JOINT boss Rob Scott believes the feel-good factor is finally starting to come back at Grimsby Town.
After their 2-1 victory over AFC Telford on Saturday, the Mariners currently sit fourth in the Blue Square Bet Premier, on a record-breaking 14-game unbeaten run away from home and having only lost twice in their 15 games so far this season.
And while no-one at Blundell Park is getting complacent, Scott said that everyone is reaping the benefits of a more positive atmosphere.
Speaking after Saturday's win, Scott said: "It's great to come back and start another good week in training on the back of another a good result – it's a nice feeling.
"Myself and Paul (Hurst) are well aware of how much this club was in the doldrums.
"I say 'was' in the past tense because we now feel that there is a mood of optimism about the place and it's our job to harness that in the players.
"The fans are entitled to get excited and a little bit carried away with things, because it's their club and it always will be their club.
"But we have to keep that optimism in check by keeping a lid on it and using it in the right way.
"The feel-good factor is coming back. We knew that the only way to get that back into the club was to win games, like we did on Saturday."
Scott also paid tribute to the travelling army of Mariners fans who made the long journey to Shropshire on Saturday, saying their support had played a big part in yet another impressive Town performance on the road.
"We had a fantastic backing at Telford," he added.
"They made it a proper football match – they were vocal and they got behind their team and it was superb.
"They really lifted us and have done throughout this season. To bring as many fans away from home as we have been doing is fantastic.
"There's nothing better than walking off as we did on Saturday with them applauding us off because we'd won another game.
"It's great to manage a football club that has a following like that – there's a great mood around the place and long may it continue."
The joint boss also added he believed Saturday's victory over the Bucks showed just how far their Grimsby Town side had come, after a resolute and mature performance ensured Town drove back up to North East Lincolnshire with all three points.
"A couple of seasons ago, we wouldn't have won the game against Telford but on Saturday, although we soaked up a bit of pressure second half, I didn't think we were going to concede.
"The squad has matured in terms of that they know what we now expect of them and they are putting that into practice.
"We're quite robust and organised in everything we do now which is very pleasing.
"We will always ask a lot of our players and sometimes they may think that we're tough on them – but it's only tough for a reason and that is to pick up the results that we have been doing. It's a means to an end in that it's getting us to where we want to be.
"We're very pleased at the minute, but we know that round the corner from every pat on the back is a kick up the backside so we need to keep on it," he added.
