Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson: ‘It would be foolish to write our promotion chances off’

Posh are in a terrible run of form, picking up just one point from a possible 12 since reaching second place on December 19 and subsequently dropping eight places to 10th

Add to that the distraction of Marcus Maddison’s expected departure and the chopping and changing of the team because of red cards, injuries and mystery illnessess and it’s clear Ferguson faces a tough task to inspire his side for the final 19 games of the campaign.

Posh are at relegation battlers AFC Wimbledon on Saturday (January 18) and then host promotion-chasing Wycombe, a team also in poor form, on Tuesday (January 21).

“It’s my job to give the players confidence because obviously that’s lacking at the moment,” Ferguson stated. “I asked myself last weekend whether or not we were good enough to win promotion and I honestly believe we are.

“It will take just one win to get us going. It almost came last weekend without us playing well and we’ve shown this season we are more than capable of stringing wins together so absolutely it would be foolish to write us off .

“If we win the next two games we could then take on leaders Rotherham at home with a chance to overtake them.

“It’s a peculiar league this season. There will be up to 14 teams believing they can win the title never mind promotion and we are definitely one of them.

“It won’t be easy at Wimbledon though. It never is. We slipped up there last season, although we were unlucky losers to a late penalty.

“The scenario this season is just the same. They are fighting for their lives and we are trying to force our way back into the play-off places.”

Rhys Bennett, sent of in this fixture last season, is expected to replace suspended skipper Mark Beevers at the heart of the Posh defence.