Will Nightingale has been reflecting on the qualities that served us well on a previous visit to Saturday’s opponents Rochdale, as he battles back from a knee injury.
We’ve not lost at the Crown Oil Arena since our return to the Football League, including a memorable, last-gasp 4-3 victory on a cold February night approaching the business end of the 2018-19 season. Our long-serving defender, who wore the captain’s arm band, is the only player remaining with us from that side and although he can’t effect events on the pitch this time, he does have advice for his team-mates.
“You need that grit and determination,” said Will, who showed plenty of that himself in the two-all draw at Bradford last month.
“Our backs were against the wall that night at Rochdale, so we had to roll our sleeves up and be counted. That’s all you want in football, to be able to look around and know you can rely on your team-mates. If you can get that one win, you never know what it can kickstart.
“We’re working tirelessly, and I see it with the gaffer and the coaches. They had us in for a two-hour long chat the other morning, which is quite rare in football. Now it’s up to us players to go and deliver as there’s a certain level that is expected of us. We’ve got to stick with it, we’ve got to keep being positive and we’ve got to get that belief to go and win."
Bradford away was Will's last outing in a Dons shirt before his lay-off, which is expected to be for over a couple of months. In that game he played on, despite picking up an injury early in the game.
Reflecting further on that win at Rochdale, Will added: “It was a very interesting time for me back then. I think we lost only two of the last fifteen games to beat the drop. The victory at Rochdale was one of the earlier results in that run that certainly helped kickstart us really, so it goes to show what a positive result can do.
“It was a 95th minute winner from the penalty spot that night from Joe Pigott and our fans were incredible! There must have been only a couple of hundred or so there, as it’s a long way to go on a Tuesday night, but our away fans were brilliant and I’m sure they will be again this Saturday and get right behind us. I remember the celebrations and all of us knee-sliding towards them!”
As well as Joe Pigott’s hat-trick, former midfielder and now aspiring sports journalist Anthony Wordsworth notched our third goal that evening in Lancashire. He almost injured his knee celebrating it, by sliding on the hard surface by one of the corner flags.
“Team spirit, belief and being able to perform under pressure is key,” said Anthony. “Pigs took his chances, and he was on top form at that point. Hopefully someone from the current squad has a purple patch coming.
“I remember me and Waggy (Scott Wagstaff) having a fight on the pitch. He didn't track his runner and we came to blows. But we got the three points and hugged it out and laughed about it on the way home!”
Watch the full interview with Will Nightingale below via our official YouTube channel, including the latest on his recovery from the knee injury he sustained at Bradford.