WATCH out Southend –
Kyel Reid is coming back to his happiest hunting ground.
The City winger has won all four of his visits to Roots Hall and scored there for Barnsley and Charlton.
Phil Parkinson mentioned Reid's perfect record to him yesterday – but the winger needed no reminding.
Reid said: "I went there with him with Bradford and Charlton and he was saying that I'd had some good performances.
"But Southend is just a great ground for me. I've had some big performances there and long may it continue.
"I like everything about it. Obviously it's not far from home in London but the ground set-up is great.
"The pitch is quite tight and the crowd are close to the pitch, especially the away fans behind the goal.
"There's no better feeling than when you score and run behind the goal where they all are. Hopefully we can put on a great performance for them again and get the result we need."
City may have enough points already for the League One play-offs but Parkinson wants to make sure and remove any nerves going into the final week.
The Bantams boss said: "We don't want to have to rely on other teams. It's in our own hands and we want to finish the job off.
"We'd like to maintain the standards we've set recently. That's the most important thing. Over a long period of time, we've produced the performances and the points and it's about keeping that going."
While City have timed their run, Southend have crashed the other way and fallen out of contention – but Parkinson will not take anything for granted.
He said: "Southend were above us at one stage and doing really well. It just shows you how this division has swayed to and fro this year.
"They've had an indifferent spell but still produced some big performances. They've beaten Sheffield United and Burton at home and went to Barnsley and won.
"We know the atmosphere for the last home game of the season is always cranked up to a degree, so we've got to be ready for that."
Phil Brown has blamed Southend's poor run on the constant speculation linking him with the
Bolton job. Parkinson, who knows his rival boss well, can understand that having an effect.
The City chief said: "In the past it's proved that. There will be managers who get things put in the papers themselves but with Brownie and his connection, there is a genuine interest there. He can't do anything about that and it's out of his hands.
"Whether he feels that affected them – but in the past, it can do. That's why, as a manager, it's best to keep yourself out of the newspapers if you can."
Parkinson is unlikely to change the side that hammered Walsall. Lee Evans suffered a bang on the back of his knee but trained okay yesterday. Josh Cullen also returned unscathed from his outing with West Ham under-21s on Monday.
Parkinson said: "We're on the verge. We just want to stay really focused. We're capable on our day, as we've shown this season.
"If we can get over the line this weekend, there'll be a real buzz about the place. You can sense it already. The intensity of the training is really good.
"There's nothing worse than when a season just peters out. It's just great to be involved in the shake-up. That was our aim and now we want to get over the finish line."
