Nice bit of a turnaround in the last couple of games. Two good wins and back up the table a bit. Full squads available, or nearly, and it made a difference as it always does. Not that the performances when we were shorthanded were poor, not at all, I thought the commitment and effort were first class in each of the games where we struggled to field a sub or two. And at least we will get another bite at Morpeth, much to their annoyance. Anyway, back on track, seven wins out of thirteen league games played, despite the problems, blimey, could we end the season too far up this table? Will the committee be having nose bleeds all round? What with the FA promising, or is it threatening, full scale change and promotions galore, a lot of clubs must be considering their options as the season gets well into its stride. I guess our trip out to Liversedge for a midweek replay a few weeks back will have given people food for thought. And that’s just down the road, compared to Manchester, Merseyside and the fabled Colwyn Bay. Pleased its nowt to do with me your honour.
Meanwhile the most famous sportsman in the Northern League resigned up at Ashington and took all the back room staff with him. And the team promptly showed how much they were missing him by putting five past North Shields. Never a bad thing to see Shields getting beat, but players eh?
The big boys league is getting going properly now, and Citeh are certainly making their mark, knocking seven past Stoke on Saturday. Still they started like a train last year and then fizzled out, so I wouldn’t say anything was settled yet. Mind you it looked like José Mourinho was impressed, immediately saying he didn’t expect to finish his career at Man United. Don’t panic José, a boring draw at Liverpool isn’t that bad, and anyway Koeman must be ahead of you in the sack race. Although to be fair even Mr Woy managed a miracle win, that is worrying.
A step lower down and the misery over the river continues apace, another point at home against those giants from West London, QPR, keeps the average for the SoL boys at around 0.75 points per game. Not completely disastrous, but the problem is they will have to manage 1.5 points a game from now on to have much chance of staying in the Championship, as it is laughingly called. So on reflection, it‘s very early days to be calling it curtains, but I reckon it‘s curtains.