Skipper looks ahead to the weekend's game
Shrewsbury Town Captain Adam El-Abd is looking forward to returning to his former club on Saturday.The centre back played a key role in Town's 3-2 win over Oldham last weekend, Town's first away win of the campaign.
The Skipper was delighted to get the first away win on the board and is hopeful the luck is turning:
"It was a massive win. They boys have been very unlucky I think in the previous weeks. There's been very fine margins for us between getting the victory or the draw or the loss. You've got the MK Dons one, the Gillingham ones in the last minute, we could have won at Coventry and you add all those up and those instances which were defining moments in games, we could have been a lot higher in the table. Thankfully, we put in a good performance and got the rub of the green this time and I think if we can keep on the same track and keep believing in what we are doing, the luck and the margins will swing in our favour and we'll end up winning more games that we're losing."
Town have taken six points from a possible nine in the last three games and El-Abd can see things starting to click:
"I had a six month spell on loan from Bristol City when we got promoted at the same time as Shrewsbury. I think they've been spending a bit of money again this year to try and give them the push they want up the top of the table and obviously we're going to go there on Saturday and try and take the three points off them because that's what we want to do. The dressing room was really good and the boys that were in that dressing room were a good group."
"We'll keep working, we'll keep getting better, and the signs are good. We've been very competitive in every single game and been very unfortunate in some of the games and I'm really confident and really positive about what we can do here. I really think we're onto something, I really do. A lot of the lads don't know each other from before, but now we're really getting to know each other and somethings growing."
Adam will be returning to his former club on Saturday and he is expecting a difficult test:
"We've got a massive game on Saturday. We've got to believe and have confidence thinking we are going to win every game. It's not going to be easy because they're a good side and they've got some good players, but so have we. We're a good side and there really isn't much in it in every game. It's very fine margins so if we can believe in what we're doing and make sure we stick to our game plan, I'm sure we have every chance of going there and winning.”
Adam was made captain by Micky Mellon before the season and he feels as if he is getting to grips with the role:
"I'm really enjoying it. There's some big characters in there, there's not just one captain. Obviously, Jim's (O'Brien) my co-captain as well in there and there's other big characters that are equal captains as well. On a match day everyone's a captain, there's no one bigger than anyone else and everyone's a captain when you stick them on that pitch and that's the way it’s got to be and it's great to be part of that good dressing room that we've got at the minute and I'm convinced that it's going to bode well for a positive season."
The 31 year old has enjoyed a stellar career, playing most of his football in the Championship, but he admits that he's been lucky to enjoy such a successful career:
"I love it. I just enjoy playing football every day. I've been a footballer since I left school at 16 and I've never worked a day in my life which is unbelievable. I play football for a living, it's the best thing ever, so long may it continue. I would love to play till I get carried off the pitch. I have been lucky to first of all have been a footballer, which I'm very grateful for, but long may it continue because I love it."