Stephen Crainey: Table doesn't lie but Fleetwood should be higher

With a third of their League One campaign remaining, Town are embroiled in a scrap for survival.

Town's last two matches have been postponed but they remain two places and two points above the League One relegation zone after results again went their way on Tuesday night - and Crainey's side now have at least two games in hand on all the clubs below them.

And the Highbury boss has no doubt his players can – and will – pull themselves further clear of the relegation places in the weeks to come.

Head coach Crainey said: “After this amount of games, everyone deserves to be where they are in the league.

“At this moment in time, we are where we deserve to be but I think we’re better than that.

“Hopefully we can start pulling away. We need to drag ourselves out of it and I’m sure we will.”

The Sheffield Wednesday fixture was due to kick-off a five-game run of matches against teams in the top half of the table.

Portsmouth, Wigan Athletic, Ipswich Town and Sunderland are also due to face the Cod Army within the next fortnight.

Matches with strugglers Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham and Wimbledon are also on the horizon but Crainey is wary of attaching too much significance to certain games over others.

He added: “We treat every game the same. You’ll be sick of hearing the same answer off me but that’s who I am.

“I don’t want to get carried away by saying, ‘We have to beat this team because they are close to us’ and ‘We need to beat that team because of this’. I don’t want that mentality.”

Town have also paid tribute to the club’s former performance consultant Steve Black following his passing.

Renowned for his work in both rugby union and football, Black was brought to Highbury by former head coach Joey Barton.

In a statement on social media, Town said: “All at Fleetwood Town are saddened to learn of the death of Steve Black.

“The 64-year-old was a popular member of Joey Barton’s backroom staff at Highbury Stadium.

“An incredible man who will be sadly missed by all who knew him. #RIPBlackie”

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