Captain's Blog - 'We stood strong'

We wanted to make an immediate impact after the disappointment of losing to Cardiff in the first game and I think this week saw what our intentions are going to be in this league.

We took a lot of positives from the first match and we have been able to put those to good use in the two fantastic back-to-back away wins at Doncaster and then at Watford.

At Doncaster, I was delighted to get my first goal for the club. We had other chances and could have added more, I felt it was a great team performance, though. We stood strong and got the result to register our first three points of the season.

It was a match that saw us show how we can fight and handle tough games when you just have to grind them out and win. It was a pleasing feeling to leave Doncaster last weekend knowing we had performed well and got the points in the bag.

It saw us go into the next game, at Watford, confident and wanting to carry the good work on and I have to say, I thought all the lads were fantastic.

It was what you would call a team win - four of the lads chipping in with the goal. I was delighted to see Tonks head in the first and then Joey getting what was his first for a few years. I am so pleased for him as he has had tough luck with injuries.

Then Coley scoring his first of the season in his first start which will give him bags of confidence for the season ahead and Scotty added his strike to round off a great result for us.

And it was also fantastic to get another clean sheet on the road. Greeny made a fantastic save and more. It will be just as important keeping the clean sheets as it is scoring the other end, as it will give us a good reputation to other teams coming to play us.

Not only can we score goals from all over the team but that we don't give much away. It just builds that mentality and will bode well for the season. It was a great team performance on and off the ball.

The two results saw us go into the top half of the table and that is where we want to be and there is no reason why we can't stay there. This was the kick-start we wanted and now we have to just keep working hard, keep focused and build on this week.

We go into Sunday's game confident but also knowing what to expect from a Leeds side who have had a sticky start but had a good win in midweek.

We are under no illusions that every game will be tough but we are ready for that. Leeds have a reputation from the past, which won titles and everything, so there is a lot of expectation. We know they will be confident, but we want to bring those two great results from this week into our home games and that is the aim for Sunday.

Can I just say again, how amazing the support has been from all of you. I said last week about the fantastic reception you gave us against Cardiff and how we wanted to make up for the disappointment of losing that game.

I know we practically sold out the capacity of tickets we were given in the last two away games and we were all delighted to give all those who followed us to Doncaster and Watford something to cheer about on their journey home and for those looking for the results wherever they were.

The spirit has been great around the training ground this week and obviously two wins boost that even further. Myself and Matty [Taylor] got a bit of extra stick and banter after someone put a photo up from one of the Monday papers where we were celebrating my goal and it looked like we were kissing!

Luckily for me, I didn't have too many people I know see it, but I think Matty got more stick as a lot of his friends saw it and were calling him! I found out who put the press-cutting up, so will get them back!

It was all a bit of fun and the thing is, if it means scoring and winning games, it might be that I will be kissing everyone from now until the end of the season!

I said last time that we were asking for you all to be patient and stick with us and I ask that again. We are not going to shy away from the responsibility that we have to you all, to match your support with getting the club back up to the Premier League.

We will be pushing ourselves hard to achieve that and to give us all something to celebrate at the end of the season. We know we owe you that and want to repay your support with that achievement.

Come on you Irons!

Kevin Nolan


Kevin Nolan