It's about Bury, not my old club, says Blackwell (From Bury Times)

It's about Bury, not my old club, says Blackwell

8:00am Tuesday 12th February 2013 in Sport By Craig Nelson

KEVIN Blackwell has assured Bury fans he will not lose focus as he prepares to take on former club Sheffield United at Gigg Lane tonight.

The Shakers lost ground on their relegation rivals at the weekend despite a spirited 2-2 draw at promotion-chasers Brentford.

Wins for Colchester United and Scunthorpe saw the third-bottom Gigg men drift out to five points from safety at the foot of League One.

But with a game in hand over their fellow survival strugglers, Blackwell only has eyes for three points tonight. Putting one over on his former club would simply be a welcome extra.

“It is another game,” said the Bury manager, who parted company with Sheffield United in August, 2010, after guiding them to the Championship play-off final in 2009.

“I’ve got one job here and that’s to try to keep Bury in this division and the lads are going about it the right way.

“They (Sheffield United) will be a tough outfit. Everybody knows that was my last job.

“But it doesn’t matter if it is my old club or whatever. It’s about the survival of Bury in this division and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Despite their lowly league position, Bury are unbeaten in four matches and upset the odds to beat second-placed Doncaster Rovers 2-0 in their last game at Gigg Lane.

They followed that up by coming from behind twice to claim a point at Brentford.

“I think you saw on Saturday that we now have a team that can compete against anyone in this division,” said Blackwell.

“We are well organised and they have shown a bit of character. I think if we can keep this team together it is a team that can do something.”

Bury have stalled over signing a deal to extend Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s loan until the end of the season after the utility man picked up a knock at the weekend. The 20-year-old’s current deal ran out on Saturday.

Otherwise, Bury should be at full strength, with winger David Worrall coming off the bench at Brentford after recovering from a thigh strain, and goalkeeper Trevor Carson also passed fit to play despite suffering a fractured hand.

The Shakers may have to wait, however, for international clearance for their latest signing, former Club Brugge striker Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo, who joined on non-contract terms yesterday.

The 27-year-old forward, who was born in Zaire but represented Belgium up to under-21s level, scored 11 goals in 42 appearances for Brugge, before spells for Dutch side Roda JC and Lefski Sofia.