Peterborough United manager applauds his players and staff as preparation for the play-offs intensifies

Posh host Bolton Wanderers in their final game of the regular League One season on Saturday (12.30pm). Ferguson’s side will finish fourth unless they beat Bolton by four goals. The Trotters can still win automatic promotion if they beat Posh and Derby County lose at home to rock-bottom Carlisle United, while also overturning a goal difference which is four in favour of the Rams.

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"Realistically we will be both be in the play-offs,” Ferguson said. “But I would imagine Bolton will try and start quickly, score an early goal and try and put some pressure on Derby. That’s certainly what I would be doing if we were in their situation. They have a strong squad for the level with many good players. Both teams have a style of play that won’t change and I would expect a good football match on Saturday which probably won’t finish 0-0.

"I’m so proud of what we have achieved already though and proud of the way everyone went about it, the players and the staff. We had two targets of winning the EFL Trophy and automatic promotion and we very nearly achieved both.

"I’m delighted with the players. The progression they have made in the last 10 months is huge, not just in performances, points totals and winning a cup, but by their improvement as players. On the whole they’ve reacted well to adversity and they’ve shown great maturity for such a young team.

"It’s been an excellent season up to now and it could get even better. We could get to 86 points which is usually means one hell of a season. Two points per game is usually the target and Portsmouth did it and Derby probably will do it and if that’s the case you have to hold your hands up and say they both deserve to go up.

"For ourselves we have to take care of Saturday’s game and then put everything into having a good week in preparation for the play-offs. They really are a brilliant bunch who have been a pleasure to work with and I now hope we can be rewarded for all the sacrifices we’ve made and the effort we’ve put in by finishing the job off.

"As a manager you always look back on things you might have done differently to get over the line. There are always important parts of a season and pivotal results. Losing to Carlisle on Good Friday was a pivotal result. We’d just lost to Portsmouth, but I felt if we could win the two Easter games we would have great shout of automatic promotion, but instead we lost the first one. To win automatic promotion you have to be relentless.”