I do feel quietly confident on this. I like the look of our keeper, full backs and our new CB replacing Lockyer could be seen in some ways as an improvement. I think Craig could be a weak link though. We do have cover in all areas at the back with THD still to return to improve us further. If we can help out Craig then I can see us cleaning many clean sheets and not conceding many at all. We have options in midfield too with Rodman and surprisingly Bennett looking sharp in pre season. Sercombe and Clarke will get goals ans create and you have Ogogo with Upson covering our attacks and supporting Craig. We have 5 striking options (6 if it wasnt for Reilly leaving today). JCH is back and will slowly be used so we don't push him too early. Our 2 loanees in Victor and Smith will be hungry to impress. Deon will be pushing all the way for game time and then you have hard working with no reward Nichols too. I think we are ready and should finish top half. I say 8th to 11th. But who knows. If we fail to score like last season then its a worry. But if we take our chances (and we will get chances) then we could be in for a top 8 challenging for those play offs. And I havent even mentioned our promising youngsters yet like Russe, Kilgour, Hargreaves and Tomlinson who all will be eager to get a chance.I fancy us to break with tradition and win our first game this season, am going for 2-0 to the Gas. Hope I'm not being overly optimistic but I think we could surprise a few people this season and may well do much better than many expect us to. (Or is this just my usual pre season high hopes that will soon evaporate after a few defeats!)

Yes. It did.“They are usually one of the relegation favourites”.......Ouch, that hurts doesn’t it ?