JOHN McGreal admits he can understand why excitement levels among Colchester United fans might be rising as they push for League Two promotion.

But the U’s head coach is refusing to get involved in any talk of going up – and is urging his players to remain focused on the task in hand.

Colchester lie sixth in the table heading into their game at Swindon Town tomorrow, with 12 matches remaining.

The U’s still have an outside chance of a top-three finish and lie seven points off the automatic promotion places but McGreal said: “I’m not getting drawn into any of that - there are still 12 games left.

“We’ve been in a healthy position all season and we just want to maintain what we’ve been doing all season, which is keeping up the good standards, playing brilliant football at times and getting our rewards for our hard work on the training pitch.

“The fans will get carried away, because that’s the nature of being a fan.

“I’m the same myself as a fan of Liverpool and it’s brilliant – I’m in dreamland at the minute!

“But I’m sure Jürgen (Klopp) is trying to keep everyone’s feet on the floor.

“We’re not as heady as Liverpool but we’ve been in and around it all season and the fans have had a bit of euphoria because of how we’ve been playing and the position we’re in.

“But we just try and bring it straight back down to earth, put the hard work in in training and you do get your rewards for your hard work, I’m a firm believer in that.

“The environment is still lively and buzzing and there’s no reason why not.

“What we have to try and do is play that football that we’re renowned for and utilise our pace and replicate what we’re doing in training.”

McGreal says Colchester’s supporters can play their part in anything they achieve between now and the end of the season – and says togetherness between the club and its fanbase is key.

“The relationship I’ve tried to build with the fans over the three years is getting better and better,” said the U’s boss.

“It played a big part when we were in and around the play-offs in the first year and that had a knock-on effect last year.

“They’ve been with us from day one this year and when you speak to them about the style of play and the freshness of the team, it’s brilliant.

“We’re trying to bring more fans to the stadium and the games and the only way to do that is to win games of football but in the right way.

“They want to be entertained as the fans have been this year and we still have to drive that connection.

“Together we can try and achieve what we want to achieve.”