First i’ll start with today and a dissapointing exit for the FA Cup. I have to say i’m absolutely gutted as I thought it was a game we could have won and be in with a chance of meeting one of the big boys in the next round. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, however, after listening to it on the radio there were a lot of positives to be taken out of the game. Luke O’Brien’s performance sounded fanastic and Steve Jones seemed to have a solid debut. Micky Boulding hit the post, we should have had a penalty and they have had two decent chances and scored two goals. Although a cup run would be fantastic, with the amount of injuries we have at the minute maybe it will turn out to be a blessing in disguise. We can now focus on the league and hopefully get out of this division come May.

Now on to the league! Our last two games have seen us travel to Rotherham and host Chesterfield and 6 points from the two games is a fantastic achievement against two very good sides. I think it makes it an even better achievement considering the amount of injuries we have at the minute. We started against Chesterfield with a Left Midfielder and a Centre Back playing together in the centre of midfield. Considering the players that are out are very important players, to be sat 2nd in the League shows our strength in depth and most importantly that we can still beat teams with good players missing.

Joe Colbeck (1st team Starter), Omar Daley (1st team starter), Paul McClaren (1st team starter), Lee Bullock (1st team starter), Dean Furman (1st team starter), Mark Bower (First 16), Chris Brandon (quality player not even played yet since signing pre season) and add Barry Conlon to that list as he came off injured today.

They are the players that are out at the minute and I know it seems like excuses but thats 7 quality players who would start in our team. Anyway we are geting on with it, we have signed a few decent players on loan and i’m delighted to be in 2nd place. Last season with the squad we had I think under the same circumstances we would be struggling.

Mark Lawn has stated that there will be money for Stuart in January which is probably the first time I have heard that in about 8 years. I have to say i hope we can sign a quality centre back as we are struggling in that position at the minute. Graeme Lee our skipper and Matt Clarke I think have looked very shaky over the last few months and although we are scoring lots of goals we are conceding too many. Although we won on Tuesday night at home to Chesterfield we were 2-0 down after 20 minutes and we can’t let teams have them starts especially at home. Stuart today as said that Willy Topp will be returning to Chile very shortly as things have just not worked out for him. I personally don’t think it was Stuart McCall’s signing and the guys upstairs had a lot to do with him coming to West Yorkshire.

Anyway we can look forward to a home game against Dagenham & Redbridge next Saturday. They have had a good season so far and also seem to be scoring plenty of goals so maybe we will be in for a goal-fest at Valley Parade next Saturday. Hopefully we can bounce back from todays dissapointment and pick up a third straight win.

I can’t see us getting anything on Saturday. They have had a good start in league 1 this season and I can see us going with a 4-5-1 with Barry Conlon upfront on his own. However stranger things have happened in football and we can always hope.

What are people’s predictions for the game? Can anyone see us causing an upset?

The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him.

After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him. After two recesses to check legal references and confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to Grimsby Town Football Club, whom the boy firmly believes are incapable of beating anyone

I have to admit that after letting a two goal lead slip a home to 10 man Gillingham and an woeful display live on Sky Sports at Darlington I feared the worst. Confidence seemed low at Darlington and we just didn’t look like a side who claims they can win promotion this season. The players who have played so well so far this season i.e. Thorne, McClaren, Lee, Clarkey and Evans looked no where near their usual selfs. The tactics seemed to be ‘get it to the full-backs and hoof it’ and with it been on t.v and people watching it throughout the country I was slightly embarassed. I saw it as a chance to show other teams just how serious we are of going up this season and our promotion rivals must have been laughing at us……….

However ……..

6 points from our last two games and we are sitting nicely 1 point behind Wycombe at the top of the table and full credit must go to Stuart and the players for the way they have bounced back. A 3-1 away win at Grimsby in which we went down to 10 men after 12 minutes and then a late 1-0 win at home to Bury who had not lost away from home all season were two fantastic and well-earned victories. Maybe our bad patch of 1 win in 6 is over and we can now kick on with our season.

Tom Clarke and Nicky Law have come in on loan to strengthen the squad and increase competition for places although the news Joe Colbeck is out for 2 months is a blow. We can now look forward to Barnet at home on Saturday and hopefully pick up a 3rd straight win. And then of course following that we travel to Wycombe for a top of the table clash and hopefully we can go into that game full of confidence.

Starting Saturday we have 4 difficult games in 10 days starting with Gillingham (h), Darlington (a), Grimsby (a) and Bury (h). Although I don’t think these games will make or break our season I still see it as a crucial period for us. What are peoples score predictions for these games?

Last season around this time we suffered 5 straight defeats and Stuart McCall admitted it was a big factor in us not making the play-offs. Hopefully this time a successful run will be a big factor in us winning automatic promotion.

Although they are very difficult games, Gillingham won 5-0 at the weekend, Darlington will be looking for promotion this season, Grimsby have a new manager and Bury have had a great start to the season, I am confident we can pick up at least 7 points.

We ourselves have had a promising start to the season and I still believe we have another gear in us. To sit 4th, 3 points off the top, having not played at our full potential can only be a good thing.

I think at the minute we are only playing good football in small periods of games e.g. last 10 mins at Accrington and at home to exeter when we scored 4 times in 20 minutes. As soon as we start playing for 90 minutes I can see us picking up a run of victories.

The main reason I believe we can be more confident this season is our strength in depth throughout the squad. Luke O’Brien came in at the weekend and had a good game and with the likes of Mark Bower, Kyle Nix and Willy Topp not been able to break into the 1st team I think shows how strong our squad is. We even have Lee Bullock, Paul Arnison and Chris Brandon to come back from injury and a very good midfielder in Dean Furman who looks like he is turning into a very useful loan signing.

I don’t however think we should get over confident and its going to take a lot of hard-work, commitment and at times having to dig in to get results and get us out of this division. Hopefully though we can look forward to a successful season!

James