There are no excuses for Peterborough United's disappointing League One season

After back-to-back League One play-off semi-final defeats Posh are struggling to reach the top half of the table this season. It’s taken a seven-game unbeaten run just to get Posh clear of the relegation zone, although Ferguson believes his side still have work to do to ensure safety.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony moaned about ‘injuries destroying the campaign’ on this week’s edition of his Hard Truth podcast, but Ferguson accepts his team will finish where they deserve to finish.

Posh are currently 15th, six places and nine points above the bottom four before Saturday’s tough game at play-off chasing Reading.

"I can’t look back on our recent form and start wondering what could have been,” Ferguson said. “I can’t think like that as where you finish over 46 games is where you deserve to finish. There are things to factor in like injuries and loss of form, but that makes no more than three or four points difference. I can sit back and analyse it when the season is over, but the big thing for me is learning from what has happened.

"We haven’t been consistent enough in terms of results which has led to the team selection being inconsistent. What goes on between players’ ears, both individually and collectively, is a massive thing. I’ve spent a lot of the season trying to lift players, but now I am trying to make sure they keep their foot down.

“January signings were important and they have made a huge difference to us. You watch us against Mansfield on Boxing Day and we looked shot, but you watch us last Saturday against the most in-form team in the division and you couldn’t tell which team was going for promotion. Players have been pushed to improve by other players coming in. Just look at how good James Dornelly has become now that he another very good defender in Carl Johnston pushing him.

“We are in a good place now, but the job is not done yet and we want to get as high in the table as possible.”