The Squad are back on Friday and off to a ‘retreat’ for the weekend and I suspect at last a look and a chance to buy the 150th season home shirt is imminent too. Otherwise it’s ‘Reasonably quiet’

With Clarky and a couple of others having a break last week, I guess it’s to be expected that news was at a premier, it always is at this point in the process but at least we had some rugby to watch and I enjoyed the 4 nations and particularly, the sheer power of the Samoans and the Kiwi’s, a scratchy England win and of course…..Australia losing. It was all good entertainment and only went to whet the appetite for seeing the FC again! In the England game on three occasions in the first quarter we dropped the ball and gave away penalties to march the Samoans down the field, something that prompted the statement in our house of “It’s just like watching Hull FC!” I was dismayed when the Coach didn’t play Westy as a pivot, but instead wasted him as an extra prop, but what do I know and indeed for me Joe played OK and gave a reasonable account of himself.

On another tack entirely, I’ve found over years of writing this that social media is rarely proved to be wrong in the long term and if that is the case then this week we should presume that the SMC are banning us from using the North Stand of the KC for the 2015 season. I know there has been no official statement but none the less I’ll be having plenty to say in here about that particular rumour!!!

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In a week when the Dobbins have signed a couple of ‘interesting characters’ as their new half back combination, at least there’s a bit to talk about and at last, some banter being exchanged again.

The fixtures as they fall, give us a really tough start but a fighting chance at the finish and after literally dozens of calls, texts and E mails to yours truly asking the question of the week (“When is the Catalan away game”) the fixtures are at last out, France is at an ideal time, our pre season schedule is confirmed and everyone can make their Super League travel plans; even if they initially feature Doncaster or York in January and how to get to Huddersfield in the snow! There’s also a fans forum to look forward to and around 6 weeks left to the Season ticket discount deadline. Plus the lads are back in training again from a week of Friday, so things are on the up!

Come on…….this week at least, I’m doing my best to sound upbeat!

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Welcome to the latest edition of the blog that just plots the thoughts of an average fan from one quiet week to another in a closed season that’s destined to quite literally go on forever. For instance, this week it crossed my mind that sometimes, in the often soul destroying life of a supporter, you bookmark certain statements for future reference and think, “Well that might one day just come back to bites us!”

That was the case this week when Adam Pearson said, “It’s a pivotal year for us next year. If we don’t do well, fans won’t hear me talking the team up again. I genuinely feel we have a real chance of doing something and respecting the tradition of the club by winning matches in style. If we don’t do it next season you’ll find me very quiet in the next close season. I sense everyone at this club, from staff, coaches and players is focused on success. I really feel we will make in-roads next year”.

That statement, from a question and answer article published in the Hull Daily Mail on Wednesday only really went to prove that as is usual at these times of the year there is nothing new to say and everyone at the Club is really just going over old ground in an attempt to convert a few more of the wobbling potential season ticket holders. The thought of him ever being able to keep quiet for very long was a hard one to believe anyway, but I honestly do think that our owner is genuinely feeling confident, let’s face it he’s still pretty new to all this FC pre season stuff!! He ain’t ‘been there’ as many times as we all have! So, it’s with a few concerns and worries that I approach the coming campaign, but then again they won’t be worried about me because along with many of the other ‘daft lads’, I’ve already got a pass.

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A surprise change of heart by Callum Lancaster, a new Knocker (well a new Naughton at least) and still the fans continue to buy passes in quite amazing numbers! Monday and Tuesday saw supporters queuing all day in the shop for season tickets, as the first month ‘price freeze’ phase came to an end and after that rush, the total rose well in front of the same point last year.

So, there was a bit of news about and something for us to mull over as the closed season continues and with the fixtures out in two weeks (20th October) and the first serious game scheduled for the weekend of 6th February next year, it seems an age to wait before we get started and I for one don’t mind that at all……for now!!

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