So deserving of far bigger audience

before but we’ll always be facing an uphill struggle.

I have friends who love football, support certain teams and never go to a match. They don’t entertain the idea of watching Stanley because: ‘why would they?’ they’re not Stanley fans and in their heads it’s as black and white as that. Football unique with this and people don’t change teams.

It’s very tribal and you want to stand where your dad stood, drink where he drunk before the games and that’s exactly what people do.

I’m lucky because my grandad knew Eric well and one day just so happened to stumble on to the team bus by accident as it was leaving for an away game in the 80s. There was a spare seat at the front and he wasn’t doing anything else, absolute chance but I’m glad he did. I could just have easily had a season ticket at Turf Moor but I’m in the minority not to.

I don’t really know what I’m trying to prove but all I’m saying is we need to be in it for the long haul and be a viable option for everyone moving forward. Coley might never see the true impact of what he has done for this club, because the numbers might just go gradually up year by year. It will not happen in a flash, it might never happen at all. But, we need to face that reality and do it quickly.

To this weekend and a real test of our bottle, Walsall are looking contenders for promotion in the early goings. They were battered in their last home game by Doncaster so can certainly be got at. Selection will be interesting, but I doubt Coleman will change the starting 11 heading in after a win. I’d like to see Hall given an earlier nod coming off the bench as he looks like he has real potential and will take his opportunity sooner or later. It may as well be this week. Three points here would be monumental, it may show that we’re not just here to try and survive after all and those attendance figures might just creep up.