First-team coach Matt Gill admits that news of Town’s takeover came as a surprise to him when it was announced on Wednesday but says it’s exciting and a massive thing for the club. Gill was asked to cover the post-match press conference by manager Paul Cook, who also skipped Friday’s pre-match meeting with the media.

Reflecting on the 0-0 draw with the MK Dons, the Blues’ second successive stalemate with three of the last four Town matches having ended goalless, Gill said: “A good clean sheet, another clean sheet. There are lots of positives to take from today. We need to be slightly better in the attacking half, obviously.

“Show a little bit more care in moments where we can make better decisions maybe. But lots to take away from today and take it into Tuesday.”

Regarding Town’s lack of a goals, an issue throughout the season, he added: “We are working immensely hard to improve our attacking play. I think we’re in a stage of the season where we want to keep clean sheets, of course. But we also need to punch at the other end of the pitch.

“We tried something slightly different with Aaron [Drinan] and Dobs [Armando Dobra], who did great, so that gives us another option.”

Asked whether that was something which came from their performances in training, he said: “The manager wants players to train extremely hard, some of the boys have been playing U23s football to make sure their fitness is up to scratch and all the staff have seen something from those boys to play today, and obviously it’s the manager’s call.

“They deserve a huge amount of credit for what they did today and we just have to make sure that we take lots of the stuff into Tuesday.”

Kayden Jackson wasn’t included in the 18. Quizzed on whether the striker, who had started the last two games, was fit and well having not been involved, Gill said: “No, not today. Tristan made the bench today, which is brilliant for him. What he’s gone through the last 18 months to two years, to be back and firing, and everyone in that dressing room is so pleased to have him back involved and huge credit to him and the medical team.”

Nydam, who returned to competitive action two years to the day after his last senior match, made an impression when coming on in the second half.

“There’s nobody going to be just making up the numbers or just sentiment in anyone making an appearance at this football club, what we’re involved in is too big,” Gill continued. “We need to be collecting points and wins between now and the end of the season.

“We were trying to press a little bit more in the second half, trying to get on that front foot a little bit more.

“Bish and Doz had done that superbly with Flynn in the first half, it’s just about using the five subs, getting energy on to the pitch and using it to your advantage.”

Gill was also pleased to see Flynn Downes return to the team after a month out with a hamstring injury.

“Brilliant wasn’t he?” Gill enthused. “Him as an addition into the squad or any team is going to be a positive and it was really good to see him out there today.”

Asked how far off James Norwood and Kane Vincent-Young are from returning to the side, he said: “They’ll be assessed tomorrow when everyone’s back in. As you can imagine, everyone in the squad is trying to get fit and trying to add some value to the squad on the run-in.”

Town remain eighth, three points off the play-offs with seven now to play and Gill says the opportunity is still there for the team to make the top six.

“That’s right, seven games, a real opportunity to get ourselves in that play-off mix, with a little bit of momentum,” he said.

Quizzed on where manager Cook was, Gill responded: “I think he’s chatting to a few players in there at the moment and he asked me to come and do it.”

Turning to the takeover of the club, the first-team coach said: “For me, it’s been pretty similar. Train the boys, get on the training pitch, try and add some energy in and around the training ground. The lads know they’re close to trying to achieve something between now and the end of the season.

“I think that it was only announced Wednesday and as far as the training ground at the moment, nobody’s seen anything different. It’s just business as usual for us and obviously it’s exciting times ahead for the club.

“It was a surprise for me. Obviously I’m not privy to conversations that happen upstairs. As first-team coach I try and stay away from all that.

“I think that it was a surprise for lots of us. But, like I said, exciting times and everyone is just concentrating on what they need to do, sort of stay in your lane and do your job and try and add some value to what we’re trying to achieve.”

Has it been unsettling? Has he been at a club where there has been a takeover previously? “I think I’ve been in football long enough to know it’s an unsettling industry, you do your job to the best of your ability and it is an exciting time for the club, it is a massive thing.

“I’ve not been involved in a takeover before. It’s just about doing what you get paid for, doing your job, trying to add some value to what’s going on and hopefully we can have a positive end to the season.”

Despite another 0-0 draw, Town’s overall situation remains the same in the final weeks of the season, starting away at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday.

“There are going to be loads of ups and downs between now and the end of the season even now it’s only seven games,” Gill reflected.

“We’ve got an opportunity again on Tuesday, win on Tuesday, it’s four points from the two games, you move on quickly. It’s important that we’re positive on Tuesday and really try to win the game.”

Photo: TWTD

itsonlyme added 19:55 - Apr 10 It is strange that PC has not done the last two interviews should we be concerned? Hopefully he's shut the players in the changing room and given them the biggest b?!ing he can. The useless bunch
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SickParrot added 20:04 - Apr 10 We know that PC is always honest, so maybe he has avoided the press conference because he doesn't want to say that the players are a disgrace. Either that or he was too busy telling them that!
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blues1 added 20:05 - Apr 10 Timmy H. No. Just fed up up of people talking rubbish. The fact he said hes heard cook resigned and we in for phil brown just proves my point. 1. Where would he have heard that(especially as it hasnt happened). 2. How would we be in for a manager who's just been appointed elsewhere.
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Orraman added 20:08 - Apr 10 Gill said that he thought Cook was talking to one or two players post match. That sounds as believable as Paul Jewell watching a video of the game which had just finished when in fact he was high tailing it up the A14. Hoping for a repeat trip
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geminimustang added 20:23 - Apr 10 A Pension Fund exists to grow the money of the investors NOT to throw money at a football club.The old adage of how do you make a £1M profit from a football club?Easy,spend £10M.I sincerely hope i'm wrong.
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bringmeaKuqi added 20:28 - Apr 10 I'm thrilled with the takeover. This is the most positive I have felt in years. But... I'm indifferent about Cook. These performances have been worse than Lambert. Ultimately if we have new investment, is Cook who I want as our manager? Maybe not. I don't owe the guy anything, he has no connection to the club. If he left tomorrow I wouldn't feel any different. I would still be optimistic that our future is bright. The new investors had to say they back Cook of course... I'm not getting too invested in him. I back our owners over Cook

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multiplescoregasms added 20:35 - Apr 10 Positives from todays game? Are you serious mate? The continuous bull5hit just keeps on coming doesn't it. Tell you what, get the crowd back in the ground and let's see how many fans will see today as anything other than another pi55poor performance that we have put up with for far too long. New manager, new owners, same old footballers who seemingly just don't care. Even if they bring in 20 players from Chelmsford City, I will be happy. Just get rid of this bunch of wasters.

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Tractorboy1985 added 20:36 - Apr 10 You can go as well! Clear the decks... complete waste of space 80% of this club remains! Clear them out Brett.. 🇺🇸 in USA we believe
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Help added 20:40 - Apr 10 Lets be honest thank god the fans have not had to put up with this seasons performances
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blues1 added 20:44 - Apr 10 Multiplescoregasms. agree with much of what u say there. And yes, to the fans, undoubtedly today was another poor performance, certainly from an entertainment point of view. But manages and coaches look at games in a slightly different way to what we do. So for them, there likely were plus points from the game. They just not apparent to the fanbase. But yea, we certainly want better. But that's not likely to happen until the summer.

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blues1 added 20:57 - Apr 10 Bringmeakuqi. So other teams managers, chairmen, players whove played for him, other people in the game, all say he'll get us promoted, hexwas wanted by championship clubs too, and ur indifferent about him? And hows he doing worse than Lambert? Hes only been here a couple of months. Lambert failed for 2.5 years. If u were old enough, ud likely have been one of those fans calling for bobby robsons head in his early days when the team were struggling. He cannot be judged until hes had at least 2 transfer windows to get in the players he needs. Be patient. Hes the right man for the job.

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Karlosfandangal added 21:01 - Apr 10 I thought when the rumour of a takeover broke.....that Paul Cook was the first name to be lined to the job as part of the deal. I listened to the interview of the new owners and O'Leary said Cook was worried that new owner new manager O'Leary said it was definitely not the case as they regarded Paul very highly. I think you will find that Cook was put in place in the hope he could save the season, however the new owners did say it was unlikely this season but next year or the year after. Cook could also be looking at players that he may want so the reason he is not here.

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Tractorboy1985 added 21:05 - Apr 10 I must admit I am concerned for Cooks start but what makes me believe is what I always believed in myself that all these players are just not good enough! I truly would not be sad to see anyone go... how many times can a supporter say that? We always have a ‘hero' there literally is nothing at this club worth keeping! I'm in love with Brett already with what he says and I believe we will see better times at PR but the ‘deep pockets' really have to be deep but I'm excited for the future at ITFC as Evans would have driven us into the national league!

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Bluearmy71 added 21:19 - Apr 10 So you are Paul Cook, you've just been held to a 0-0 by MK Dons a team that contains a player who is on loan from Sunderland that player being Will Grigg and just happens to be a player you've worked with before, a player who did very well under your management and a reported summer target for you by TWTD's in the last week.............Now do you go do the radio after match interview or do you go have a quick catch up with your former player Will Grigg (obviously not talking about his football plans if Sunderland do let him go as that would be a very naughty thing to do) while he's in the building??.....................I know what I'd be doing if I were Paul Cook!!

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coolhand added 21:43 - Apr 10 I Believe that PC will not worry about play offs, if we got promoted he would have a massive problem with the present squad, they would not be good enough and quickly relegation. Therefore he would have to try and recruit, at great expense, a squad good enough to stay in the championship. Better to stay in div. 1 create a promotion squad and then add at leisure the type of player to challenge for for the premiership

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bluesince76 added 22:07 - Apr 10 Results have been very poor since cook took over maybe he's starting to feel the heat since standards will be expected to rise dramatically under the new ownership need to start winning to keep his job remember standards have been allowed to drop to old folks home levels this is league 1 need to get up this season.
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suffolkblueeye added 22:35 - Apr 10 I don't give a crap about interviews, while cook is getting paid he'll do the job best he can, doz and judge are crap, as is bishop at moment for some reason, no supply to forwards from midfield, judge only passes back and doz loses the ball in own half....weak
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ringwoodblue added 23:00 - Apr 10 Cookies' voice has probably gone completely after shouting so much so that's probably why he sent Gill out to do the post-match conference. Nothing sinister, no worries, he's not going anywhere.
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Bert added 23:12 - Apr 10 All Gill said was that it was a surprise to him ie the announcement. Wasn't it a surprise to everybody after months of rumours ? A bit out of the blue. PC has not said he didn't know about it so calm down everybody and let PC explain rather than guessing. PL and Evan's have gone so let's concentrate on our new future when Cook and the new gang have got their feet under the table and made decisions about what is needed.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 23:37 - Apr 10 Hi Mike It will cost you £1m over 2 years to get my mate from Wigan. No! I do not want Fred Bloggs appointed by the CEO as my assistant. Ok then, I will go back to Wigan. Bye, enjoy your burger.
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Gforce added 23:45 - Apr 10 Can someone please tell me how on earth this terrible team is in the top 8,when a more realistic position would be the bottom 8.
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Nobbysnuts added 08:06 - Apr 11 More verbal diarrhoea...
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juniorblue added 08:16 - Apr 11 The only thing I am surprised about is Gill using the word "superb" after yet another dismal display. This is clearly a big problem at Town presently. Too many are deluded and happy to settle for zero effort and another woeful 0-0. So much needs sorting out, and I actually feel a bit sorry for PC. Most of the players on the other hand should be ashamed.
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dieselmorris added 10:15 - Apr 11 some of you on this website would ok in an agatha christie novel.
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Carberry added 10:34 - Apr 11 You can tell he's Lambert's mate can't you, finding positives and great performances from a 0-0 where we didn't get a shot on target. Also, the takeover came as a surprise, really? Rumours would have been swirling around the club and must have been for weeks. It's a very sad indictment of the Lambert era that this misinformation is still being dished out. I'm guessing Cook just couldn't bring himself to come out and defend the players again after yet another very poor performance. Yet another piece of mismanagement is having so many players out of contract at the end of the season, might be helpful to get rid of them but not to have them committed to the cause. That was a major error.

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