BLACK October over - now manager John Coleman wants his side to give a clear message to the rest of the Conference that Accrington Stanley are back.
A win on Saturday at home to struggling Northwich will move the Reds up to third in the league and the boss is now praying that while October was a month to forget, November could bring happier times.
The Reds lost three of their five league games last month and suffered a shock loss in the FA Cup to Leigh RMI.
November has got off to a better start as, despite the loss to Oldham in the LDV Vans Trophy and the goalless Conference encounter with Exeter last weekend, the performances have been more encouraging.
"In my managerial career I have had quite a few black Octobers," admitted the manager. "This isn't my worst spell in charge - when I took over we took five points out of our first five games.
"But Bob Paisley apparently said that a first-time professional club always hits a brick wall at the end of October and comes through it in November - let's hope he is spot on."
On a scale of one to 10, Coleman counts Saturday's clash with relegation-haunted Vics as a definite 10. The rearranged game - while other Conference sides are involved in the FA Cup - gives the Reds a chance to jump up the league and reinvigorate their push for promotion.
However, Stanley know they underestimate the Vics at their peril as Coleman's side haven't yet defeated them over the last two seasons and the sides battled out a 3-3 draw earlier in this campaign.
"This is a definite 10 as it gives us a chance to go third in the table and that would lift everyone - the club and the town," said the manager. "We have nothing to fear. The biggest thing we fear is ourselves.
"We know there are no easy games in the Conference and the minute you start thinking that you fall flat on your face.
"Johnny Allan is their dangerman and they have a few players who we will need to watch but we are not worrying about them - we are just worrying about ourselves and if we play to our best then we are a match for anyone.
"It is difficult to put your finger on what has gone wrong recently. We don't know if it is a lack of confidence but we have got to come through it."
He added: "We have just got to keep believing that what we are doing is right and our luck will change. Quite a few clubs would change places with us at the moment so we have got to keep believing.
"If you dwell on things like the Leigh performance, things only get worse and we have had to pick ourselves up.
"The last performances have been better, if not the results. If we carry on like this we will start winning games. Hopefully the fans will get behind us like they did last week and that will help spur us on to three points."
