can’t wait and it was interesting to hear an interview with Mayweather talking about how he was going to earn between $180million to $200million for a maximum of 36 minutes.

But it’s all about getting it right on the big occasion when it matters and that’s something we will be looking to do as well on Saturday.