O'Connor: Iron's mentality must be spot on in League One
SCUNTHORPE United have got to show the right mentality if they are to bounce straight back to Championship level again.
That's the message from Michael O'Connor, who dominated the club's player of the season awards with midfield colleague Sam Togwell.
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Michael O'Connor.
It's around them that manager Alan Knill will be looking to rebuild his squad for League One.
And clearly fans of the Iron agree with that idea, after O'Connor collected the Scunthorpe Telegraph readers' trophy, while Togwell was awarded the supporters' Ernie Storey Memorial accolade for his displays this season.
"It's nice to receive the award and I would like to thank the people who voted for me," said the Northern Ireland international.
"But I would rather have received none at all and this club had still been in the Championship.
"I wanted to establish myself as a first team regular this season, and I have done that.
"I have been pleased with my form at times. But it has been up and down this season, like everyone else.
"The two and a half months I had off through injury did not help me.
"But the new manager coming in has. He wants us to play a passing game and that has helped me.
"That's the way I want to play."
O'Connor is now ready for a summer break before preparing for the challenge of League One.
"It is a hard league to get out of but we have got to push on again and aim for one of the automatic promotion places," insisted the 23-year-old midfielder.
"And if we can't do that, then the play-offs have got to be our target.
"If we play like we did against Portsmouth, and in one or two other games recently, then I think we have a chance.
"But we must have the right mentality.
"We have to be prepared to go to places like Brentford, or a Tuesday night game at Carlisle.
"After playing in the Championship, it won't be nice, but we have got to be ready for it.
"Next season will be a big challenge for us – but I enjoy challenges.
"I want to be one of the top players in League One next season.
"With the new manager and Chris Brass in charge, I think we have a good chance of a successful campaign.
"We know there will be new faces coming into the club this summer, but that will add to the quality we have already got and create competition for places.
"It can only be a good thing for the club.
"Getting off to a good start is going to be vital for us.
"That will be the aim."
9 Comments
by cloggy iron, sittard
Monday, May 09 2011, 6:04PM
“Sorry Mike,(Scunthorpe), thought it was the other Mike, (Bury)!”
by Dave, Paris
Monday, May 09 2011, 5:52PM
“I think Knill should be looking at snapping up Richard Naylor who has just left Leeds him and Nelson would finally be the replacements for Crosby and Foster we have been looking for since 2007! Nunez has just signed a 6mth at Leeds so no go there then!
The reason I have posted this is because I for one think we can't complain until the end of next season because that is when we will know or not if the board care at all!!! Up the Iron!!!!”
by Mike, Scunthorpe
Monday, May 09 2011, 5:08PM
“cloggy iron, sittard
Scunthorpe born and bred. No other club for me.”
by d, at work
Monday, May 09 2011, 3:54PM
“I'm a regular fan and I will be renewing my season ticket. UTI!!!!”
by P.Doff, Seatsville
Monday, May 09 2011, 3:39PM
“It will be seated and no more, they have admitted to the SUFC Forum a few weeks ago that it would just be bolt on seats, no new stand for the foreseeable future.
This fact was not conveyed openly as it may have put over that the club wasn't bothered especially after the hype over planning permission and an extra eight rows in a new stand with a new bar and facilities.
Who mentioned a new ground?”
by sufc, Scunny
Monday, May 09 2011, 3:22PM
“What happens if we are ten points clear in April? Is anyone going to believe we will actually go up if that means seating the ground with a new stand?
The feeling around the town with alot of regular fans is that they aren't going to re-new season tickets.”
by cloggy iron, sittard
Monday, May 09 2011, 3:15PM
“This is beginning to scare me. Every time I read the (ex)local rag I see a negative comment by someone called "Mike" from Bury. Has Bury moved whereby this "Mike" has developed an interest in his new local news? I actually hope he goes away soon, perhaps if he was just ignored, like the unwanted kid at school...”
by Mike, Scunthorpe
Monday, May 09 2011, 2:42PM
“What good is an empty new ground?”
by CARL LEWIS, DERBY
Monday, May 09 2011, 10:53AM
“It is not just the players who need to show the right mentality,also our chairman and inept board need to show ambition and a drastic change of attitude towards our fans to repair the damage they have contributed to.After a few years in the championship the squad has been asset stripped and our ground is conference standard at best.Time for Wharton to show iron fans he really does want our club to improve on and off the pitch,and stop treating it like a hobby."UP THE IRON"!!!”