Pat from Poole

The one story doing the rounds bemusing me is Nobby Solano possibly signing for Colchester. There's one deal we ought to gazump, not least to annoy Hoofball Boothroyd. I think he is a HCDAJFU as well. Class act.

Preston can't be that skint if they've just sacked their manager and taken St.Ledger back from Boro.

Surely you jest, Duncan? Hammond is our most important player.

None. I would expect the business to be done in the last couple of days of the window. Teams will be holding out for silly money from Saints. I would be very surprised if we signed more than two players in the January window.

There is no way that MK Dons would sell Jermaine Easter to us. Unfortunately. However, Bernard from a pretty skint Southend may be an option.

Isn't Henderson playing for Sheffield United? Campbell-Ryce from Barnsley is a winger I've always rated, caused us problems when at Southend.

I fear Anderton be in the blue column.

I'm a little undecided on whether this would be a good thing, spending big in January could be a bad move. There is clearly a sense of togetherness amongst the current squad, and it always takes time for players to bed in. Time we don't have, as we probably have to win something like 2 out of every 3 games for the rest of the season to get in the play-offs. Difficult to deny that additional quality and cover in key positions (centre-half, centre-forward) would be handy. Depends on who it is I guess, I have to admit I've been very impressed with Pardew's signings so far.

Was he the same kid who did a pitch invasion at the end of the Walsall game?

Oh yeah, couldn't agree more. Just hope we don't have that rigmarole in the play-offs again (if we were to somehow get there).

Very unfair way to end a game. Cough.

Top man Bart. Just hope this helps give you the confidence boost you've probably needed for 2 years.

Not sure if it's the Bruce's Play Your Cards Right style draw again on Soccer AM to decide the home / away thing. I do quite actually like the way they do that, and think the FA could make the FA Cup draw a lot more interesting by doing the same.

Anything north of Ferndown is northern to me. I think that based on the size of the club our rightful place is somewhere between 10th in the Prem and 10th in the CCC. Having a very good manager is the key difference and will put you nearer 10th in the Prem. However, if Liebherr and Cortese are in for the long haul, we could emulate our highest placing under Strachan. It will hopefully be an enjoyable ride.

But (as The9 is fully aware as he's been told this as fact), Network Rail decide when it's Boxing Day, if there are trains on the 28th, then it can't be Boxing Day. Nice to meet you on Saturday, BTW.

Boxing Day is Dec 26th. HTH.

Was the irony a bit over-masked?

Of course, there was a really healthy and respected rivalry when we were both in the Prem. And in addition in 84 for the Cup game at Fratton when they were a decent Div 2. team and we were in our glory period.

Agreed. Maybe Elliot Ward could be the missing piece of the jigsaw. More importantly, we need to keep hold of Lambert and Lallana.

Rasiak not doing the business then? Shame.

There'd be a lot of idiots within that 3,000 if it is to be Luton. They are one of those clubs that have a potentially decent following numbers-wise, but unfortunately a lot of their floaters are utter ***ts.

Rattlehead, you are almost as prolific as Lallana at the moment. Heroic work.

I suspect the transfer ban will soon be lifted. Can't believe Grant would have been stupid enough to take the job if that wasn't the case.

We'll keep a clean sheet on Tuesday.

I think he was mentioned on this forum recently, but there are also a couple of CCC clubs after him. He's very tall, so would be handy.