Goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski has virtually dismissed the possibility of Town being dragged into a relegation dogfight.

While some supporters would disagree and even fear the worst, Bialkowski is adamant that it won’t happen and that he and his colleagues will soon be making their way towards the other end of the table.

Town head for second-bottom Wigan tomorrow after dropping down to 17th place following Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Birmingham. They have 25 points, five outside the dreaded drop zone and seven better off than the Latics who are finding it tough after promotion from League One last season.

Bialkowski had the misfortune to commit a costly error six days ago, dropping a corner at the feet of Icelandic star Aron Gunnarsson, who fired Cardiff into a first-half lead, and although Luke Varney levelled soon after the break the Polish keeper’s clanger still proved expensive as the game ended 1-1.

The 29-year-old said: “It is frustrating but it is never easy when you are losing games, conceding sloppy goals and making mistakes — but that’s football. We just need to stay positive and turn things around because I believe we are good enough to do that.

“Let’s not concentrate on the league position. There are still lots of games left so let’s concentrate on the next one at Wigan on Saturday.

“Let’s do everything we can to win that game — be solid at the back and keep things simple, which will give us a platform to go on and win the game.”

When it was pointed out that a growing number of supporters are of the opinion that manager Mick McCarthy and his players face a struggle to survive in the Championship this season Bialkowski added: “Let’s just stay positive. Every bad spell needs to end, I believe, and if we think positively it can only make things better and make things easier for us.

“We are good enough to do that and I’m sure we will be okay. I am absolutely certain of that — I know we are good enough to be a lot higher in the table. We all want to achieve big things by playing as well as we can for this great club.

“We are not only playing for the fans and the club, we are playing for ourselves, for our futures and for our families. For me, personally, that drives me on to really do well and I’m sure all the other lads will agree with me.”

Bialkowski admitted that the players spend time chatting among themselves after games but explained: “That is something we always do, regardless of whether we win or lose.

“We always talk about the games, what we can improve upon and what we’ve done well.

“We are always discussing the games because we want to make things better and we are the only ones who can turn things around. We have a great group of lads and we need to stick together.”

Photo: TWTD

Hegansheroes added 07:15 - Dec 16 Bart's turn this week to give the PR spin Who will be the lucky one next week to come out with the stage managed bollx coming out of PR. Now 80% of people who have bothered to do the poll want Dino out. Some of the players must look at TWTD so they will know the general feeling of the fans.
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blue75 added 07:21 - Dec 16 Sorry Bart but this run won't end until McCarthy changes his ways or we change manager!! It's not just this season it's the last 2 years that have been really bad!
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phillo added 07:27 - Dec 16 Someone predicted in the chat room on Tuesday night that it would be Bart who got the "back us" "back the manager" duties this week .... well done 😀😀 Let's hope Mick doesn't use his uncharacteristic error as an excuse to get another if his favs back in goal !!
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jas0999 added 07:38 - Dec 16 Ah roll out a rare decent player to pull the wool over our eyes. Classic.
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Swn98 added 07:38 - Dec 16 80% of how many?
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woohoo added 07:39 - Dec 16 I can forgive Bart the odd mistake - he doesn't make many. Playing behind our defence he must wonder what on earth is going to happen next. We will do well to hold on to him. Good man.
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mickeyjb added 07:39 - Dec 16 Yep it's Barts turn now, roll out our best player and get him chirping like the others, I feel sorry for him as does he really believe the cr@p he is given to read to us. Now he's been called out who possibly is left to wheel out to say we will turn the corner??
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blue75 added 10:09 - Dec 16 Swn98 I don't know any fans now that want him to stay! Any fan who's follow the town for 20+ years know that McCarthy's not really our sort of manager. He was the wrong man at the right time we need him to sort us out and stabilise us he's done that now he should move on!!
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Burnzee1991 added 10:14 - Dec 16 Love the Bartman :D
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oldelsworthyfan added 10:43 - Dec 16 Who actually writes this stuff?
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BrettenhamBlue added 11:39 - Dec 16 MM must be desperate if he's bringing in the fan favourite.
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vanmunt added 15:57 - Dec 16 Thanks Philo, it was me who won the 'Micks PR Player of the week' from Tuesdays prediction... Though even though Mr Magoo didn't rate this guy he has been one of the very few highlights of a dismal season. My only fear is Villa have a keeper on their shopping list this Jan and I don't think there are many better outside the Prem than our Barts.
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Terry_Nutkins added 15:58 - Dec 16 Every single club in the country has a press conference before a weekend and every club uses diferrent players for this from week to week. Every week they back the club and don't slate their employer which is completely as it should be. Yet every week our fans say mick mccarthy is rolling out a new player to defend him. Whether you want him to go or not the comments are a bit silly. And whether he is the man for the job or not, wherever he has been his players have always loved playing for him.

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vanmunt added 16:00 - Dec 16 sw98.. well, no matter how you try and play it down its 80% of all the people who have taken part..
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blueboy1981 added 20:08 - Dec 16 ....... now Bart becomes the allocated spokesman of spin - everyone has to have a turn .......
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HALLSJ added 22:55 - Dec 16 Hope so Bartie
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Seasider added 13:44 - Dec 17 His first really big clanger,and even including small errors still can be counted on one hand(just) My player of the season again, so far anyway.
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