Red Passion's New Regular Columnist

It’s the season of peace on earth and goodwill to all men, or where Wrexham AFC are concerned, goodwill to most men.

We had some good support at Oldham and played well, should really have come away with the three points but it wasn’t to be, we just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. Boundary Park was its usual welcoming self, tropical weather and all. Unfortunately my brother Neil managed to slip down some steps and break a bone in his foot - it didn’t stop him hobbling around, though, and he didn’t find out till the next day that he’d done it. Lucky he wasn’t stone cold sober or it would have hurt even more. He’ll be on crutches for a few weeks, so I’ve turned match reporter for him for the ones he can’t get to. I bet you can’t guess how complimentary my reports are.

Preston was a bit of a laugh, really. Two goals down inside five minutes, but you’d think by the way everybody was falling about that we were two up. Hysteria, I call it, but it’s back to the usual form in the AWS after last season. To be honest, nobody expected us to win, and you could have got reasonable odds on us losing by a big margin. The team we put out, once it had sorted itself out at the back, looked OK. Bryan Robson and Viv Anderson were there, but I don’t reckon that they’ll have learned anything from the night - they should have just had a word with the manager of any other team in our division, they all know how to play us! A few supporters got in courtesy of some complimentary tickets, and with only 77 supporters there (yes, we counted) it wouldn’t have been a very profitable night for Preston. Not that I feel sorry for them, we spend enough money in Lancashire as it is, and we’re back there later in the season for another beating, probably. Top tip - the all-day breakfast in The Bridge, try it when you go.

I think it’s wrong that Ferguson can be an automatic selection - none of the other players are likely to get the same treatment. Team selection in general is a bit hit and miss at the moment, with everybody except Flynn being able to see what is wrong with Wrexham. I don’t really know what it will take to sort us out. Well, I do, but I don’t think we’ll be so lucky, I think that Flynn’s too well protected.

Are you all looking forward to the games over the Christmas week? Preston (again!) at home on Boxing Day, and then a stupid long drive down to Bournemouth two days later. It really is just plain mad to expect fans to travel such a long way over the holiday period, doesn’t anyone with a brain at the FA look at the fixture list? It’d just better be a 3 o’clock kick-off, that’s all. Two difficult games for us, and we’re only three points off the relegation zone as it is. I won’t remind you again of what I’ve been saying right from the start….

Well, I hope you have a good Christmas, I’m stocking up with a few pints. No surprise there, then - in fact, around 80 pints or so of some decent stuff to be shared between three of us, so that’ll keep us going for a day or two. Enjoy yourselves, and try to be like me - stupid enough to carry on turning up week after week.

Keep the faith