Matty Taylor has demanded 100% effort and commitment from his players after he told them that they can still achieve something special this season.
The 36-year-old was placed in interim charge of the first-team on Thursday following the departures of Dave Flitcroft and Ben Futcher, and he revealed what he told his team after taking charge.
"I had an honest chat with the players on Thursday and I explained that what we have got is, I believe, a very good opportunity to get promoted this season," Taylor said.
"We're in seventh position in the league and there seems to be a bit of doom and gloom, but I'm the eternal optimist and I look at it in a slightly different way and we've got an opportunity to get this club promoted.
"Our future is in our hands so, therefore, it is about what we do as a group and how we go about trying to win football matches.
"We can do as much work as we want on the training pitch, we can do as much talking as we want, but it is about how we perform on a Saturday that matters because, ultimately, that's the only part the fans see.
"Yes, we'll be working hard behind the scenes but from a personal point, all I can say is that any team that goes out whilst I am interim manager will give 100% effort and I expect the attitude to be spot on.
"The boys respect me enough from the time that I've been here to give me everything.
"It is about us and it is about the players removing the shackles and going to play football, and we're not far away.
"I still believe that we've got a chance to do something really special this season.
"I said to the lads that regardless of what level of football you play at, to get promoted, and I've had that opportunity quite a few times in my career and been very lucky, that feeling of euphoria is indescribable.
"It is everything you work towards for a long period of time, all the hard graft you put in, all the sacrifices you make, these chances don't come around that often so, therefore, for the next eight weeks let's put everything on hold and give this everything we've got.
"And, you know what, if it isn't enough then we can all sit back and say we tried our best, but what I can't accept and what I won't accept as a player, as a coach, as a manager and as a parent, as a father is not trying giving 100% effort and not trying your best.
"We will try our best, we will work hard and we've got an opportunity here to make history, as corny as that may sound."
