Sam Lavelle joined us ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Northampton Town.
Firstly, he wanted to speak regarding his celebration on Monday against Lincoln City.
“I think there’s been a bit of a reaction to my celebration, it’s been blown out of context massively, it has nothing to do with biting back at the fans or anything like that.
“Amy’s mentioned a few things which have been said about it, but yeah, it’s nothing to do with that, it was just a bit of passion at that stage of the game really, just to sort of say we’re back in this.
“I like to play on the front foot with a bit of aggression and when we score a goal and we’re back in the game, it’s sort of like, come on, sort of thing and the head thing was sort of how I’ve dealt with the criticism the last few months.
“For some reason, I’ve been a bit of a scapegoat the last few months. Some of the lads have mentioned it and mentioned tweets about me, I don’t have Twitter myself because it’s just a bit of a toxic place all round.
“The lads mentioned it, my family saw things and you can’t hide away from the criticism you get sometimes.
“A bit of passion came out from the last few months in what I’ve dealt with and credit to myself in a way, since the Charlton game with a mistake and things like that, I think I’ve come back and got my form back a little bit, especially the last three or four games.
“I hope the fans can see that, I know myself I’ve got it back a bit, the gaffer can see that, so I think I’ve shown a bit of mental character with that.
“The celebration was a build up of the last few months and the stage of the game.
“I’m not immune to criticism, I deserve a bit, like I say the Charlton game I mentioned and a few games have been unacceptable so the fans have got a complete right to have a go at me at times and I know I’ve got to be big enough as captain to deal with that.
“I just wanted to mention that and clear the air a little bit. It was blown out of context, it was nothing to do with the fans and biting back or anything like that, it was just a bit of passion and to show my mental strength that I’ve shown the last few weeks really.”
Speaking on the contest in more detail, the defender added: “It was a weird one because we started quite slow, I’m not sure if a few lads were tired, the energy levels seemed a bit off.
“I was trying to motivate people on the pitch, I was trying to get people going but it was a bit of a slow first-half and luckily, they weren’t at the races themselves first-half.
“We couldn't string more than four or five passes together going forward, it was a bit of a strange game.
“I think if we were at it like we were against Peterborough, I think it could’ve been a different story really.
“I had a little half chance in the box and I couldn’t sort my feet out properly, I think Luke Armstrong had a chance, but we started the second-half really well, I think the half-time team talk worked from the gaffer.
“I thought we started really well and I thought there was only going to be one team that gets back in this.
“Then they scored the second and it sort of knocked us a little bit I suppose. I think we still huffed and puffed and the gaffer mentioned that at the end of the game.
“I think the fans saw that we tried hard, nobody’s giving up or anything like that, but yeah, that second goal killed us and after my goal, we couldn’t quite do enough to get the equaliser.”
After getting himself on the scoresheet against the Imps, we touched on the attacking areas in which he had been finding himself in lately.
“Not as much as Mells, I think it’s a part of my game that I need to improve,” said Sam.
“As a centre-half, if you play every game like I have done, you have to be looking at five or six goals I’d say in a season. I think I’ve got two goals and four assists or something like that.
“It’s important as a centre-half to chip in with the goals and hopefully I can keep doing that for the last four or five games.
“It’s been a tough season, I think that’s another idea that the fans have about me, that I don’t lead and things like that and I’m not committed, and stuff about my wage and things like that.
"All these things are just rubbish that I see online, the leadership stuff, I can walk away from this season knowing that I’ve done everything I can off the pitch to help the lads and I can happily say that, whatever happens in the next five games.
“I’ve done enough for myself to prepare for every single game, I’ve done enough to get the lads going individually and as a team, so yeah, on that front I’d like to say I’ve done everything I can to lead and at this stage of the season, it’s just about getting the lads motivated like you say.
“It’s tough for everyone, but everyone has something to play for, if it’s for next season here, next season somewhere else and just personal pride as well.
“You need to stay front foot, you need to stay confident and sort of get the best out of yourself really.
“I’ll still continue to try and lift them everyday, it’s tough when you see the lads walking in with their heads down and things like that, and in training they’re not training great because they’re a bit down about things understandably.
“It’s my job to try and lift them and myself sometimes, I suppose.
“I’ll keep doing that for the next five games, I’ll do my best, I can definitely say that.
“I think everybody in the club, the players, the staff and everyone that comes into the club knows what I am as a person, I think because I’m quite new, they probably don’t realise what sort of lad or what sort of character I am.
“I’ve got to be big enough to deal with things sometimes and like you say, the celebration was nothing to do with that, it was just a bit of passion and a bit of character really.”
Looking ahead to this weekend’s fixture, Lavelle said: “[We’re] Feeling good, the gaffer has given us two days off, Tuesday and Wednesday this week, which is good.
“Just to reset, go away and rest your legs and things like that, we’re feeling good about it.
“They’ve probably over-achieved if I could say that this season. They’ve done well, but when we played them at home, we competed and probably should’ve won the game.
“I think we were 2-1 up with a few minutes left and they scored a late equaliser, which has happened too many times this season, we’ve been a bit naive at times in games.
“We’re looking forward to it, it’s definitely winnable, I think every game in this league is winnable, Peterborough are third in the league and we beat them 3-1.
“The lads are going to stay positive for it, long journey down but we’ll look forward to it.”
Despite sitting bottom of the table in Sky Bet League One, United have shown the fight required to defeat sides like Bolton and Peterborough on the road.
“I think when you get eight or nine lads minimum in our team playing at their best and playing front footed, like I always say to them before a game, we can beat anyone.
“There’s been games where the opposition is top of the league and we’ve beaten them.
“It must give us confidence, but I think going back to leadership things, I need to get this confidence out of some of the lads because some of them lack it sometimes and lack a bit of belief.”
When asked what kind of game he’s expecting against the Cobblers, Sam said: “A tough one, physical, they'll be up for it the home fans, they got a mix of style of play really, they go long and play it as well.
“I think most of the team, if I'm right, is from last year, League Two’s team. They’re just hard workers a lot of them and it just shows what you can get with a really hard working team and everyone believing really.”
Speaking on the Blues’ faithful, Lavelle added: “The fans this season have been unbelievable, like I go back to my point before, they’ve all been great, I’ve deserved some stick at times, honestly, I know when I’ve been poor and I know I deserve criticism, I can take it, but I think some of it has gone a bit too far.
“In terms of fans, the numbers, they’ve been brilliant. That Bolton away, Wigan away, the numbers they followed in were fantastic and even the London games, you see like Leyton Orient, you turn around and see the away end and it’s brilliant.
“Looking forward to playing in front of them again, hopefully give them something to smile about again.
“Peterborough’s a long trip, fans are probably thinking here we go again, but we gave them obviously a good day out there and I think this time of season and this time of year, it’s all about that.
“We know where we are, it’s just about being as positive as possible and hopefully we can do that on Saturday.”
