Smith: Prove people wrong

KOREY Smith says Athletic will be giving it all they’ve got against high-flying Leyton Orient tomorrow.

WRITE Athletic off at your peril says skipper Korey Smith ahead of tomorrow’s mouth-watering home clash against league leaders Leyton Orient.

The O’s have won eight and drawn one of their nine games and head the table by three points.

Athletic have won only twice and drawn once in a campaign struggling to get going.

Lee Johnson’s men have shown much promise - in patches. Smith feels his team-mates have got enough in them to stun Russell Slade’s high-fliers.

Smith said: “It’s our toughest game of the season so far. Orient are on a great run at the moment.

“Of course we want to win every game, but when people are writing you off, like some are this week, that only makes us more determined to win.

“Getting a win against Orient would show people more than ever that we are a good side, so of course that’s just what we’ll be trying very hard to do.”

Ever-present midfielder Smith (22) is revelling in his main-man role since taking the armband following his summer free transfer switch from Norwich.

He continues to give energetic, hard-working displays from the Athletic engine room and boss Johnson is clearly a big fan.

Smith added: “There’s a good set of lads here so that’s helped me enjoy the captaincy really.

“Obviously we all want the results to be a little better, but some of our performances have been brilliant at times.

“We just want a result which will give us that lift and send us on a bit of run. Orient have done that superbly this season, but we’re capable of a run like theirs and we can get right up the table.”

Johnson will have very close to a full squad to select from tomorrow.

David Mellor serves out the final game of a three-match suspension, but recent injury victims Cristian Montano (cyst) and Genseric Kusunga (hamstring) resumed full training yesterday and should be available.