Luke Garbutt believes Town have “more than enough firepower and solidity" to compete at the top of League One during the season ahead. The Blues visit Burton Albion next Saturday for their first match in the third tier of English football for 62 years.
"We have got to have a mentality of going into every game being a winner,” the Everton loanee said following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Cambridge United.
"That’s what the objective is and we need to go into that first game full of confidence.
"We have got a lot of injuries but the squad depth looks pretty good. In the second half, we had Nors [James Norwood] and Judgey up there and we looked a threat at times.
"It is going to be a long hard season and we are going to need every player to pitch in and do their business.
"From that perspective, the more players we get back fit, and the sooner, the better really.”
The 26-year-old is looking forward to his season on loan with the Blues, having previously said that he needs to find a club where he can settle down long term with his Goodison Park contract up next summer.
"This is a great platform for me,” he reflected. "This is a huge club in this league. I think the fans are really good, the players have made me feel welcome.
"I think Portman Road is going to be a real fortress for us this season, especially if we start well. Especially Sunderland being the first home game of the season. If we can win that game, probably in front of a full house, that will just kick us on and give us the momentum that we need.
"Our focus primarily is Burton, obviously as the first game, trying to take care of that. But the fans are going to play a big part this season.
"I feel the club as a whole is hopefully going to give me the platform to kick on this season and hopefully a longer term plan for me."
Having been known as a left-back for most of his career Garbutt, who won England caps at U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels, made an impression on the left of midfield in the second half of last season at Oxford United and so far that’s been the role Town boss Paul Lambert has handed him.
"Anywhere down the left really,” the Harrogate-born player said when asked about his preferred position. "The manager has said to me that he wants me to push up and play further forward and create stuff — I’m happy to do that.
"My qualities do suit that role with the way we play. As long as I am on that pitch producing and helping the team, then I’m easy either way.
"The last 15 games at Oxford, we won a lot of games, and I played further forward and got a few goals and a few assists.
"From that point of view, I regained my confidence through playing in that position. I think the way we are going to play this year is going to suit my style of play down the left. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Garbutt has spent most of the last few seasons on loan at various clubs with the last of his Everton appearances - eight starts, four sub appearances - having come in May 2015.
"Football can pass you by if you are not on it in training every single day and in every single game. There are plenty of ups and downs in football,” he added.
"You need to keep yourself level-headed. I have tried to work myself back up. There have been a lot of lows, there have been a few highs, but I think this season, and the club itself, has given me a platform to perform to my potential. If I can do that, we will all have a positive season for sure.
Having played in League One last season with Oxford and previously with former loan side Colchester in 2013/14, Garbutt knows the division well.
"You need to have a solid base at the back and going forward will take care of itself,” he said.
"We look a threat going forward, we have plenty of goals in the side, creativity as well.
"As long as we keep it solid at the back, I see absolutely no problem whatsoever with us being at the top of the league — top two, top six, whatever it may be.
"That is primarily where we want to be and nothing else matters. I think in this league we have more than enough firepower and solidity to do well.
"It’s just about having the mentality every single game, Saturday-Tuesday, to perform.
"We can’t slack off or say it’s a Tuesday night away at Rochdale, we can just turn up and win. We have to make sure that we do the ugly bits of the game and make sure we are in the game to win it.”