Town winger Kasey McAteer is looking to prove his doubters wrong as the Blues head into the business end of the Championship season.

Since arriving from Leicester City for an initial £11.5 million fee towards the end of the summer transfer window, McAteer has found consistency in both minutes and performances hard to come by.

Town’s 2-1 victory over Birmingham City on Easter Monday saw the wideman net his long-awaited first goal for the club, which proved to be the winner, when he slotted underneath James Beadle to complete the comeback just before half-time.

Continuing on the right in the absence of Wes Burns through a minor calf injury, it was the first time that McAteer had started back-to-back matches all season.

Despite his struggles, the 24-year-old has still felt the continuing support of the Blues supporters.

“I’m not going to sit here and say that I’ve not been criticised, that’s all part and parcel of being a footballer,” he said. “I’ll be the first one to say I’ve not hit the heights I know I can hit.

“Everyone’s got their opinion and hopefully I can keep working hard for this club and hopefully change a few of those opinions. I believe in myself and I believe in my teammates and the coaching staff.

“The fans were great with me, I heard a little chant going on in the second half that gives you a bit more fire in your belly when you’re down and feeling it in your legs to do that last push and sprint. They were amazing.”

Alongside the love from the Town fans, McAteer expressed his gratitude towards the faith of manager Kieran McKenna and hopes to show why he deserves to be selected ahead of the final seven matches of the campaign.

He said: “He’s been brilliant. He’s relentless with the next one and doing better in everything you can do. Little chats here and there, he’s been amazing and hopefully I’ve repaid him today [against Birmingham]. I’ll look to keep doing that and keep on improving.

“Football is a confidence game when you’re playing well and you’re scoring. You play your best football when you’re enjoying it. We’ve got a great bunch of lads, great coaching staff, and everyone believes in each other.

“Into these last seven games, we’ve just got to keep that up now. It’s a really big push for the last seven games of the season.

“We’ve got a brilliant squad and brilliant quality starting on the pitch and then coming off the bench. We’re going to need everyone, no matter if you’re starting the game, finishing the game, or not involved in the game.

“We’re going to need everyone and everyone knows that. Everyone is ready to put in their contributions to this team and this last final push. Hopefully by May time, we can be where we want to be.”

Next up for the Blues is the small matter of a crucial East Anglian derby away from home against their in-form fierce rivals Norwich City.

Town, who head to Carrow Road in the midst of a tense promotion battle just as they did two years ago, have not won on the Canaries’ own soil since 2006.

Asked what he is expecting, McAteer said: “When I came in before and I’m seeing the fans with the flares and the passion they show, it’s down to us to reflect that on the pitch.

“We’ll have a good travelling support there and it’s about us applying ourselves and our game. We know it’s not going to be easy, they’re going to want to spoil the party for us.

“It’s about us showing grit and determination and going there with belief and try and get the three points.”

The league table makes for good reading as a result of some favourable results across the Easter weekend, with the Blues sitting second in the Championship and ahead of both Middlesbrough and Millwall on goal difference.

Crucially, Town hold two games in hand on both of the sides below them, but McAteer insisted the full focus is not on the bigger picture and only on the next match in isolation.

“We’re not really thinking too much about it,” he said. “It’s just about us and we know it’s in our hands. We just need to take it game by game, every game now is a cup final.

“We’ve got seven games left but it’s one game now. It’s Norwich on Saturday and that’s the game we’re going to put everything into. If we can go in with that mentality, hopefully we can get the result we deserve on the day, get the three points and move onto the next. That’s about being a footballer and pushing to be at the top of the league.”

Photo: Matchday Images