Pre-Match Thoughts: The Fans 'Are Going To Be Massive' - Smith

Midfielder Korey Smith believes Derby County's fans are 'going to be massive' heading into the final three games of the 2023/24 season - especially with two being on home turf.

Smith added that the Derby faithful have the ability to give the players that 'extra boost' in a bid to get the team over the line in the remaining fixtures as they chase a top two spot in Sky Bet League One.

Speaking to RamsTV ahead of Saturday's visit of Leyton Orient to Pride Park Stadium, the 33-year-old reflected on the 0-0 draw at Wycombe Wanderers on Wednesday night.

Thoughts on the 0-0 draw at Wycombe...

We want to win every game, so for us a draw can feel like a loss. It was the same with the Portsmouth game, in a way. At the same time, having been in these positions before as a player, it's only at the end of the season that sometimes you realise how important a point is. Even looking at last season, an extra point would have got us in the play-offs - so it could turn out to be very important.

On his previous promotions...

I've probably been lucky in a way that when I've wrapped mine up, they've been a couple of weeks earlier. We're so lucky to be in the position we're in now though and you've got to make the most of it and be grateful for it - this is what football is all about. If someone said that we were going to be second place going into the last three games, you'd have taken that. It's an amazing place to be, it's an amazing opportunity for us as a club and we've got a massive three games ahead, with two of them being in front of our fans at home.

On games feeling different for players at this stage of the season...

Reflecting again on the Wycombe game, we wanted to win so much and maybe we wanted it too much. We went for it and a couple of times got counter-attacked and could have conceded, because we wanted the three points so much. Every three points is massive and we have to use that as a learning curve to keep calm, keep relaxed and trust each other and, hopefully, that gets us three points on Saturday.

On how important the crowd are going to be at Pride Park for the remaining two fixtures...

The fans have been amazing. Since I've been back from injury, the home games feel like they are behind us no matter what. They want to get promoted just as much as us and I feel like, with these last two games at home, they are going to be massive and give us that extra boost. I think sometimes fans don't realise how much it helps. It really does give you an extra boost of energy and we're calling on them to carry on getting behind us and hopefully we get the job done.