BURY go into today’s match at Southend United in the middle of a hectic fixture schedule that includes eight matches this month.

But centre-back Pablo Mills is not complaining after undergoing a frustrating start to the current campaign.

After being frozen out at League One club Rotherham United, the 29-year-old defender’s move to the JD Stadium in January has given him a new lease of life - and he has energy to burn.

“I think Tuesday night was probably my 20th game (of the season),” he said, after putting in a man-of-the-match performance in a 2-2 draw at home to Fleetwood Town.

“It’s been a late season getting started for me, so the more games I play the stronger I will get.

“When I was at Rotherham I didn’t get too many games on the bounce like this so now I am just enjoying playing football, especially the way the gaffer likes to play, and hopefully there is more to come.”

Mills has been a key figure in Bury’s revival under manager David Flitcroft, helping the side keep five clean sheets and fall to just one defeat in his nine games for the club.

Victories have been a bit more difficult to come by, with the Birmingham-born player only ending up on the winning side three times as a Shaker.

But Mills is confident there is enough quality in the side to improve on that statistic, starting at Roots Hall today.

“We’ve got a good team and a good squad of players and we are still relatively new, so things are going well and hopefully wins will come our way,” he said, still with one eye on a late charge for promotion.

That may be unlikely, as Bury go into today’s game 19th in the League Two table, four points above the relegation places. But they are also just 10 points behind Southend in the final play-off spot, with two games in hand of the Shrimpers and another 36 points still to play for.

“Our base has been trying to keep clean sheets, and as long as we can keep unbeaten up to the end of the season you never know what can happen,” he added.

“The objective is to try to win every game and get as many points as we can.”

Mills could have a new defensive partner today after Bury snapped up 25-year-old defender Chris Hussey on loan from Burton Albion until the end of the season.

Captain Craig Jones remains an injury doubt, however, with a hamstring strain, while striker Anton Forrester could miss the match with suspected knee ligament damage.