The annual battle against relegation was a long way from my thoughts at the start of this season. New owners, new belief and the anticipation of keeping tabs with a top six spot, possibly throughout the season as a whole, was more in mind. August and September were sublime months, with everything in place for a season without the fear and dread of Championship survival that has dogged us for over a decade.

Little did we know what was in store.

As we currently stand, our status in this league is beginning to look decidedly uncertain unless the team can turn this nightmare around. Whatever the reasons, and we all have our views, here we are and yet again our squad need to produce golden league points from the next three games starting against Hull City on Tuesday evening.

Systems and tactics will be important of course, but most of all we need every player giving absolutely everything and doing whatever it takes to finish games unbeaten at the very least. Tony Mowbray’s absence, as unfortunate as it is, mustn’t be used as some kind of excuse if we fall short. That would be all too easy in my opinion.

Teams around us in the Championship have stepped up and are producing unexpected results, which demonstrates what can be achieved when backs are up against the wall. Slipping and sliding into this awful darkness must surely take an upward turn soon, especially with the amazing support being shown by Blues fans who, like me I’m sure, are desperate to rid ourselves of this annual dogfight.

Hull City and Millwall followed by Middlesbrough give opportunities for points which could ease all negativity, and at least make for a decent challenge like most of those clubs around us. Failure to keep pace will once again require the digging out the prayer mats for the remaining ten games, and we really don’t want that.

Mitchell Bray