First team manager Jimmy Dean previews his side's first encounter of 2024, as he prepares to lead his team into an intense Lincolnshire battle with neighbours Boston United.
Following the New Year period that followed United’s encounter with Farsley Celtics on December 30th, Dean had this to say on how his players had recovered during this week’s training after the festivities: “It was a bit sticky on Tuesday when we first came back in, but on Thursday we worked the boys hard, and then today it’s been match prep, so I believe the boys are ready.”
United’s New Year’s Day fixture was brought forward to the Saturday in order to provide the players with more valuable rest time before the Boston encounter. When asked if he’d seen the benefits to moving the game, he responded: “We did it for a number of reasons, firstly because of the recovery, and secondly it allows there to be no variables for what the players do on New Year’s Eve before getting straight back to work.”
“The fact Boston still played on Monday allowed us to get a close look at them, see what they’re good at, and see what we can exploit. We know that they’re a good side; they’re fit, robust and have the option to play long, but we’ve analysed them and we feel we’re well prepared.”
Following the two side's meeting back on Halloween, Dean expressed his thoughts ahead of tomorrow’s anticipated Lincolnshire derby: “I’ve said it to the players that everyone should be up for it. I think there’s going to be a big crowd here supporting two big clubs. They’ve won their last three, and we’re obviously in good from, so I believe that side of the game should look after itself.”
The Iron have been in superb form, particularly on home soil with eight successive league wins, and Dean followed up on that by stating: “The odds are in our favour, and when we went to their place, we felt what it’s like to be an away side as they had a large partisan crowd behind them, so we need to make sure to use our tools this time round.”
Prior to the tie at Farsley, Dean requested the fans to really get behind his team and support them with voices aloud ,and when referring to how the Scunthorpe faithful should combat the large expected travelling support, the gaffer replied: “Last weekend, I asked the fans to make some noise and to let me and the players know they were there and I thought they were absolutely brilliant.
“It was a horrible game of football but they made it one of them that I will remember for a very long time. We need to transfer that here from the first minute. Make it noisy, boisterous, and make it a really difficult environment for Boston to settle down in. The flip of that, is it really gets our boys going.”