Billy Bodin has never played against today’s opponents from the south west before.
He has played just down the road at the Memorial Ground and therefore is expected a bit of a warm response from the visiting following, but he’s looking forward to what he sees as part and parcel of football.
“I might get a little bit of stick; I have never played Bristol City so who knows,” he told The One And Only at Springfields ahead of the arrival of the Lilywhites fellow promotion chasers. “I think I might get a little bit, they are obviously big rivals to Bristol Rovers, I don’t know if I will, but if I do, it will not bother me too much.
“I have had it before when I was at Swindon we played Oxford and a couple of years later I played them for Bristol Rovers and got a bit. It is something that I have had before so I do not mind it.”
The No.39 signed for the club in January and settled straight into the dressing room and has been given the belief by manager Alex Neil to go and perform at the highest level he can.
“We have a lot of meetings and the gaffer does say that he believes we are good enough to be up there with some of the teams who are supposedly the bigger teams,” he continued.
“The way we go into games, everyone is full of confidence, they know exactly what their jobs are.
“I certainly believe that when we go into games I have a good feeling. Knowing what your jobs are is also helpful, but since I have been here every game felt like we were going to do well.
“That stems from the manager giving us belief and telling us we are good players and that we can compete with the teams up there; so that is a massive factor for doing well.
“It probably is a little bit easier [joining a club who are doing well], but sometimes football can change. The set of lads that we have here, and the gaffer as well, it is almost like I came in and got on with it straight away.
“It is obviously credit to the lads for settling me in straight away.
“Sometimes when you are losing you can get drawn into that and your performances are not quite as good; but coming into this dressing room and the spirits are certainly high, helped me.” The man who celebrates his 26th birthday later this month is looking forward to the challenge of the
The season is now officially into the ‘run-in’. After Tuesday’s game we are down to the final ten and the aim for everyone at the top end of the table is clear – promotion to the top table of English football – The Premier League.
The Lilywhites attacker he tunnel vision when it comes to achieving that aim, but acknowledges that there are plenty of other teams and players who are thinking exactly the same over the next two or three months.
“It is obviously one of the biggest achievements in football really and one of the biggest leagues to get into.
“It will be one hell of an achievement, but that is where we want to go.
“If the lads keep doing what they have been doing there is no reason why we cannot get there.
“It is every boy’s dream to play in the Premier League and it is everyone’s dream to play as high as they can really. If that happens it will be an amazing achievement.
“You do hear it a lot and there are a lot of teams that are in the same situation as us.
“They are going to be wanting to grasp their opportunities with both hands.
“But what I have seen lately and how we have played, we have a great chance of getting there as long as we keep that up,” he added.