Rovers midfielder speaks to The Doncaster Star about this evenings home game with Birmingham City
Doncaster Rovers star Richie Wellens claims that he had the Blues after the early-season 1-0 defeat by Birmingham City at St Andews.
"We definitely owe them one for that game," said the midfielder ahead of tonight's return.
"We played them off the park down there but they got a goal early in the second half and it was one of those games when we were never going to score.
"We had done well up to that point and I think that it was the start of a 12 game run without a win.
"As everyone who has watched us all season knows, we didn't play badly in those games - in fact we were often the better side - but we just couldn't score.
"We told people when we were at the bottom that we were playing well and deserved to be higher up the table.
"I am sure that some people just thought that we were just saying that for the sake of it and we knew that we had to start turning performances into results and that's what we've been doing since Boxing Day.
"We've won ten of our last thirteen games and that has made people stand up and take notice of us.
"People keep saying that we are safe but I don't think that the lads think like that.
"As soon as we come off we are looking at the Norwich result and others around the relegation zone.
"We are still looking over our shoulders but we also know that we have an outside chance of getting into the play-offs.
"We would have been better placed had we beaten Cardiff on Saturday because we are eight points adrift with nine games to go.
Even if we continue to do as well as we have been doing the teams above are also going to pick up points because they are good sides so it's a tall order.
"But if we can pick up six points from the games against Birmingham today and Reading on Tuesday then the pressure would be off and we'd have nothing to lose by having a go at it."
"We played them off the park down there but they got a goal early in the second half and it was one of those games when we were never going to score.
"We had done well up to that point and I think that it was the start of a 12 game run without a win.
"As everyone who has watched us all season knows, we didn't play badly in those games - in fact we were often the better side - but we just couldn't score.
"We told people when we were at the bottom that we were playing well and deserved to be higher up the table.
"I am sure that some people just thought that we were just saying that for the sake of it and we knew that we had to start turning performances into results and that's what we've been doing since Boxing Day.
"We've won ten of our last thirteen games and that has made people stand up and take notice of us.
"People keep saying that we are safe but I don't think that the lads think like that.
"As soon as we come off we are looking at the Norwich result and others around the relegation zone.
"We are still looking over our shoulders but we also know that we have an outside chance of getting into the play-offs.
"We would have been better placed had we beaten Cardiff on Saturday because we are eight points adrift with nine games to go.
Even if we continue to do as well as we have been doing the teams above are also going to pick up points because they are good sides so it's a tall order.
"But if we can pick up six points from the games against Birmingham today and Reading on Tuesday then the pressure would be off and we'd have nothing to lose by having a go at it."
