Fleetwood's 13-game season starts Saturday says new boss Sheridan

Going into tomorrow’s Highbury crunch clash against an MK Dons side five points below 20th-placed Town, the 53-year-old said: “We need to try and win games as quickly as possible because winning games gives you more confidence than anything. You have possibly got to win six out of 13 to stay in the division.

“We are in a mini league of eight or nine teams and it is important we compete to try sand get to the top of that league. It is a 13-game season and it starts Saturday.”

Town’s new head coach is not concerned about his short-term deal but simply wants to add another successful survival to his CV.

“Thirteen games is not a problem for me. I totally understand that,” he said. I have a great opportunity to come in and prove what I can do, and I’m very confident I will.

“All I’m looking at is to do what we have to do: stay in this division. It is vitally important we do that.”

Sheridan will take his first training session today and is hoping for a reaction from the players after eight successive defeats, with midfielder George Glendon back on the training pitch after injury.

Sheridan, whose fifth stint as boss at Town’s relegation rivals Oldham ended in September, said of his new challenge: “I spoke to the players briefly. Hopefully we can get on the training ground in the morning, add one or two things and take them into the game.

“Everything has happened so quickly, and we hopefully have a reaction which will help us to get the result we are after.”

The former midfielder will not be bringing in his own staff and stressed the importance of using the knowledge of those already on board.

Barry Nicholson was caretaker boss for Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth, assisted by David Lucas and Paul Murray.

Nicholson is expected to become assistant head coach, while Lucas returns to his goalkeeping duties and Sheridan’s former Oldham colleague Murray steps up from the development squad to first-team coach.

And Sheridan believes they have the right mix to avoid the drop. “They are all here and it is important I use them,” he said.

“They know the club and the players a bit better than me. It is important to get their thoughts and hindsight.

“I’m a new face coming in, just one or two different ideas, and hopefully we can all mix together and get the right team out on the pitch to get the right results.”