The way we feel at Southend at the moment, even if we went down 1-0 after 80 minutes, we?d still think that not only could we come back and get a draw, we could come back and win.

That is the momentum and confidence we have in this team.

To be honest, we didn?t play very well against Nottingham Forest on Sunday ? it was a scrappy game with the defenders on top most of the time.

It wasn?t our worst performance of the season but it certainly wasn?t our best. But to win games when you play badly is always a good sign for a team.

We are just on this roll at the moment and nothing seems to be able to stop us.

We knew Swansea had lost on Saturday so just a draw would have been enough to put us on top but we still went out there going for the win.

I had a couple of chances and the first one was a bit of a funny one.

A great cross came over but I lost it in the sun. I saw it leave my team-mate?s foot but that was it. So I just stuck my head out when I thought the ball might be there. I got a good contact on it but, to be honest, it could have gone anywhere ? maybe even back to the guy who crossed it.

In the end it went straight into the ?keeper?s arms which I was pretty pleased with because, like I said, I gambled a bit and it could have been pretty embarrassing. If it wasn?t for the sun, though, I would have gone for the corners and would have felt pretty confident of scoring.

In the second half, Freddy Eastwood went to the byline and pulled it back to me. It was actually behind me and although I managed to get a shot off, I dragged it about two yards wide of the post.

I don?t think I had the best game, but I don?t think any of the strikers did in that game although it was good for Freddy to get another goal.

The crowd were great again, but they always are.

There were about 11,000 there and you could really notice the difference. They made a lot of extra noise which, as always, helped us.

The Southend fans are fantastic. But we have been winning so much recently we are getting used to it. I?m not sure if I can remember what it?s like to have the ground quiet.

It was strange in the dressing room afterwards. We were top of the league but the atmosphere was no different than after the games in other recent wins. I think, even though Swansea were ahead of us, that we all thought we were top of the league already because of the way we were playing and the wins we were getting. In the end we spent more time talking about things we could have done better in the game than we did about being top.

* * * *

I have been out coaching the Reading Under-16s this week. I need to do my hours in order to get my coaching certificates so I am working with the kids at both Southend and Reading. I really enjoy it although last night it was mostly just observing.

The kids were great, they were asking for my autographs, although not ?til afterwards. I know I would have been the same. When I was a kid if I knew there was anyone who was even nearly a professional footballer I would have gone right up to them and asked for a signature, that?s just the way I was.

I enjoy working with the youngsters and giving something back. And I?m glad I am able to do it at Reading.

I always make a point of leaving my clubs on good terms. Even though things didn?t quite work out there, I am still on good terms with them and I am able to go and work with their youngsters which hopefully benefit both parties.

You have to do a certain number of hours and then you can call in an assessor to come and watch you when you feel confident enough ? and then, hopefully, you do well enough to move on to the next stage.

* * * *

It is just typical. England qualify for the World Cup and people aren?t happy and are still giving Sven loads of grief. I have been around English players and coaches a lot and it is something everyone is talking about. But the public in England are amazing, they are so demanding and fussy. Even though their team is in the World Cup they are not happy.

Hey, they should be happy. It?s the World Cup, the biggest tournament on earth and they are going to be there ? that would be enough to make most fans in other countries happy.

I?ve been watching England a long time and, however they get to the major tournaments, once they get there they always do well. England might not have given the public the 4-0 win over the Austria they wanted but now they are through to the finals they will probably do well.

I fancy England for the World Cup, I always fancy them in major tournaments. If they keep struggling in the big games once they are there, then the fans can be critical.