Town defender Luke Chambers has highlighted the difference in morale at the club after a 16-point haul from new boss Mick McCarthy’s first eight games in charge.
Chambers admitted: "We had a difficult few months results-wise and were not picking up enough points. Winning the last three in a row is fantastic and but since the gaffer took over I think the change of management has given everyone a little bit of a lift and sometimes that is needed in football.
"It was obviously unfortunate the way things turned out at the start of the season but the lads are riding on the crest of a wave at the minute and long may it continue because this Christmas period is not going to be an easy one.
"In games the boys are not as frightened to play and it’s just a different sort of mentality when we’re going on the pitch now with maybe less of a fear factor.
"We’ve put in some tremendous performances ever since the gaffer came in and the boys, both individually and collectively, have performed as we always knew we could. The results have echoed that really.”
Chambers elaborated on why players suffered from a fear of playing when he added: "I just think that when results aren’t going your way it’s natural, especially in football because confidence is such a big thing.
"If you’re getting knocked back and losing games — and remember we couldn’t win our home games — it’s always going to creep into the back of your mind, especially for the lads who had never been in the situation we found ourselves in.
"Make no mistake, we’re not clear yet. We’re just going to keep focusing, keep ticking every game off as it comes and continue to approach games the way we have done in the last few weeks.”
Chambers reflected on the impact made by McCarthy and his assistant at previous club Wolves, Terry Connor, who has also been an influential figure in the transformation in fortune.
He added: "They have come in with their own ideas and the lads have bought into them quickly. I think the gaffer’s made no secret of the fact that if you’re not performing at your best and you’re not buying into what he wants, you’re not going to play.
"I think that’s happened pretty quickly and people who were possibly comfortable in the team under the previous manager have found that it’s a new start for everyone and people have come in because they’ve done very well in the last few weeks.”
It's not been plain sailing all the way for Chambers during Mick McCarthy’s six-week reign because he was axed for the home clash with Peterborough, the fifth of the new manager’s eight games in charge so far.
Chambers said: "I was very disappointed not to play against Peterborough but when you lose 6-0 (at Leicester) there are going to be casualties and unfortunately that was me.
"The gaffer wanted to look at a few things. He sat me down and we had a chat about it. It’s part of football and it’s happened to me before but for the majority of my career I’ve been playing week in, week out, so maybe that was a kick up the backside that I needed.
"I feel that since I’ve been back in the team I’ve played particularly well with Tommy [Smith].”
Town will be looking to extend their winning run to four matches at Elland Road tomorrow with Chambers adding: "It’s a massive game for us. I don’t think we’re afraid of going and playing away from home.
"We’ve been very solid in the last few weeks and we’re just going to go there, focus on what we’ve been doing and preparing the way we have to.
"We’ll obviously know all about them and all we can do at the minute is what we have done over the last four or five weeks and concentrate on our own game.”