I'm bloody annoyed...

The Gaffer was asked recently why he did not appear in many of the mocked-up photos... quite simply because the Gaffer rarely likes any photo that he appears in and as such, there are not many photos of him. You stand a better chance of snapping the Gaffer in a reportage approach when his attention is diverted... as the current Mrs Gaffer could attest. So I am bloody annoyed because I cannot find the pic (in the reportage style) of me talking to a World Cup Winner in 2017 as part of a whole morning together discussing mental fitness. We are both very similar... an interest in psychology, a love of health-giving Kombucha and the ability to unerringly kick the ball over the bar - except he was meant to and I was definitely not!

Jonny Wilkinson is a man that demands attention and recently he has spoken to fantastic Simon Mundie's BBC Podcast Don't Tell Me The Score. The series looks at success factors of those names and faces that many of us will recognise, focusing on a single aspect - with Wilkinson the word was Obsession. Listening to Jonny, understanding his journey & The Pressure Principle by Dr Dave Alred, you begin to recognise that in order to be successful (in this case, a sporting sense), you need to be No.1 and No-One at the same time... giving rise to his (and wife's) health drink.

White Roding 45s are 9 games from something many of us thought impossible 9 months ago - an opportunity to end the season with some silverware for the first time in their history. Of course there is a long way to go and much could happen to derail our dreams between now and then, but in our quest to be No.1, no one has been singled out for special treatment, but perhaps it is time to say thanks to those unsung heroes and heroines that help us to happiness and who may see even less of us in future weeks than they have in the past, as Yoga, Training, Friendlies & Team Talks take precedence. Most of us have significant 'others' in our lives that smile through gritted teeth when we disappear for hours on end on a Saturday, that have to listen to stories of great goals & near misses over dinner and come to watch us in warmer weather. Wives, partners, lovers, parents and children need to be recognised for their role, in our change in fortunes.

Balance in the game, gut and good relations is something that the 2003 World Cup Winner will testify is important to winning. The Gaffer may be more demanding in terms of commitment in the coming weeks, but remember to find the balance with the true No.1 in your life because without them many of us are no one. This week's game is at home for the first time since Nov, as we take on Springfield, our final game before our Semi Final in February.