Birmingham City star Liam Ridgewell tells team-mates: Get ready for Reading

Dec 15 2008 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

LIAM Ridgewell has told Birmingham City to wipe away any gloomy thoughts and concentrate on Saturday’s massive game against Reading in the right way.

Ridgewell said it was a clash in which Blues were determined to bounce back after losing to Preston North End right at the death.

That result, and the Royals’ victory over Norwich City, leaves just a point between the second and third-placed rivals.

“We can’t look at it too gloomily,” said the centre-half. “We’re sitting in second place, that’s an automatic promotion spot.

“We would like to be closer to Wolves but it’s what we’ve got to deal with.

“We can still push on for the second half of the season.

“It’s a big game Saturday.

“Playing them, with their team, it always will be.

“They want to be promoted straight away like us, plus they are a point behind now, so it should be interesting.

“I’m sure there will be a big build-up to the game and we want to bounce back after the Preston defeat.”

Ridgewell will sit out the St Andrew’s showdown at lunchtime after collecting his fifth booking of the season at Deepdale.

And he held his hands up and admitted culpability for Jon Parkin’s winner.