[Olzy]

The headline proclaims “John to make Turf Moor trip”, with a picture of the biomechanical problem striker looking bored senseless on the bench. “When you see who he kept out of the Dutch team and his record in the Premiership, it’s exciting we’ve got him”. Apparently he’s done loads of training, including a “micro pre-season” (whatever that is) and has been begging for more as he wants to get in the team. “Nathan kept Darius and Marlon on their toes and I think CJ and Steve Kabba will keep Darius and Nathan on their toes”. Personally I thought King looked anything but on his toes most of the season.

We may be able to get Williams back for the last 6 or 7 games which will be “a big plus”. He has done a full weeks training.

Aidy doesn’t want to get our hopes up, but is hopeful of getting Johnson back. He keeps ringing Southgate up to bother him, but he seems to want to keep him. If it does happen then we’ll be first on the list to get him. He hasn’t started a game since 22nd December for Boro.

Aidy is still thinking who to play with Eustace tomorrow. Eustace “knits us all together” and it will be him plus one – probably Bangura or O’Toole, though Williamson is fit again. “Al is a good option away from home but John-Joe has the knack of being in the right place at the right time”. Smith is expected to play through the pain barrier. Same back 4 - “Mariappa will be a phenomenal player and Mat Sadler is doing well for us”. Aidy is “loathe to break up the Bromby and Shittu partnership” despite Demerit being fit. Like Preston, “we owe Burnley one”.

Jackson seems to have taken on the role of mentoring the clubs youngsters. I’m glad he’s doing something useful rather than getting lost in the defence. He also has 16 months left on his contract to say nice things to the youth team.

Aidy likes the 39th game abroad idea as corporate people will get bored and watch another sport (f*** ‘em I say). He then says, that “the English premier league should be kept that way and there are more important things than money”.

Eustace jumped at the chance to join us as Stoke only offered him a 1 year contract. He needs the money to pay for the £40K operation he paid for himself in America to repair his cruciate ligament after he nearly retired but thought he would give it one last go.

Aidy wants other fans to be upset and impatient in the run in and we need the whole club and fans to get together. 90 points generally gets you up, but every season is different. “There is no such thing as winning ugly, every win is beautiful to me” (cue Mr Vic A Rage spitting out his fried mushrooms on toast in disgust).

Aidy tells us in his column that we, the fans, will make a difference. The squad have had a micro pre-season training camp and Aidy always carries a notebook round in case anyone has any good ideas. Aidy says that the second half of the Preston game saw the crowd anxious and thinking “here we go again” which he says was understandable as we have lost 3 in a row at home this season. We’ve got 12 cup finals (cliché alert) and “If you were to ask me what would make a difference to our season, I would say it’s you. And that’s not me being sycophantic”.