With all the doom and gloom around the club, it can be a difficult task to remain positive at Glanford Park.

Perilously placed just above the relegation zone, without a point since October, these are testing times at Scunthorpe United.

However, as those in the Iron squad are fond of stressing, key to improving their situation is remaining upbeat.

Not easy; but defender Andrew Wright at least, has a helping hand in the form of baby daughter Sophia.

In a miserable month for United, the birth of his first child three weeks ago came as a rare bit of good news.

And the Liverpudlian remains convinced there will soon be more to follow, this time on the pitch.

"When we're in the position in the table that we're in, you do think about it. You think about it all the time," said Wright.

"It becomes something that's going to be playing on our minds more and more the longer it goes on.

"The longer it takes us to start picking up wins, the more it will become frustrating. The more we will start questioning ourselves, questioning what's going on.

"But you've got to stay positive and start thinking about winning and moving up the table.

"Why shouldn't we be confident?

"If I'm sitting here saying, 'I can't see the end, I can't see where we're going to get these points from, I can't see us winning', then I don't deserve to be here, I don't deserve to be playing in this team.

"I really do believe, and I think most of the other lads do as well, that we have the players and we have the ability to win games, and to win games consecutively.

"It's a big stage of the season for us, especially now.

"There are games coming thick and fast.

"We could potentially come through the other side of Christmas thinking, 'brilliant, what a great few games we've had, now let's kick on from here'.

"Or we could also be thinking, 'we're in trouble here'.

"Hopefully it's the first one as opposed to the latter."

The first of those crunch games comes today against Exeter City, who sit two places above Scunthorpe in the table.

Last week's 2-1 home defeat to Carlisle was not the start to December manager Alan Knill and his side had been looking for, and only served to increase the tension on the terraces.

"It's plain to see and to hear, there is frustration there," said Wright.

"It's completely understandable.

"I'm a big Liverpool fan. If I went to go watch them and they were disappointing, I'd be grunting.

"Disappointment is understandable.

"I'm sure they are losing patience.

"There are some people that have a lot of patience and there are some people that have little patience.

"We're even testing the ones that have got a lot of patience at the moment, aren't we?

"Coming off a loss again at the weekend, it is difficult. But we're all trying hard to stay positive and, as someone else used to say, almost put a blue line underneath it and move on to the next game.

"That's all we can do right now.

"We've watched the DVD, we've looked at our own DVDs and analysed our own performances, but there's only so much you can do.

"You need to start thinking about the next game.

"Regardless who we play and what position they're in, we need to be winning.

"Whether we were playing the Charltons or the Huddersfields right now, we need to be looking to pick up points, wins more than anything.

"But when it's teams that are in a similar position to you in the table, it makes it all the more important.

"Like every game we approach, it's vital.

"The next game is always the most important one."

For Wright, it will almost certainly mean another run out.

Cliff Byrne returned to the right-back spot at Notts County last month, with Wright otherwise engaged in the delivery room.

The club captain suitably impressed, but has since been struck by a groin injury, leaving Wright to seize his chance at St James Park.

"It's a squad game," he reasoned.

"Injuries happen and there will be more of them throughout the rest of the season.

"When players get injured, myself and everybody else will be ready and prepared to step in when needed.

"Everyone in the squad, when you're playing, you know there are players breathing down your neck.

"If you don't put a performance in, then there's somebody sat there waiting to play instead of you."

Away from football, Wright is simply enjoying the delights of being a new father.

"The first couple of nights were really testing but since then it's been an absolute joy," said the 26-year-old.

"She's just absolutely amazing.

"I love her to bits already.

"Night times are very much different, but I try to get as much sleep as possible before the game.

"But I'm also trying to help out as much as I possibly can at the same time.

"I'm very much hands-on.

"Every time I change a nappy she goes as I'm changing it!

"But it's enjoyable. I'm absolutely loving it, loving every second of it.

"It's completely away from anything here.

"To go home to the missus and the baby, with my family there, it's great.

"It puts a smile on your face.

"I went home after the game at the weekend and was fuming.

"But when you see the baby, she's not smiling that much yet, but she seems a little bit happy to see you, it's hard not to put a smile on your face."