Town manager Joe Royle says he is still optimistic about the season ahead despite the Blues' poor start to the campaign. However, he concedes that Town may already be out of the running for a top two position.

Royle, speaking at the boxholders' lunch yesterday, said: "We may have left it a bit late to finish in the top two, but that doesn't mean we have given up and believe me I know that we can turn things around and we can soon be up there challenging.

"You can shoot me for being optimistic but this club has so much going for it we can achieve an awful lot."

Striker Pablo Couñago was awarded the Boxholders' Player of the Year for last season and promised that his goals will start to flow again soon: "I would love to get as many goals as I did last season but for me the most important thing is the team starts doing well.

"I want to play my part but I don't mind who scores the goals as long as we start winning, which I'm sure we will start doing soon."

Photo: Action Images

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