VIEW FROM THE CLAYTON END

IT’S a bit of a funny one, the first game of the season, it’s a good marker to see what level we’re at but then again you can’t read too much into it.

I’ve heard a lot of talk last month about us beating three sides in higher divisions and how we are well equipped for life in League One. It just doesn’t wash with me. So, with that in mind, how do we try to dissect the performance against Gillingham and our squad as a collective?

The trouble is that none of us really have any idea how we should be feeling, and that’s just a tiny bit terrifying.

Pre-season matches have always been a no go for me in terms of measuring a side. We could beat United 5-0 at Old Trafford and I wouldn’t be totally convinced. They’re not called friendlies for nothing.

Three years ago we were beaten by Colne and I was in despair that we would be hammered by every side until May. We came fourth that year (should have been second) in what was the best season I’d had watching Stanley. Since then I vowed to ignore the results in July and it’s working all right so far.

All that doesn’t do us much good though if we want to know how we’ll shape up this campaign. It’s great to see Sykes in the team as an academy product but he’s always going to be nervy being thrust in at centre-back and we can’t rely on him to be ready, it wouldn’t be fair.

Whatever happens I think we look light back there and hope you’re reading this with the hindsight that we’ve signed a full-back before the window closes. Likewise, I think goals will be an issue, even if Jackson stays.

I trust John Coleman more than I trust some of my own family and he’ll relish this new challenge, but this is set to be our toughest challenge yet.

This weekend we travel to Bristol Rovers, historically a good hunting ground for the Reds. Let’s hope we can shake this off as a blip and get some points on the board.