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Interviews

Post Forest Green | Steve Cotterill

28 January 2023

Interviews

Post Forest Green | Steve Cotterill

28 January 2023

Manager Steve Cotterill spoke to the media following our dramatic late victory over Forest Green Rovers.

It was Steve's substitutions that turned the game around for Town with the boss making five late changes with the visitors 1-0 up. 

First, the boss brought on Ryan Bowman. He then made a quadruple change with 10 minutes to go with Tom Bloxham, Rekeil Pyke, Killian Phillips and Elliott Bennett all entering the fray. 

And deep into stoppage Town went on to score not once but twice - with Rekeil pulling us level in the 94th minute before Ryan won it, with an assist from Killian, in the 98th. 

Those goals led to wild celebrations at Montgomery Waters Meadow.  

And speaking to the media post-match, Steve praised the never-say-die attitude of his team as they battled their way to a fourth consecutive win. 

ON THE DRAMATIC FINISH: 

"At the end it was as exciting (for me) as it was for anyone else. 

"We ended up putting ourselves in a situation in the game that I can understand but we've got to learn from it. 

"Our dwell-time on the ball in the first half was too long, our speed of pass and speed of thought wasn't quick enough and I genuinely think that was just down to an incredibly heavy pitch the other night at MK Dons. 

"You can't change all 11 players and when they're in a bit of a rhythm you stick with it. 

"We made one change but it was a difficult game for the boys today.  

"But as I've said before, their character, their spirit - I thought the boys who came on today, the glut of subs who came on had a fantastic impact on the game. 

"And the most important thing for me today was that when those goals went in, it was the people who had been taken off who were the first ones down there celebrating. 

"That tells you something about this group. It's a really special group and I really enjoyed that moment while all the pandemonium was going on. 

"They never give up this group of players." 

ON THE SUBSTITUTIONS: 

"It took a little while to get to it because you're thinking am I going to disrupt the game? 

"In the game, we were in the ascendancy but we weren't quite sharp enough. 

"Full credit to their guys, they have put in a shift today for Duncan Ferguson and Tony Grant." 

ON THE GOALS: 

"It's funny because I was talking to Rekeil - I said to him (if he was in that situation) don't look for the corners, just smash it. And I think he probably still had that 'just smash it' in his head. 

"Thankfully it went in for him. He's a fantastic boy, Ricky. And I'm really, really, pleased he got that. 

"And I'm also pleased Ryan Bowman got that finish, it was a great finish in the end. 

"Killian made the tackle and pass to get there – Killian had a big impact when he came on.  

"We had a little bit of a change around but it worked thankfully." 

ON THE SCENES AT THE END: 

"You've got to enjoy them. We just have to make sure that - in and amongst all the euphoria - we learn from what put us in that situation. 

"To be better, we've got to deal with what I've spoken to the boys about." 

ON FOUR WINS IN A ROW: 

"It's good. But I don't get carried away. I sit at home quietly and I share my joy with my family. 

"As a manager you can't come out with a big cheesy grin on your face and then you get chinned next weekend.  

"I'm always very mindful of the players looking at what I'm like and I think that's an important part of management. You can't be too high. 

"The three games we had before Christmas, we didn't deserve to lose any of those three games. None of them. But we lost them. 

"You have to put it into some sort of context and deliver it to a dressing room full of 20-year-olds." 

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