LEE BOWYER

BOWYER Lee

Firstly, I would like to welcome Steve Morison, his staff, players and supporters from Cardiff City, to St. Andrew’s for today’s game, which is also our designated Rainbow Laces fixture.

Football is for everyone and the club are delighted to support Stonewall in their campaign for better inclusion in the game we all love.

I think we all have a part to play in creating meaningful change and I would encourage you to speak out against all forms of discrimination.

Turning our attentions to the match itself, whenever you play a Cardiff side you know you are in for a tough game and in the short time he has been in charge, Steve has certainly improved them.

They have a core of seasoned Sky Bet Championship players in their squad who know what it takes to compete at this level and I would expect them to continue to climb the table as the weeks progress.

So it may turn out to be another gruelling battle today and I am pleased we came out on top against Blackpool in a similar encounter.

We are at that stage of the season where it is important to grind out results and find a way to win those games which could go either way. We were too loose in possession in the first-half and needed to use the ball a lot better but if you can remain defensively solid, especially when the game is not free flowing, then you are always in with a shout of nicking it.

I was really pleased with the goal for a few reasons. It is important we deliver quality from wide areas and have players breaking beyond the strikers and attacking the box. Young JJ [Jordan James] did just that to get on the end of the cross and I was pleased that Lukas [Jutkiewicz] got his goal. He has had to wait for his opportunity and everyone knows he is a top professional around the Club. We know he is a big threat in the box so I am glad he got his reward.

We then travelled to Millwall last weekend knowing exactly what to expect. The Den is a place where you have to stand up and be counted. The manner of the goals we conceded was not like us because we are usually very strong at dealing with defensive set plays.

To their credit, the players responded after half-time. We played with more intensity, we were braver on the ball and scored a fantastically worked goal to get us back in the game. the ones in the ascendancy and with all the momentum. It was a disappointing defeat because there were no surprises and I just felt we gifted Millwall a two-goal head start.

However, some things are bigger than football and despite the defeat I was heartened to see both sets of supporters, players and staff unite to mark the passing of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

The nation was shocked and saddened by his passing. He was one of our own and I know his story brought out a lot of different emotions in all of us. It was heartwarming to see so many clubs, at all levels of the game, mark the sixth minute with an applause.

It may only seem like a small gesture but it showed just how powerful football can be when we all come together.

We will be doing the same again this afternoon and I know the Club are looking into ways to honour Arthur beyond today’s game.

Hopefully we can get a positive result and dedicate this one to him.

Keep Right On,

Lee Bowyer