Peterborough United chairman on his Championship-strength squad thriving in a positive atmosphere and why crowds are growing

Posh are seeking a left-back to provide competition for club captain Harrison Burrows and they are happy to monitor their right-back situation up until the end of the January transfer window which suggests they have not yet given hope on bringing Peter Kioso back from Rotherham United.

Darragh on Kioso

On-loan Manchester City defender Jadel Katongo has filled in for Kioso and he will be staying at London Road for the entire season.

The 3-0 FA Cup defeat last weekend against Leeds United emphasised how far Posh must travel to compete with the best in the Championship, but MacAnthony insisted it was a decent learning curve for a young squad who are blossoming in the positive atmosphere at the Weston Homes Stadium.

"Leeds are really a Premier League team," MacAnthony said on the latest edition of his ‘Hard Truth’ podcast. “And we did okay against them. They won 3-0 and on another day it could have been 2-2, but they also showed us how much quicker, fitter and better we would have to be in the Championship.

"Everything just has to be better, but we believe we are building for it. We can complement that league with what we already have in the building. We are looking for competition at left-back and we will see how the transfer window goes regarding a right-back. There isn’t much (salary) cap space and contrary to what some believe we have a decent-sized squad. Manchester City are delighted with Jadel’s progress so he will be staying for the season.

"Last season we had older players at the club who criticised younger players when things went wrong even if it was their own fault. That criticism stopped the young players from trying things, from being brave.

"It’s not like that this season. They won’t have a go at each other in a negative fashion. There are no big-time Charlies in the squad. They are all playing for each other, the team and the club.

"Obviously it all means nothing if we don’t win games, but they will continue to be fearless and they will continue to enjoy it.

"And we have connected with a younger crowd who have realised there is a decent club on their doorstep. Our crowds are growing and our younger fans are engaged with a team that has a real identity. We sold out with a 13,000 crowd against Leeds and we could easily have sold 20,000 which is huge for us.”

MacAnthony revealed on the podcast that phone calls are arriving regularly about the Posh front four of Joel Randall, Kwame Poku, Ephron Mason-Clark and Ricky-Jade Jones, but he is not interested in selling any of them unless an ‘unbelievable’ offer with the promise to loan them straight back to Posh is received.

The chairman is also hoping star defender Ronnie Edwards would be loaned back to Posh for the rest of the season should he be sold to a Premier League club in the current transfer window.

Posh have signed only out-of-contract goalkeeper Jed Steer so far in January.