Source: FOOTYMAD
Sturrock: 'We're not a dirty side'; Scott: 'Dicko went on to pastures new' : Rotherham Unite
Both managers have their say before Saturday afternoon's League Two clash at the Don Miller Stadium Sheffield between the United's of Southend and Rotherham. Sturrock: 'We relish the chance to play against the top teams in the league' Blues boss Paul Sturrock is well aware that the long trip to South Yorkshire is the beginning of a set of League Two clashes where any points will be of hard won. Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: "(Saturday's) game at Rotherham United is the start of another difficult run of fixtures for us. They're currently second in the table and will make life very difficult for us at their ground. They have a very settled side and, because of that, you virtually know every week what their starting line-up is going to be. That's something you always like to have as a manager but suspensions have stopped that happening for us so far this season. We've had four different players missing with bans already and it's something I will be talking to the players about. We can’t keep on picking up these fines and booking but I certainly don’t think we’re a dirty side. We're missing Anthony Grant and Ryan Hall against Rotherham as they have one match suspensions which is a shame but that does give other people a chance to come in and show what they can do." Which is what we are all waiting to find out, with the former Chelsea youth Lee Sawyer possibily a surprise inclusion, and then, what do you do about Bilel? Whatever he decides there's doubt the future is tough! Sturrock continued: "I have one or two things to think about before deciding their replacements and we will also be checking on the fitness of Lee Sawyer and Bilel Mohsni. Whoever I do pick will need to play well just like we did at Port Vale and Accrington to get hard fought wins. Port Vale were flying when we went there and won and Accrington hadn't lost for something like 14 games at home in the league before we beat them so they were both good results. We now want another one tomorrow and it's important to keep this good run we're on going.After Rotherham we face Shrewsbury, who are third and soon after that we play the league leaders Morecambe so it's a tough few weeks we have ahead of us. We're looking forward to the challenge though and we relish the chance to play against the top teams in the league." Bilel back today? Vote here: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk Scott: Meanwhile, Millers team boss Andy Scott has lost on loan striker Brett Williams has gone back to parent club Reading for treatment on an ankle injury. Defender Johnny Mullins and midfielder Mark Bradley may return after recovering from knee and hamstring injuries, respectively but Jamie Annerson and Paul Warne (both knee) remain sidelined. Scott would certainly welcome some frsh blood into his back four after conceding three goals last week and he's hinted at changes who he described as "not up to it" following a 3-3 draw at Torquay. First, Scott spoke about the loss of Williams to www.themillers.co.uk: "He's got a little niggle on his thigh so he's gone back to Reading for treatment, he understands he's got some competition in front of him and he's got to work hard and push for a place. He'll be back with us after the treatment." Then, the interesting news that the South Yorkshire club were taking a look at top scorer Liam Dickinson before he signed for Southend, link below, before going elsewhere and, after the loss of the dangerous Adam le Fondre to Championship Reading, picked up former Shrimper Alex Revell to help grab the goals. Scott said about the former Stockport striker: "He (Dickinson) came in for one day before we went to Spain and I didn’t feel it was the right thing for him to come with us. He went on to pastures new and that’s life. We will have to be defensively secure to make sure we can cope.”
