By Nathan Jackson
March 8 2005

theimps.tk has interviewed Southend United fan Danni Barker to find out her opinions before Saturday's game between the two promotion sides and how she feels about tonight's LDV Vans Southern Section Final vs Bristol Rovers which could see the Shrimps make a second successive trip to Cardiff.

NAME

Danni Barker

AGE

19

GENDER

Female

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SUPPORTING SOUTHEND UNITED?

For about 10 years, I used to go with my dad before he die, I stopped for a while but started going again a few years ago with a group of friends. I've seen a lot of things whilst supporting the Shrimps including 2 straight relegation and it's nice to see them going well again.

ARE YOU PLEASED WITH HOW THE SEASON HAS PROGRESSED?

Very pleased as we could easily be in the Conference after the start we made last season, I think it shows how much progress we made last year when you lot beat us here 2-0 in September, then we won 3-0 in the FA Cup before you only just managed to sneak a 2-2 draw. That progress has continued into this season and under Steve Tilson we have a seriously improved squad and although we may not play well a lot of the time, we win the majority of our games and that's the signs of a team heading for promotion.

HOW DO YOU RATE YOUR CHANCES OF SNEAKING AN AUTOMATIC PROMOTION SPOT?

Very good, with Swansea and Scunthorpe both dropping points regulary they should drop out of the automatic picture any time soon. Other than them, there are no other real threats to taking an automatic place away from us. If we keep winning then we should easily get at least 3rd spot but I wouldn't mind a 3rd trip to the Millenium Stadium (if we beat Bristol Rovers tonight that is) in just over a year.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS THIS SEASON?

As I mentioned above, the sign of a good team is that they'll win when they aren't playing well and that's what we've been doing. We haven't lost in 11 games in all competitions now and the confidence is oozing through the squad.After the start we had, we looked to be heading for another relegation battle but Tilson has brought the squad together and look what's happened.

TONIGHT YOU FACE BRISTOL ROVERS IN THE LDV VANS SOUTHERN SECTION FINAL, WOULD GOING THROUGH TO THE FINAL HELP OR DENT YOUR PROMOTION HOPES?

I'm not sure, you've seen what usually happens when a team gets such a high as the chance to play in the Millenium Stadium. There are so many teams that have won the big game only to go and lose the following Saturday. Last season we were heading for a comfortable mid table finish, however a LDV Vans Final stalled our season and we started sliding back down the table.

WHO DO YOU RATE AS YOUR BEST PLAYER?

Freddy Eastwood who is rapidly approaching the 20 goal mark. As soon as he arrived we started playing better and there's not many players who score a hatrick on their debuts including a goal after only 8 or 9 seconds is there. His speed and skill are just as vital as his goals, the only problem being he is the only player scoring regulary.

WHICH IMPS PLAYERS DO YOU THINK WILL POSE THE BIGGEST THREAT?

Simon Yeo is always a threat and his recent goal blitz proves that. I'm always impressed with Peter Gain as well and Richard Butcher can hit a ball so sweetly it's unbelieveable. You have the squad to get promoted but you keep shooting yourselves in the foot and it costs you.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE RESULT WILL GO ON SATURDAY?

Well hopefully (for us) it'll be a win but as I said above, if we get through to the LDV Vans Final, it could put us on such a high that a down is inevitable and we have to lose eventually don't we. I'd be happy with a draw.

FINALLY, WHO DO YOU RECKON WILL GET PROMOTED?

Well Yeovil are near enough champions already and only a major blip will stop them now. I reckon us and Macclesfield will get the other 2 automatic places with the playoff places going to Scunny, Lincoln, Northampton and Darlington. I'd like to see Lincoln go up but I get a sneaky feeling Scunny would win the playoffs out of those 4.