Town’s recent slump in form means they head for fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest on Saturday desperate to record what would be only their second win in nine league games.

That is the worst run since Mick McCarthy took charge almost three years ago but things are anything but rosy for Forest, who have triumphed only once at home this season and are without a win in their last five league outings.

However, Town defender or midfielder Jonny Parr is not so sure that the pressure is mainly on 16th-placed Forest, who are five places and three points worse off than Town but for whom victory will see them climb above McCarthy’s men on goal difference.

Parr explained: “Most of the pressure you feel is the pressure you put on yourself and we all want to do well after our recent results.

“Things have not been going our way and we really want to do well at Forest to turn the corner. I’m not sure how much the pressure is going to be different but we’ll be doing our best to get three points.

“When I was at Crystal Palace we won promotion but it wasn’t just a case of winning every week. It’s very rarely the case in the Championship and we had some bad spells to go with the good ones.

“It’s about how you handle the bad ones, as well as the good, so that you are ready for the next game. Winning or losing, you can’t afford to get too hung up on results.”

But Parr agrees it is a time for Town’s major characters and personalities to come to the fore in a bid to kick-start a season that started so impressively with 10 points from the opening four fixtures but has nosedived in recent weeks with just six points accumulated from the subsequent eight.

He added: “We have a great captain in Luke Chambers. He is vocal both on and off the pitch, plus we have a lot of other good characters who try to lift the mood and there is still a great team spirit at the club.

“Everyone was saying last season that the team spirit was so great but maybe it was easier because everything was going well. Now we really have a chance to show that same team spirit in what is a tougher time and I think we are showing it.

“We’re sticking together and there’s no blaming each other. We know it’s a long season and we are working hard to get it to turn around.

“We all want to finish higher than we are now — mid-table is not where we want to be. We want to be in the play-offs again or even fighting for [automatic] promotion. We just have to start winning some games.

“All of us are playing a part, whether we start games or we are on the bench. If you are out of the team you encourage those who are in it, which is easier at some times than others.

“It is important that you work hard in training to try to prove you should be in the team when the game comes round. If we all stick together we will turn this round.

“It would be massive to win at Forest. It’s never easy winning away from home but it would help our confidence. We have two home games coming up and they will be very important.

“We want to get back to winning ways but it’s a long season and sometimes it doesn’t go your way. We just have to win and then hope we can carry on doing that for a while.”

Photo: Action Images

essexboy added 11:57 - Oct 23 It's ok having team spirit,but you still need to perform on the pitch,don't you.!!
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Bluejake added 12:29 - Oct 23 It doesn't seem to matter even if you do work hard in training because as long as the out of form players do too, you've little chance of dislodging them from the starting 11.
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MVBlue added 17:45 - Oct 23 Good to hear the team spirit is still strong.
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therein61 added 18:12 - Oct 23 Very strange that the skipper is quiet!! I wonder why? while Mr Parr states the team spirit might be strong(allegedly who would say anything else) it does not alter the fact that some heads on the park have been shaking at the absolute rubbish defending costing us goals and results, it's still early ish season wise but unless we start getting a run together then we will be closer to bottom 6 than top 6 by Xmas the solution is obvious stop playing the unbalanced back 4 and rubbish keeper, play at least one midfielder with an eye for a pass over the half way line(to a blue shirt!!) to the hard working front men that they deserve.

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