Oldham Athletic manager Richie Wellens believes this week will be the pivotal week for the club’s Sky Bet League One future.
Southend United visit Boundary Park tomorrow evening and win would see Latics go ahead of Walsall and AFC Wimbledon in the table.
It will be the fifth game in 13 days for Wellens’ side, but the manager believes his players will be enjoying the busy end of season period.
“It’s not ideal but at least we’re at home and we don’t have to travel again and we’ve got a break now before we do,” he said.
“When I was a player I loved this, you don’t have to train, we’ll have a warm up and do a few strides to get the legs going and a bit of head tennis.
“It’s the best part of the season, you are playing for everything each week and the games mean a lot to people.
“You aren’t training hard, you are just trying to stay fresh for the next game.”
Tomorrow night’s match is the first of the back to back home games at Boundary Park this week with Doncaster Rovers visiting on Saturday.
Two wins would take the team to 54 points in the league which in recent seasons has been more than enough to avoid relegation.
“It’s always easy on paper,” the manager said.
“Six points will do it but football matches are won out there not by thinking if we do this, if they do that.
“It’s in our hands still, it’s a game in hand and it gives us the opportunity to go above a couple of teams, this is our moment.
“This is for us to say forget everything else, we can control things and we can affect the league table.
“There will be other teams watching and wanting Southend to win so we can impact other teams' mentality.
“I know Chris Powell, he’s gone in there and his task was to keep them up because they were in a tricky predicament, he’s achieved that task and he’ll be looking to next season now to try and push on and get them back in the Championship.
“Everyone can say it’s a long trip and they’re not playing for anything but if we’re not on it then all of them things go out of the window.
“I’m not going to get anxious or nervous because I feel confident in what we’re putting together to try and get results on the pitch.”