Day 181

Striker Ben May arrived at the club today, as my first January signing. Conal Platt headed out in an exchange deal with Stevenage. May has his work cut out breaking into the first team, with both Koroma and Barnes-Homer in great form, but he’s a quality player and he gives us something different. He plays as a target man, throwing his body around to win headers and bring teammates into the game.

We’re slight underdogs for tomorrow’s trip to Wrexham, with odds of 13-8 against their 6-4 for a win. Wrexham’s manager told the press that we have “everything needed” to cause his team problems “and indeed beat [them].” Nice to see a gaffer with his head screwed properly onto his shoulders. We have the ability to destroy them, but by the same token they have the ability to close us out and score a few goals of their own.

They have an added advantage in that their match yesterday was postponed due to bad weather, which means that they’re fresh. Several of my players are noticeably tired, and that could take its toll if the match stays tight until the end.

I offered my transfer-listed players to other clubs, asked if we could extend Richardson’s loan until the end of the season, and began my search of the transfer market for a few new faces.

Newcastle accepted my Richardson offer just before midnight. Now we wait to see if the young midfielder is willing to stay on with us for another five months.