Joey Barton believes managing the mental game will be essential if Bristol Rovers are to succeed as the League Two season reaches its climax.
The Gas could be just three games from promotion glory, or six if they take the scenic route of the play-offs. They are fifth in the table after the Easter Monday triumph at Port Vale, just two points behind the Burslem club in the final promotion place with league leaders Forest Green Rovers visiting the Mem on Saturday.
Barton has plenty of promotion memories as a player. He rose into the Premier League three times, claiming the Championship title with Newcastle United and Burnley and winning the play-off final with Queens Park Rangers. In his experience, a relaxed mindset is essential to thriving when the stakes are so high.
"I focused the lads in this morning, more in terms of the psychology of it," he said. "Forest Green are coming to our stadium top of the division. They can get promoted if they win here, all things our lads will be aware of because they’re human and they’ll see the interactions in the media, but again we must enjoy this period.
"We’ve got ourselves into this position and the one thing we cannot do is not enjoy having a good team, having good camaraderie, playing good football, having a full stadium because these are special moments.
"We’ve got to relax. I want to try to get more of a party feel, more relaxed approach to this last period because the lads will naturally get adrenaline in their system and a bit of apprehension and a bit of nerves because we’ve got an enormous prize at the end of the journey for us if we’re successful.
"They don’t need me to make them aware of it. For me, my job will be keeping them cool, calm and calculated. As I say, if I can get a bit more of a party feel into it, a few tunes in the dressing room and more of a relaxed feeling, my experience tells me that’s the way to do it.
"You don’t need to be pumped up 24/7. You just need to be absolutely wired in once the referee blows his whistle to start the game on Saturday and be wired in until he blows his whistle to stop the contest."
The victory at Vale Park on Monday sparked a euphoria among supporters that perhaps is only comparable with the miraculous FA Cup comeback against Oxford United earlier this season. Barton and his players have savoured that special afternoon, taking in the videos shared on social media.
Considering the turbulence the Gas have experienced on their journey, Barton says it is essential Rovers do not let this moment of rare form pass them by.
"You’ve got to enjoy winning," he said. "When you get beat or you draw, you get really down on yourself and everyone sulks, it’s tough. It’s a tough profession when you’re not winning, as we can attest to. It’s not long ago in recent memory when we were not very good and we couldn’t win games, home, away or wherever. When you win, you’ve got to enjoy it.
"Our fanbase have followed us through all the trials and tribulations and finally now we’ve got a team they’re universally proud of. There are many players within that team that they know represent the jersey with the pride they feel represents their football club. The relationships between all parties are building to the point that we fear absolutely nobody. We’ll play anybody anywhere and we’re just going to keep getting better and better.
"My belief is we’re just getting started. The group is really in a good spot. We’ve had our strongest team, in my opinion, take to the park for the first time on Monday. Behind that, we’ve got lots of other good players chomping at the bit trying to get in it. There are players being left out of the matchday squad on a Saturday who are topping up the running and doing the work on the training ground who could easily get into a League One side or a League Two side in my opinion, and they are really good signs.
"The group is ready, fit and raring and we’re in good fettle. We’re full of confidence, the fans are full of confidence, we fear absolutely nobody and again on Saturday the test just gets higher. You’re playing the top dogs in the division, the Champions-elect, and we get a square go at them at the Mem in front of a sell-out crowd. Life’s great."
Forest Green's promotion is all but confirmed, sitting top and nine points clear of Northampton Town and Rovers in fourth and fifth. Just one point is needed to mathematically confirm the Nailsworth club will be playing in the third tier next season. Barton is relishing the challenge.
"They’re a top side," he added. "You don’t sit at the top of the table for as long as they have and go on the run they went on unless you’re a very competent side. In recent weeks, they’ve not been as fluent as they were in the early part of the season, but it’s so hard to maintain a run of form over 46 games, so absolute credit to them to be in the position they’re in.
"But on Saturday in our stadium, we play the best team in the division. I’m looking forward to what should be a great advert for League Two with two great teams going at it, but also for the South West and the local area. There will be a kind of local rivalry on it and they took our scalp in the game at their place and we’re intent on getting it back on Saturday."
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