As a striker, Kayden Jackson knows the score, and insists he will be doing his utmost over the 12 remaining league games to add to the only goal he has scored so far this season.
It came at Plymouth back in early December when Town came from behind to win 2-1, Jackson quickly adding to the equaliser scored by pal and colleague Jon Nolan before the pair were ostracised the following month and ordered by then manager Paul Lambert to train with the U23 group, a move that meant they were no longer being considered for selection at first team level.
Reintroduced by new boss Paul Cook when he replaced the departed Lambert early this month, Jackson is now anxious to contribute in the best way possible as Town seek to regain the top six place surrendered when they were beaten 2-0 on Tuesday at Fleetwood.
Ahead of tomorrow’s lunchtime clash at Portsmouth, another team under new management after Danny Cowley replaced Kenny Jackett this week, Jackson admitted: "I need a goal, not only for myself but to help the team win games.
"When your strikers are scoring, more often than not it means you are winning games and doing well. I just want to be out there, first of all, and to help the team, whether it’s with goals, assists or whatever. I just want to be contributing how I know I can.”
By his own admission it has been a stop-start season for Jackson, interrupted by injury as well as Lambert’s decision to axe him from the senior squad, and with just a solitary goal from nine starts and a further seven outings from the bench in League One he knows there is plenty of room for improvement from both him and the team in a campaign blighted by inconsistency.
Jackson added: "There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to a football match and as a striker or an attacking player it’s clear to see we haven’t created enough chances, which has led to us not scoring enough goals.
"We have to take that responsibility as a team because while we want to concede fewer goals we also want to dominate games and score more at the other end of the pitch. As strikers and attacking players we have to look at ourselves and take the responsibility for that side of the game.”
Meanwhile, Jackson had words of comfort for Nolan, who was also banished to the U23 group as a disciplinary measure, only to sustain a knee injury just 24 hours before he was expecting to rejoin the senior group at the behest of Cook, who said his arrival at the club would signal a fresh start for all.
Jackson explained: "After what we’d gone through for several weeks I was really disappointed for Jon when he picked up his injury. It was as if we saw the light at the end of the tunnel and then something really innocuous put him out for the rest of the season.
"It was bitterly disappointing. We’ve got a good relationship and are fairly close but that brought us in closer and it wasn’t good to see him like that.
"When it happened, we weren’t actually with the group because it was the day of the game at Accrington, so we were involved with the other lads who didn’t travel just to keep us ticking over.
"We were due to return to the squad the very next day so the timing couldn’t have been any worse for Jon. But knowing him he will come back stronger and hopefully he will make his mark on the new gaffer next season.”
Finally, Jackson addressed his current level of fitness and added: "As much running as you do on the training ground, it’s not the same as playing games and being up to speed.
"I’m looking forward to every training session and every game, and getting sharper and better as a player. I go out to try to improve, whether it’s training or playing, and hopefully I’ll be up to speed very quickly.”