BOLD Northern Ireland international Warren Feeney revealed he is getting “sick” of people rubbishing Salisbury City’s hunt to make the play-offs.

The player/assistant manager, 33, has slammed City’s critics who tipped them as red-hot favourites to be relegated in Skrill Premier come April.

But today’s test against 14-point clear leaders Luton Town, a club Feeney made 77 appearances for and netted eight times, gives his team a chance to leap back into the top five.

“I had a fantastic couple of years at Luton and it was great being in the championship with them,” the striker said, who’s ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.

“I was lucky enough to get promoted to the championship. I ended up going to Cardiff but it was one of those things.

“It’s great to see what John Still’s done and they have a passionate group of fans.

“At the end of the day they are a Football League club and hopefully they will carry on this great run of form and get promoted.

“They’ve got a big squad and a bit of money behind them, which helps.”

The Hatters have a strong following of 1,500 supporters making their way to the Ray Mac, likely to outnumber the home fans, who will produce a rowdy atmosphere.

But, despite Hatters’ fancied league position and big backing, Feeney thinks nothing should block Salisbury’s winning vision and a morale booster won’t be needed after the 2-0 defeat in Cleethorpes.

“We need to kick on and see who wants to go to the next level,” he added.

“How far do the boys want to go?”

“Defeat hurts as we have a good, honest group of boys. I was a bit shocked when I came here after being in the Football League for many years. But it’s a great little club, the chairman and the board have been fantastic.

Maybe call me old school, but I’m sick of people saying little Salisbury this, little Salisbury that. Our boys are here on merit and deserve to be in with a chance of making the play-offs. And I keep hearing teams say that we’re just in this league to stay up. I’m not a believer in that.

“Hopefully, people are starting to realise, now, what the gaffer has done and what the chairman’s done.

“Tomorrow’s huge. We want a response after Grimsby and it’s one of those games that if you’re not prepared to play you shouldn’t even be a footballer. For me, you don’t even need a team talk. We want to go and beat them and it’ll be a real test for us.”

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