I am sure like myself, you all headed home on Tuesday evening after our game against Sheffield Wednesday thrilled to be back to winning ways.
Although it was a win which came in a cup competition, as I have said on numerous occasions, any victory is crucial to breeding confidence and I know that the players will use Tuesday’s result as one to push on in the league with.
It had looked set to be a comfortable night’s work when we found ourselves in a 3-0 lead, but we all know the quality of Sky Bet Championship teams and Sheffield Wednesday proved that by scoring twice to force a grandstand finish.
For the neutral, the game would have been a real exciting spectacle – of course, being involved ourselves, we would have preferred a much calmer evening!
The players proved their worth however by defending stoically to ensure that it was our name in the hat for the third round, and we were rewarded with an exciting tie away at West Ham United next month.
It will be a fantastic test for the team to pit their wits against Premier League opposition and also play in an incredible venue such as the London Stadium.
I am sure that you were all excited by the outcome of the draw and I hope to see as many of you as possible down in the capital in just under a month’s time.
Right now however, our focus turns back to the league and the team will travel to Hull City this Friday evening no doubt in high spirits.
The performance on Tuesday was a huge lift for everybody following the disappointing result against Derby County and as the manager Phil Parkinson said, the boost that it gave the players cannot be underestimated.
Hull will prove difficult opponents for us, as all teams in this division will, and the KCOM Stadium is a venue which can be intimidating for opposition sides.
That said however, we have looked extremely impressive on our travels and resolute in defence in our two games against Millwall and Birmingham City and I am confident that will continue tomorrow night.
It is crucial that we head into the international break on a high as two weeks is a long time generally, but in football it can feel like a lifetime.
By the time we return to competitive action after that time too, the transfer window will have been closed and we will know exactly what we have at our disposal in regards to playing personnel until January.
We are hoping to make additions between now on August 31, especially given our torrid luck with injuries of late, but we have all been hugely pleased with the response and efforts of the players on the books at present inside the opening weeks of the season.
Thank you as always for your superb backing of the team and I hope to see as many of you as possible at Hull City tomorrow, but if not there, then back at Macron Stadium early next month.
As usual, let’s be loud, let’s be proud and let’s get right behind the team.
Kind regards,
Ken