Adam Drury said manager Paul Lambert has got 'massive respect' from all his playing staff.The City boss has transformed City since walking through the door in mid-August following the trauma of relegation, an opening day thumping at home to Colchester and the subsequent sacking of club legend Bryan Gunn as manager.

Adam Drury said manager Paul Lambert has got “massive respect” from all his playing staff.

The City boss has transformed City since walking through the door in mid-August following the trauma of relegation, an opening day thumping at home to Colchester and the subsequent sacking of club legend Bryan Gunn as manager.

In the 22 League One games since then, City have won 15, drawn five and lost two - 50 points which have taken them to second place in the table.

Drury - City's longest serving player, who is serving under his fifth manager - makes it all sounds so simple when he ponders the question: how?

“I think confidence is a massive thing,” said the 31-year-old. “We have got belief in ourselves now and I think that shows on the pitch the way we play - we try and get the ball down and play and the gaffer has instilled that in us and got confidence in us and we take that our every week and try and win every game.

“The results are a big thing. He has come in and we started winning and winning is the best confidence you can have. He has just kept that going and made us believe in ourselves and that's all we have done and it has snowballed from there.

“He has got massive respect from everybody, from all the players, from the minute he walks into any room and that's a big thing as a manager to have. And he is a leader, a winner and winning is what it's all about.

“It doesn't matter how you do it, whether you play well or you play badly, he just wants to win games and that's what we are doing.”

While Lambert entrusts his assistant, Ian Culverhouse, and coach Ian Crook with plenty of the training field work at Colney, his presence is never far away.

“It's a bit of both - he comes out and puts his point across, says his bits and watches and takes it all in,” said Drury.

“Cully and Chippy take a lot of the sessions and if he has something to say he will stop the session and put his point across.

“They all have their opinions and if they have got something to say they are not going to hold back, they will let you know what they think.”

City are unbeaten in a dozen league games now, stretching back to October 19, when they were unlucky to go down 2-1 at Leeds. Win at Colchester today and it puts them nine points clear of the Essex side, from two games more - and still chasing the leaders.

“We want to catch Leeds, we're not looking behind us, we just want to keep winning games and clawing at the team above us,” Drury said.

“We have got ourselves to second and we want to go one better. There is no reason why we can't - it is going to be a big ask but that's our big aim.”

t A frozen pitch at the Colney training centre has forced the postponement of today's Under-18s match with Crystal Palace. No new date has been scheduled.