LUNCHTIME IS GOOD FOR US

ALL that hard work in training finally paid off when we beat Southampton in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.

I was delighted to score the only goal of the game from the penalty spot but it would be lovely to get one from open play.

I think we fully deserved the win and it's not often you get three goals disallowed in the same game.

Kicking off at lunchtime brought back memories of my old club, Stockport County.

We kicked off early in one game and drew 1-1.

The then manager Carlton Palmer took a while in coming to talk to us after the game. Eventually he turned up and he didn't seem too disappointed with just a point at home.

"The result's OK lads," he said. "I've just checked teletext and everyone else in the division has drawn 0-0."

We didn't have the heart to tell him that the other games didn't kick off for another hour.

Despite our far from great start to the season, the banter is still flying around on the training ground.

Happy

Most of that has been directed at Marlon Broomes, who has been lucky enough to pick our Friday yellow bib award two weeks out of three.

We have a three-team six-a-side on Fridays and the winning team always picks a 'worst player', who then has to wear a stinking, luminous yellow council bib the next week in training.

He also has to buy £5 worth of biscuits for the lads.

Broomesy won it last week and then produced the worst biscuits in history, including ginger snaps and plain digestives.

That was good enough to get him the vote again!

Wes Hoolahan last season produced the best Friday treat as he came in with bacon and egg buttys for everyone. The gaffer wasn't too happy about it though.

We had a version of the yellow bib at Hull City under Peter Taylor, but he would make the victim stand in the middle of the goal facing the net while the other lads whacked the ball at him.

Taylor was usually the first to smash the ball at you!