Day in action at Barnet on Boxing Day.
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Thursday 2nd April

I saw the doctor on Tuesday about my ankle and the news was good.

It has really settled down and I am getting no pain from it. The doctor was really pleased and I feel quite upbeat about things as he said I do not need an operation, if the ankle continues to heal as it has over the last fortnight.

Provided I do not suffer a reaction, things might move on quickly. I was back on the bike in the gym on Monday, today (Thursday) or Friday I hope to start on the cross-trainer and then maybe by next week I can start some straight-line jogging.

Obviously I have a fair way to go yet in my rehab but, who knows, I might yet be back in training before the end of the season. Perhaps, after all, I might even be fit for the last game of the season, at Lincoln City. I would love a run out and to play just one more game this season.

As for my situation beyond that, with my contract being up, I just don't know.

I think I'll be speaking to The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] at the end of the week or soon afterwards to see where I might or might not fit into the budget he has for next season. It will be good to know the thinking about me.

First and foremost I just want to sort out my situation at Aldershot. I would love to be offered the chance to stay but, then again, hopefully my agent will have let a few clubs know about my situation, if I don't get a new deal.

Not that I can see other clubs making a commitment now. Clubs will wait until later in the summer to make offers to players, with so many likely to be out of a job in the summer.

I was back at the Rec to see the Chesterfield game and, while I thought they had more of the first half, we came into our own after the break. We out-numbered them in terms of chances and it was a bit disappointing we ended up with just one, rather than three, points.

All in all, I thought the boys did well against a good team. Seasons can peter out, given the position we are in, but The Gaffer and Martin Kuhl will simply not allow  that to happen. They will want to win every game — and for the team to play well, too.

I wasn't at Grimsby but I phoned Charlesey [Anthony Charles] after the game to see how things had gone. By all accounts we did really well up there but lost out to an unbelievable decision. But that is the way football goes sometimes.

Wales had a very poor result against Finland on Saturday and last night's match against Germany looked like it would be a pretty daunting one [Wales went on to lose 2-0].

I didn't see the Finland match but a few of my mates back home phoned me afterwards and said ‘how on Earth can you not be involved in the squad if they play like that' — so, let's face it, it must have been a pretty terrible performance!

There has been a lot of talk about the small crowds and lack of atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium for Wales matches recently. I must say I'm surprised. I would always go and watch Wales when I was younger.

Then again, when we had Terry Yorath and later Mark Hughes as  manager, we did seem to have a lot of household, top division players in the squad. Now, Craig Bellamy aside, we don't have them, although there are some very good youngsters — Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey etc — coming through, so maybe soon things will improve. I've never met John Toshack but he's an experienced guy and he says he needs time to turn things around.

Who knows, if I'm playing regularly, at Aldershot or elsewhere, then he might give me a call in the future. You never lose the ambition to play for your country and win that elusive first cap, especially when you have been involved for your country as a youngster. But I know that could only ever possibly happen if I'm playing regularly — and very well.

First things first, I just need to get playing again and I must say I can't wait to get back training and get a sweat on. My head goes a bit when all you do all day is sit and have your ankle iced. I find that very boring.

Still, I'm out and about walking well now and there's always my convertible Audi to enjoy — with the nice weather forecast I'll be looking to get the roof down this weekend.

But on Sunday morning I'll be in watching Cardiff City take on Swansea City in the Championship. It — 11am — is a strange time for a football match but obviously the police hope that will help avoid trouble.

It's a massive game and it should be a good one too, with both sides pushing for the play-offs. Cardiff and Swansea doing well is some good news for Welsh football as they are big clubs, with big fanbases.

And I will certainly be hoping for a Cardiff win come Sunday!

Day was speaking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 19th March

It's been a great week or so for the team, with three good results.

I didn't see the Rotherham win — injured players tend not to travel to away games — but I hear we played really well and were solid again.

I thought we looked solid all game against Luton too and we've built on the Shrewsbury clean sheet well.

While it's a frustrating time for me personally, getting injured when I was back in the team, I'm delighted for the boys that we have done so well this week and got two wins.

Who knows, we have a game in hand on a lot of the teams above us in the table; win that and we are just eight points off the play-off places.

All we can do is, to use the cliche, take one game at a time and continue to pick up points. You never know in football what can happen; teams currently in the play-off spots might start twitching as the pressure builds towards the end of the season.

We've got Granty scoring now and Jake Robinson will get a few more too, I'm sure. If everyone else can chip in with a few then we've got a chance of getting ourselves in contention, that's for sure.

I'm not at all surprised that Granty got a couple of goals against Rotherham. It's been waiting to happen.

I know a few people have doubted him this season but I've expected the goals to come at some stage and hopefully he can go on a scoring run too.

The interesting thing is that Granty has believed in himself too. I overheard him the other day, before his goals at Rotherham, betting Marvin Morgan that he will finish the season with more goals than Marvin. I thought at the time ‘good on you Granty' and he proved on Tuesday that he's in with a chance [Grant is now just one goal behind Morgan for the season in all competitions; both have scored five times in League Two].

The other thing about Granty is that he will always work so hard for you up front, even if he isn't scoring. When he starts hitting the back of the net he becomes the complete centre-forward.

I think Lewis Chalmers coming back into the team has helped us too. We looked so solid against Luton and I think Lewis has given us a little bit more stability, just because he's prepared to sit in front of the back four.

I think it's given Scotty Davies that little bit more freedom. Lewis limped off at Rotherham but he was in yesterday [Wednesday] morning getting treatment on a slight pull to his thigh and I think he should be fit for Darlington on Saturday.

Dave Winfield has come in for me in the last two games and done really well too; it's good for him to have a spot in the team.

But, to be honest, I think we've all pulled our fingers out after the 5-0 drubbing at Bradford, starting with the 0-0 draw with Shrewsbury.

We have shown that we can turn things around after a bad spell and that we have the quality to do well in this league. Now we must carry on doing well for the rest of the season.

The injury knock I picked up in that Shrewsbury game was worse than I thought at the time. The bad news is that there is a fair bit of damage to the ankle...the good news is that it is hopefully not too serious.

The ligament damage is not too bad but instead of tearing, a scan revealed that the ligaments pulled a bit of bone off the ankle bone at the impact.

There are loose bone fragments floating around and I am seeing a surgeon this week to find out if I need an operation.

Hopefully that will turn out not to be the case. The ankle is still sore and swollen and I'm feeling some discomfort but I think I'll be back in training in a couple of weeks, if no operation is required. I just need to keep icing it and keep the weight off it, for now.

It is very disappointing for me; I did pretty well against Shrewsbury but have not been available since.

The season is turning out to be a bit of a nightmare for me, what with injuries earlier in the season,  followed by a hernia operation and now this, after being in and out of the side.

But if I do need an operation, the surgeon is the one who helped England rugby star Danny Cipriani make a very swift recovery from a serious ankle injury, so I will be in good hands. He is also looking after Ben Harding's recovery from his Achilles tear. Ben is doing well and will hopefully be back available towards the end of the season.

As for me, while it is so disappointing to be injured, you just have to think of the long term. There is no point trying to play with an injury or come back too soon; do that and you risk doing real damage and you might not play again.

Hopefully I'll be there to support the boys at Darlington on Saturday but we'll have to see. With a hotel involved, it saves money not to take players who can't play.

If I'm not there, I'll certainly be watching Wales take on Ireland in the Six Nations rugby.

I think the margin of victory we need for the title  — 13 points — will be tough. We should have trounced Italy last weekend but only just won.

Still, it's sure to be a great day in Cardiff, what with Ireland going for the Grand Slam too.

It will be ‘busy' back home in Cardiff on Saturday evening, let's put it that way.

 

Thursday 12th March

To play a team like Shrewsbury, who are chasing promotion, and keep a clean sheet, was a credit to all 11 players on Tuesday night.

Especially after Saturday; it shows we have a bit about us, to come back from losing 5-0 and then not to concede.

The performance was encouraging, I think that was the biggest thing to take from the game. It was nice to go into the dressing room after the game and have positive things said, instead of negative. So, hopefully we can take that into Saturday against Luton and get a win.

I picked up quite a bad injury just before half-time against Shrewsbury. I made a tackle and I felt that my ankle had come out of its socket. As I went to move it, it popped back in, which is a good thing, I guess. I was determined to carry on though. I had a couple of pain-killing and anti-inflammatory tablets at half-time and they helped. But as long as it was not too bad then I was always going to stay out there and try and get that clean sheet.

But there is a little bit of damage to the ankle and I will have been in on Wednesday for training and treatment on it, to see how it is.

Tuesday was a good game for me; one which, personally, was as satisfying as I've played all season. Having been out of the team and then back in for the Bradford game, Tuesday was pleasing.

I know Holty [Shrewsbury's striker Grant Holt] quite well and have played against him a number of times. I know he's a handful and a good player. It was a battle, but I felt I won it well.

I guess Andy Lindegaard being called back to Cheltenham might have helped me stay in the team after Bradford, as we reverted to just two centre-halves against Shrewsbury. But, to be perfectly honest, I don't really care. The main thing is that I was in the team.

It was nice to win my place back for the Bradford game. I had been left out of the squad against Bournemouth but by Friday morning I pretty much knew I was being given another start.

Dave Winfield didn't train on Thursday and we set up as a three at the back in training - me, Blackers [Chris Blackburn] and Charlesey [Anthony Charles]. Dave came back into training on Friday but I was still in the set-up, so then I knew. Perhaps I wish I hadn't, after we went on to lose 5-0!

My own goal was unfortunate, I'm not sure there was too much I could have done about it. Quite what Charlesey was doing on the halfway line for a start, who knows, losing the ball there!

The ball nicked off Blackers from the cross and I was stretching. To be honest, if I hadn't got anything on it then I think there was a guy behind, waiting for a tap-in, and I'd rather score an own goal then let my man score.

It's about time I got a goal at the right end. I haven't scored all season, which is disappointing, as I normally get five or six a season but fingers crossed, I can turn that round in the next couple of weeks and get a goal.

It was good to play at Bradford, despite the scoreline. Strange as it may sound, even though we lost 5-0, I felt  comfortable with three at the back. I felt quite comfortable playing on the right side of the three. I got a bit more time on the ball and the formation gives you the licence to go a little tighter to your player. I quite enjoyed it, but, having said that, not as much as I enjoyed the game against Shrewsbury. So, I guess I'm better when we play as a four.

I think Mikhael [Jaimez-Ruiz] was worried about his clean sheet against Shrewsbury, getting booked for time-wasting at 0-0!

But that's the way he is; he likes to take his time and do everything right, to make sure he gets a good connection with his kicks. It's just his

routine. He sets up properly, doing the amount of steps he always takes. There's a bit of mental maths going on.

He got booked for the same thing for the reserves the other day, so it's not so unusual. All in all, it was great for him to keep a clean sheet and I'm proud of him.

The Gaffer called us all in on Sunday for one-to-one chats and I think, looking at Tuesday's performance, it worked. The Gaffer said some home truths to some players and they have been taken on board. I think all the players showed against Shrewsbury that they want to be at this club.

The chat was just about this season, so my contract situation was not mentioned.

But, make no mistake about it, whenever I've been asked about it at other times, I've made it clear that I want to be here. I'm happy here so, hopefully, we can get something sorted and I can sign a contract, whether it is for next season or a couple. I'd be happy to play at Aldershot for a long time, if I can.

Day was speaking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 5th March

Tuesday night at Bournemouth was very disappointing for us all.

Having won so well on Saturday at home against Accrington Stanley, it was
especially disappointing not to follow that victory with a win.

Bournemouth was a drab game from start to finish and we didn't really look like scoring all evening. The conditions were atrocious, especially in the first half, and we never got our passing game going. It looked like one of those games in which the side who scored first would go on to win the game — and so it proved with them scoring either side of the break.

It did not help losing Nikki Bull. That was a setback at half-time. He made one superb save in the second half against Accrington on Saturday, which reminded us all how good he is.

I did think the team looked more confident on Saturday with Bully in behind them. I'm not sure of the extent of the hamstring problem but let's hope he's fit again as soon as possible.

I think Scott Davies might be available at Bradford City on Saturday too. Scott Donnelly is running again but Ben Harding will be out for longer. Achilles injuries are always particularly nasty.

I thought Jake Robinson took his goals really well against Accrington — his second one was a really, really good finish. It's a shame we didn't keep a clean sheet but it was a good game from us.

Lewis Chalmers was the best player on the park on Saturday and I made sure I told him so straight after the game. I am really pleased for him. He controlled the game, I thought, with his passing and his tackling and his use of the second ball. That was exactly what we've been missing in recent weeks in the middle of the park.

I thought Lewis did quite well on Tuesday too. He couldn't really get going so well, given the conditions, but, again, I thought he used the second ball well when it broke to him in the midfield battle.

Lewis winning his place back in the team after being sent out on loan to Crawley shows how football can change overnight, so that is good for me.

The Gaffer has not really spoken to me about not even making the 16 for the Bournemouth game. I had some mild concussion from playing for the reserves against Reading, so was not considered against Accrington, and I guess the Gaffer decided to stick to the same squad for Bournemouth after it did so well on the Saturday.

It's tough but there are four centre halves — five including Ricky Newman — competing for just two places, even more so now that Anthony Charles has reverted to centre-back.

Everyone is fit but only two can get picked. There is no reserves' game this week either and I just want to be playing. But we have training today (Thursday) and Friday and I will give it my all and hope to be involved. Certainly, Bradford City, away, is the type of game we all want to be play in.

You can never ever wish an injury on a team-mate. But suspensions are different. That may well be the chance I get and Anthony Charles, for instance, is close to another ban from too many bookings.

And, if I can get back in at some stage I never want to be dropped again — I will do my very best to keep my place.

The boys keep you going when you are out of the team. Especially the other centre-halves, funnily enough. We all talk things through and give each other the heads-up when needed. But I can't say I really need it. I can get myself going. I know what needs to be done and hopefully I can do it.

Most likely we will take a squad of 18 players up Bradford tomorrow in preparation for Saturday's game. Hopefully I can then get in the match-day squad of 16.

Bradford won't be easy as they get big crowds, which could make it more difficult. But hopefully there will be a nice pitch and we can get our passing going. Hopefully we can come away with three points.

It was St David's Day on Sunday but I can't say I did anything special to celebrate Wales' big day. I just chilled out and watched the Carling Cup final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

I do like United. I watched Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in particular. They are unbelievable centre-halves — no wonder United win all the time and look like they might win everything.

I watched Wales lose to France in the Rugby Union Six Nations on Friday evening too. That was disappointing, especially as I thought we should have won the game in the last five minutes. So, no Grand Slam this year. But I still think Wales will win the championship OK, don't you worry.

Day was speaking to Charlie Oliver

 

11am, Wednesday 25th February

Today's reserves' match at home to Reading will be an important one for a number of us.

We have a strong team out, including me, and it will be a chance for us all to stake a claim for a first team recall and show The Gaffer that we desperately want to be in the team.

Saturday's first team's performance against Morecambe was not brilliant, so those of us not involved know that, if we play well for the reserves, then we'll be posing questions to The Gaffer. [Day started in a 0-0 draw.]

Let's see what happens come Saturday. I'm not too sure I'll be involved but I've been keeping my head down and training as well as I can.

I still feel I am one of the leaders within the squad. There are not many of them, to be honest, and The Gaffer needs the likes of me to help out still, even if I'm not in the starting XI.

Justin Cochrane has joined us now for the rest of the season. I've only seen him in training but he likes to put his foot in and can pass the ball well.

It looks like Ben Harding will be out for a week or two at least. He has a slight tear in his achilles, which is not good at all, but hopefully club physio Jim Joyce will work his magic.

Scott Donnelly has not trained all week either and needs to rest his ankle to get it right.

I'm not sure what the situation is with Lewis Chalmers and whether or not he will come back when his loan at Crawley is up [Chalmers was recalled a few hours after Day was interviewed.]

Obviously Cochrane has come in but we have injuries too in the middle. I do think Lewis is the type of player we need right now, with bite and desire in the middle. But, whatever happens, I think the decision The Gaffer makes will be the right one.

As much as I hoped to come on against Morecambe, it was not a game when, as a centre half, you really expected to get on.

But John Grant, as a striker, was desperate to be given a go. I was sitting next to him and he was saying ‘let me on, let me try and change the game'.

Ricky Newman was the other side of me and he was just the same, champing at the bit to be given a go in the middle, to get the ball moving a bit more.

I think The Gaffer had a point when he said it would not have benefited players to join a performance like that but anyone on the bench is always keen to play, to try to turn things around.

I don't think I've ever heard the Rec as quiet as it was on Saturday. But the team must take responsibility for that. We didn't give the crowd something to shout about. I'm sure they'll be right behind us against Accrington and we can repay their faith in us.

We are good enough to beat Accrington. Their record away from home is poor - but, then again, so is ours at home in 2009. We must believe in ourselves and turn things around. Once we get one good result, I think more will come.

My best mate and ex-Shot Ryan Williams has had an interesting couple of weeks at Weymouth. Willo was not really enjoying it there - who can blame him when there was no wage coming in.

It's sad to see a club in such a bad way but professional footballers must try and earn a living and Willo is now about to be a free agent after he and the other first-team players left. He is training at Mansfield Town and hopefully a deal can be sorted out for him.

He was hoping to come and train with us for a bit but then the Mansfield offer came up and that suits him well, as the family are still based in nearby Chesterfield.

All footballers are aware of the struggling finances at some clubs and it is a worry. The summer is always a nightmare as it is, if you are chasing a deal. But I think this one will be worse than ever.

Clubs will be looking at their finances and trying to cut costs. I dread to think how many players will be out of contract across the country. It's normally about 500 but it will be more this time.

And, of course, I may be one of them. My contract is up at the end of the season but I still hope that I will get a deal at Aldershot. I really enjoy it here and I have made some good friends. I think I have a good relationship with The Gaffer and Martin Kuhl and all the staff.

But, if it's not to be, I will just have to look after myself and see where that takes me.

My brother [professional snooker player, Ryan] is having a tough time of things too. He's not in the best of form and did not do well in our home Welsh Open last week. Our dad, his missus, his friends, they are all questioning him a little at the moment. They are behind him, of course, but he needs to find his form again.

It's how you react to setbacks that determine whether you are a good or bad professional and we must both make sure we bounce back from where we are at the moment.

I told Ryan to take a break, to re-charge his batteries and come back refreshed for the China Open.

I, on the other hand, after so few games lately, cannot wait to get 90 minutes and some match fitness under my belt for the reserves. If or when I do get back in the first team, I'll be making sure I won't be dropped again, that's for sure.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 19th February

The Gillingham game was a bit of a lively one, wasn't it?

I'm sure it made for very entertaining viewing for spectators but, as a player and a defender, it made for difficult viewing at times.

Both sides gifted soft goals to the opposition but that's the way we play and to put four past Gillingham was a real bonus, as well as picking up a point.

There were some really nice goals too. I especially enjoyed the fourth one, by Andy Sandell, and even the own goal was a great move, involving Scotty Davies and Sandell again.

I'm not sure about Charlesey's contribution to the first goal, however, when he headed it back to Andy Lindegaard. I think Charlesey was going for goal!

It really was an extraordinary game. Then again, I once played in one for Mansfield Town when we led 4-0 and ended up losing 5-4!

I have been dropped to the bench for the last two matches, at Exeter and Gillingham, and, irrespective of whether I think it's fair or not, you simply have to accept The Gaffer's decision and just get on with things.

I'm not happy about it but then, no footballer should ever be happy about losing their place.

I think it does give a little insight into what The Gaffer is thinking, however, with a view to the rest of the season. Things can change overnight in football, which may be good news yet for me, but it is a frustrating time, as I am out of contract at the end of the season, too.

The Gaffer told me of his decision before the Exeter game and took me aside and explained his reasons why I was being left out.

I said my little bit back and I think he took on board my point of view. But he's there to make the decision and that's the way it is.

He knows I won't sulk and he told me not to lose my head, as things can change very quickly in football. I will just train harder than ever and try to win my place back. When you have a setback it is how you react to it that is important.

But it is hard to take. Just a few months ago, I was playing well and we weren't letting in goals. I was first choice. And now I have gone to being fourth-choice centre-back.

It is upsetting but I must just keep going and make sure that I get that good form back.

I certainly think that Dave Winfield has deserved a chance in the team too, I have no qualms about that.

The kid deserves a go, as he's a really good prospect. Dave may be a bit raw but, with the right coaching, I think he has a good career in football ahead of him. It's just a shame for me that he's in the side ahead of me at the moment.

I thought that the guys showed great spirit not to give up at 3-1 down on Tuesday and to come back to 4-3 showed what character we have in the squad.

Unfortunately, all the subs were warming up at half-time on the pitch and then had to do some extra work around the pitch after the game, so I didn't get to hear what was said in the dressing room. But it would have been interesting after a game like that.
 
We now have a couple of home games coming up, so hopefully we can get that elusive first win of 2009. But we must be wary of the likes of Morecambe and Accrington. They are both the type of side that we have struggled a bit against in recent times.

The three new loan boys have all settled in well and on the Exeter trip they all had their initiation sing-song. They all did well, to be fair.

Alex McCarthy did a rendition of Robbie Williams' Angels, Andy Lindegaard got us all clapping along to Queen's We Will Rock You and Jake Robinson sang Oasis' Wonderwall.

Jake has quickly got involved in the card school on the coach, which is good to see. We have a good bunch of us involved in it: me, Scotty Davies, Scotty Donnelly, Ricky Newman, Chris Blackburn, Nikki Bull and now Jake.

It's always a good move to get Scotty Davies involved, as he's a money machine for the rest of us.

If you fancy winning yourself a bit of money, let Scotty get involved in a card game, that's my tip.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 12th February

I am fully fit and in contention for the game down at Exeter on Saturday.

I would not have made the Port Vale game but I passed a mini fitness test on Monday morning back at training, so my hamstring is fine.

We have had a hard week's training, which we needed after all the bad weather last week.

We had a double session on Monday and then the same on Tuesday too, so that got everybody back in business.

It will be interesting to see what side The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] picks on Saturday at Exeter.

The Rochdale game was a fortnight ago and you have to put that out the way and move on, but I don't think anyone's place is safe, especially those of us who started that day.

The Gaffer has the right to change the team and we all know that.

Chris Blackburn may be suspended on Saturday but, with the arrival of Andy Lindegaard and Dave Winfield back at the club too, there is plenty of competition at the back.

Hopefully I will be involved on Saturday; we shall see. The players who do play know that, if they get the chance, they must take it.

Especially as a few of the defenders, like Blackie and Anthony Charles, are versatile and The Gaffer can switch things aorund. I'm one of a number of players hoping to play centre-back but, then again, Anthony Straker and Dean Howell know, for instance, that Charlesey can also play left back, as well as in the middle.

It all adds to the competition and it can only be a good thing for the rest of the season.

And obviously we have the new guys in on loan too — Alex McCarthy and Jake Robinson, as well as Andy.

Their arrival has given everyone a bit of a kick up the backside. The Gaffer was clearly not happy with what he had and he believes the squad will be better with the new arrivals.

It has certainly freshened things up and this week's training has been good and bright.

We've been getting to know the new guys and they have added to the competition. It will be interesting to see if they can do a good job in matches too.

Andy looks a very steady player and Alex certainly has presence — he's a big lad. Hopefully Jake can score some goals too as, if he does, it means the team will be doing well.

Financial restrictions may mean that the club has been restricted to loan moves but I think it will work well.

The Gaffer can have a look at the players and then decide if he wants to commit to longer and, if things work out really well, we should get the first option to make things permanent, if that is what everyone wants and the money is available.

It was great for Scotty Davies to get called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad in the week. It is bound to have been a good experience and a real feather in his cap, even if he didn't get on in the end.

Actually, that may have been a good thing. Due to last week's awful weather, Scotty couldn't reach training last week, so I reckon he'd have been blowing a bit, had he played!

I played and captained a good few games for Wales U21s when I was younger and it was a great experience.

I really enjoyed it and we spent time with the full squad too, which was a fantastic thing for a young player.

Talking of Wales internationals but moving to Rugby Union, it was good that it was business as usual for Wales last weekend against Scotland.

I can see us winning the Grand Slam again. This weekend we have one of our easier games, too: England at the Millennium Stadium.

When I'm back home in South Wales, I get my hair cut by one of Wales fullback Lee Byrne's best mates and we always have a good chat about the rugby.

I'm hoping that the fact we're going back to Exeter's St James Park this weekend will give everyone a lift.

We have such good memories of the celebrations down there last April and perhaps that might inspire us.

Exeter are clearly a good side and have had a great win in midweek and a victory there would be a superb result for us.

We are all aware that 2009 has not started well for us but the boost of going down to Exeter and hopefully a good result will mean that we can kick on from there.

There are so many points left to play for this season.

Nineteen more games in fewer than three months mean that we'll be playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday and the like for almost the rest of the whole season.

But we have a young, fit squad and, while we will need all of us, we are well-placed to cope with the games.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 5th February

We couldn't train on either Monday or Tuesday, due to the weather.

I live just up the road from Aldershot, in Farnborough, but many of the players are based further afield, coming from London and beyond, and Monday was a no-go, with the M25 and the like closed.

And on Tuesday there was simply nowhere available to train, as all pitches were covered in snow.

I was in the gym, however, as I have a slight hamstring problem. So, there was no snowman-making for me.

Bully was in too as we're the injured guys. Ben Harding passed a fitness test on Sunday morning, so would have been available if the Chesterfield match had gone ahead. I don't think I would have been available for selection.

As for Bully, I'm not too sure of the exact extent of his problem. It's something he's had for a while and he's done us a favour by playing through a bit of pain in the past — but I think the injury has just worsened that little bit and it's a case of ‘hang on — we need to get this right again'.

I felt my injury a bit against Brentford — it's the other leg from the hamstring problem I had at the end of November. It was just a little niggle, no more than that, but it became a little bit worse against Rochdale.

The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] took me off in a tactical change early in the second half and actually did me a bit of a favour, due to the injury situation. Not that I'm the type who cries off from a game when you are already losing 4-0.

It is always disappointing to be taken off. As a player, it's annoying. But it's happened a couple of times now, with Chris Blackburn and Louie Soares having the versatility to move positions. You have to accept the decision and just get on with things.

I've been having treatment and working hard on the exercise bike and while there is no point of playing again until the injury is 100% fixed, I'm very hopeful that I will be fit for Port Vale on Saturday, should the game go ahead.

If I'm selected, that is. Saturday's first half against Rochdale was a very poor display by us. We know that and it was multiplied by coming on the back of some other disappointing performances.

We were all called in on Sunday for a meeting, to get a few things off our chest after the game. A few things needed to be said.

It's not a case of falling out or anything like that but at a time like this plenty of people have plenty to say — and everyone needs to be allowed to say what they want to say.

To point out to other players or the team what they think should be done, should not be done or needs to improve, that type of thing.

It's a chance for players to take things on board individually and together and for us all to move on and learn.

Doing it as a squad helps keep us together, increases respect for team-mates — which is vital — and helps us pull as one.

It's all about respect and it will help us stay upbeat and be up for the challenges ahead. That is very important and one of the main objectives of Sunday. Being down in the dumps will not help us.

We should not forget that it was not so long ago that we beat Port Vale and the defensive performance that night was very good.

We need to move away from the recent mistakes, take on board what needs to change and have the confidence to get that defensive strength back. We know we have it. We know that we turned things around before and went on a good run from the beginning of November, after a bad spell of results similar to the ones we've just had.

Watching the DVD of the Rochdale game on Sunday did make me cringe and a few other players too I'm sure. But it's a good thing to do. You can clearly see what went wrong and what needs to be done to improve.

We all know that if you don't perform to your best then there will be players knocking on The Gaffer's door and saying: "I should be in the team instead."

And we've a couple of new boys [Andy Lindegaard and Alex McCarthy] joining us this week. I haven't met them yet, as we haven't had training and I don't know too much about them but I'm looking forward to the chance to meet them and see what they are about.

I always thought the club would be able to get some new blood in. Money is always an issue but there are always talented boys out there who don't have a club or are at clubs and not playing.

For a while, with a few injuries too, it looked like we were right down to the bare bones but, with the new boys and players coming back from loan deals, we are looking a little bigger in squad terms. That has to be a good thing.
 
Competition is healthy and the likes of me, Chris Blackburn and Anthony Charles know full well that Dave Winfield is back and pushing for a place. It is only healthy.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 29th January

We all know that Tuesday's night defeat at Brentford was disappointing. But what for me was the worst thing was that it looked like a few of the boys gave up.

That is not good to see. At 2-0 down you never know what might happen. If you get a goal things can change quickly. But I looked into the eyes of a few of the boys and they had given up.

It's a mental thing and is happening when we concede a goal, especially away from home. Whatever stage of the game and against whatever team, if we let a goal in, heads drop.

We are aware of it and as soon as we fell behind last night I was talking to the players, telling them that we must stay solid — but were are not doing that.

It is frustrating, to put in mildly. I can't speak for everyone in the team but I can tell you that I am not a player who is happy to play for a run-of-the-mill side.

I am not content just to stay in this division, or make sure we avoid relegation. We should be fighting as hard as we possibly can to get promoted, to win.

I don't think some of the guys lack composure. It's a lack of wanting, of a ruthless streak.

I don't think Brentford were a whole lot better than us. I think early on we passed it better than they did all game but they had the determination. They wanted to win more than we did — and hence they did.

After the game in the dressing room The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] and Martin Kuhl pointed the finger at the few of the boys, about their lack of desire.

The thing is, you can't teach that, it has to come from within. And it's the nature of the business that we are in that, if you don't give your all, you won't make it.

It was made very clear that if players don't give 100% on every occasion then there will be changes. No wonder The Gaffer was so frustrated on the touchline and the fourth official took exception to something he said.

But I don't think the referee helped us on the night, to be honest. He didn't give too much to us and I was on his case most of the match, just reminding him that there were two sides out there on the pitch. However, the first goal was right to stand, I think. The linesman flagged for offside because he didn't realise that Scotty Davies had touched the ball.

It is more difficult for us in defence with Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz playing rather than Nikki Bull. That is not to criticise Mikhael, far from it, but we are simply much more used to having Nikki there and we know what he will do, whether he will come for the ball and the like. It's an obvious understanding thing that just develops when players play a lot together.
 
The sooner Bully is back available, the better — but whether that will be Saturday, I'm not sure.

We need everyone fit and together and I'm sure both Dave Winfield and Lewis Chalmers will come into the reckoning once they are back from their loan spells, assuming The Gaffer gets them back in. Ben Harding was struggling at the end too, so we'll just have to see how fit he is.

There has been speculation linking us with a few players, with the transfer window still open.

Obviously we are looking for a striker and, to be honest, we need one. You can see that from our recent results.

I still think our strikers have the ability to score, however. But we have all got to try and make things happen.
 
Even if your confidence is down you've got to trust your ability, to get in a position to score, not hide from one in case you think you won't score.

There have been a couple of occasions recently, against Macclesfield and Brentford, when we've worked a freekick well and I've headed the ball back across the area, but no one has followed in with conviction.

Not that I am not holding my hand up about Bury's second goal on Saturday. I feel I defended OK at both Bury and Brentford but I should have dealt with that cross at Bury and just got it away from trouble. I was devastated.

To be honest, I would welcome strengthening of the squad in all departments — the sooner, the better. Whether or not the club has the money to do that, however, is another matter.

Which is all very different to my first club, Manchester City, and the huge amount of money they have available. It is surreal, to be honest, having been at the club and knowing it well.

I played with the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips (I was his captain), Stephen Ireland and Richard Dunne. It looked like I was about to break into the first team in place of Dunne in 2001 - but then Joe Royle got sacked and it didn't happen. Such is football.

You can't help but think what might have been. But fair play to the guys I was there with, who play at the top level still.

Besides, the same things apply, whether you play for Manchester City or Aldershot Town. You will only succeed if you have the right attitude and desire to go with your talent.

And the positive side is that we have plenty of games ahead to put things right, starting at home to Rochdale on Saturday. We had a blip in January last year but put it right at the end of the month that time. Fingers crossed we do it again. We certainly need to after Tuesday.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 22nd January

It would be interesting to see the possession stats from Tuesday's game against Notts County.

They completely dominated the ball and it simply was not good enough from us.

I thought in the first half that, while we were not at our best, County were at least largely playing in front of us and we didn't defend too badly.

But we kept on giving the ball straight back to them and, when that happens, you can't get out of your half and you get pushed deeper.

It's simple: if you don't pass the ball well, you don't get to keep it and you can't get out.

We are supposed to be the side who can pass the ball well but instead they gave us a lesson in it. That's what Martin Kuhl said afterwards in the dressing room. That it was embarrassing that we like to call ourselves a passing team but we'd allowed ourselves to be passed off our own pitch by a visiting one.

The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] and Kuhly held a lengthy inquest with us all in the dressing room afterwards. It was a mix of anger and trying to look forward constructively. The Gaffer made his feelings clear with a couple of wise words, let's put it that way. Then Kuhly had his turn.

As captain, there is a time and a place to speak up but, while I did feel like saying a few things as they were ranting, I kept schtum. At times like that it's definitely right just to let the management have their say, deal with things and show that they are in charge.

As for the game itself, we were pleased to be 1-0 up at the break, having not played too well. Often it's been on the other foot this season; we have played well but not been ahead.

But we didn't perform after that. It was a bit of a silly tackle from me that led to their first goal from a free kick. I guess it was a but like Charlesey's [Anthony Charles] against Dagenham, when they equalised from a freekick too. It wasn't as blatant as Charlesey's, mind, but their guy was facing away from goal and I had a rush of blood.

To go 2-1 up with such a great goal from Scott Davies, when we hadn't played very well, was a real boost. We just needed to get together and see things through.

But we defended very badly and let them in. Charlesey  missed a header, I got too tight to Jamie Forrester and no one tracked Matt Hamshaw's run. A number of their players had good games, him included, but you're going to have good games if you are allowed so much possession and time to play.

No disrespect to Macclesfield and Notts County but if we are looking to do anything this season then we should have been getting six points from those two home games.

It doesn't look like the enforced break from the postponements has helped us. I certainly wanted to be playing and keeping match-fit and sharp. But that's no excuse for Tuesday.

As I've mentioned before, my contract is up at the end of the season and I was planning to have a word with the management at the beginning of January.

But then we weren't playing, so it didn't seem like the right time and, let's face it, I've not done too well in the last couple of games. So I've knocked that little thought on the head and I'm just going to keep my head down, work hard and get my form back.

We all need to do that and I'm sure we will. If we all work hard then things will work out OK.

My brother, Ryan, needs to work hard at his snooker too. He didn't play well in losing to Mark Allen in the Masters at Wembley Arena last week. Ryan started well, won the first frame and was bossing the next one too. He was looking good but he made a couple of errors and let Allen back in.

I guess it was very similar to what we did against Dagenenham after Christmas. We were ahead and in charge but handed them a chance with that freekick and that gave them a lift and a goal. It shows how across sport it's so dangerous to allow an opponent to get a boost.

Talking of goals, I felt I should have got on the scoresheet against Maccelsfield. That first half header I had, the very least I should have done was hit the target.

But I will say that Charlesey put me off. As the ball was about to get to me he yelled ‘yeeeeeeeees', as if I'd already scored. I hadn't even headed the ball!"

I got a nasty gash in my shin against County and needed a few stitches in it afterwards. I did it when I cleared the ball after Mikhael [Jaimez-Ruiz] had saved Hamshaw's freekick onto the bar. I thought it was just a little cut during the game and was a bit surprised when I looked at it afterwards. But it certainly won't stop me training today [Thursday].

I think the Gaffer may shake a few things up at Bury on Saturday, after Tuesday. We don't have the biggest squad but I'm sure he'll find a way to make changes if he wants to. It will be interesting to see what he does. No one can be sure of their place.

I think both Nikki Bull and Marvin Morgan should be available too. Not that John Grant and Junior Mendes should really be judged on one game alone like Tuesday's.

It's hard being a striker when your side has very little possession. The whole XI was a disappointment, from front to back.

But hopefully we can soon get this week out of the system and ensure the County performance was a one-off. Fingers crossed we can put it under the carpet but we can only do that if we can get something from the Bury game.

Maybe it will do us good to be together on the bus for a long away trip, with an overnight stay. We must be positive, that is the main thing. Everything will be fine if we can get a positive result — but it will be an even longer journey back if we don't.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 15th January

Fortunately it's been fairly mild at the start of the week and we've finally been back training on the grass pitch.

We had an XI v XI ‘match' at Monday's training; after nearly three weeks without a game, it was good to play a bit of football.

Tuesday brought a short, sharp session. All in all we've had a decent start to the week and it looks like the weather won't get in the way come the weekend. Hopefully the worst of the weather is gone.

I've been keeping myself fighting fit but, you can train all you want, but there is no substitute for games. That's why I've asked The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] if I could be involved in the reserves' match away to Southampton on Wednesday evening. [Day played the first 45 minutes in a 4-2 defeat and put Aldershot 1-0 up early on.]

I missed the Dagenham game on December 28 with injury, so come Macclesfield on Saturday it will be more than three weeks since I played a match.

I need to be playing, to keep my game tight and on the ball, to get my concentration levels as high as possible. So, a short run out will do me good.

Some might say that we — and all the other sides who have scarcely played this calendar year — might benefit from the enforced break we've had. A mid-season winter break, if you like.

But I'm not sure about that. Sometimes, every now and then, it can be good to have a game called off, especially if you perhaps feel a bit lethargic. It can happen.

And there have been good things about the last couple of weekends. After the Notts County match was off, Blackers [Chris Blackburn] asked me if I had any plans and I didn't, so we ended up having a couple of beers together and watching the results come in from the FA Cup and more on the telly. It's not often as a professional footballer that you get to watch a Saturday afternoon results' programme.

And I had a good time last weekend, which mainly involved watching the Lakeside darts on the telly. The final [won by Ted Hankey] was very exciting. And before that I enjoyed seeing Man United beat Chelsea. United and, especially, Cardiff City, are the two teams I ‘follow'.

But the majority of footballers want to be playing. I certainly do and i can't wait to get back on the pitch. Last Saturday, for instance, we trained on the Astroturf on Saturday afternoon, when we'd rather have been playing Gillingham.

It was freezing that day and while it wasn't too bad training, it was Baltic cold shopping with the missus later.

That's why it's good news for Lewis Chalmers that he's he's gone on loan to Crawley. Everyone knows by now what Chalms is like — he just wants to play football.

It's been very frustrating for him, not being in the team much this season, especially as he's been fit for selection.

But, at Crawley, he will get games under his belt, no doubt win a few too, as Crawley are going well, and hopefully get a good report back to The Gaffer from Crawley.

That way he will have showed The Gaffer what he can still do and maybe he'll do it again in an Aldershot shirt in the near future.

It's tough on Scott Donnelly that he's picked up an injury in training. With Chalms out on loan, Scott was perhaps in line to play if a place came available in central midfield.

But Scott will be back. To be honest, as professionals we all know that it is simply the way football works. Injuries are never welcome — but they happen.

The games will now come thick and fast for us. This part of the season always looked like being busy and now we have the County and Gillingham games squeezed in too. I'm looking forward to it — it's time to play again.

With two home games up first hopefully we can get the home form rolling again as we've done almost every time in the last year.

I was out injured when we lost at Notts and Macclesfield but I saw both games. Any neutral watching would have said that Aldershot probably deserved something from both games. But we came away with no points. So, we have to put that right. I'm fairly confident we will pick up six points but we've got to go out and do it.

My brother, Ryan, was playing in the snooker Masters at Wembley Arena on Tuesday night and I went to support him, along with Ryan Williams and Lewis Chalmers.

It's a big year for Ryan [Day]. He's been putting in a huge amount of practice and is confident. Everyone knows his quality — hopefully he can turn it into tournament wins. That way I might get a better Christmas present this year than the one he got me last month! [Day went on to lose 6-1 to Mark Allen.]

As for us, it's all about Saturday. Hopefully we'll finally get 2009 going — and with a win too. The boys are certainly determined, that's for sure.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 8th January

The freezing weather has meant we haven't been able to train on grass so far this week — but it's not affected us at all.

We had a good session indoors in the gym on Monday and then on the astro on Tuesday.

Who knows whether the game at Gillingham on Saturday will beat the frosty weather but we are just busy preparing for the game as normal.

A few of the guys have asked The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] as to whether he thinks the game will be on and he's said it definitely will be.
 
That way we will be fully prepared, with the right mindset to play.

But it is annoying when games get called off. You make all the right preparation  and then all of a sudden a game is off.

I was fully fit for Saturday's match at home to Notts County, after missing the Dagenham match, and hopefully would have been selected in the starting line-up.

I was really up the game, as soon as I woke up. Sometimes you can wake up on a match day and feel lethargic but I had a really good feeling on Saturday and was looking forward to the game, as I drove to the ground.

Only to be told at the gates that the game was literally just being called off. It was a ‘bummer' but what can you do, these things happen.

That said, I was a bit surprised as we had trained on the pitch in the morning on New Year's Day and it hadn't seemed too bad.

It was a very sunny day on Saturday too and I thought the sun would have thawed the worst areas a little.

But obviously it didn't. I don't think we as players can ever complain when a referee calls a game off for a frozen pitch, as he's doing it with us in mind. Ultimately, he is looking after the players' safety. It's our livelihood.
 
But with the County game off and the one up at Rotherham before Christmas too, we could do with playing at Gillingham on Saturday.

Every game is massive for us from now on in. We want to do something this season and that means taking points from tough games.

Gillingham look like they are a decent team and I think it will be a good game. Their home record is a as good as ours, which means it is not bad at all, to put it mildly.

But our away results have picked up recently. While Gillingham won't be easy, we always believe we can do well.

It's great news for Kirk Hudson that he's been nominated for League Two player of the month for December.

We all know Kirk's ability and qualities and if he can produce them more consistently then we will have an excellent player on our hands.

He's young , quick and scoring goals, so I guess it's inevitable that other clubs are probably looking at Kirk. That's what happens in a transfer window.

While it would be sad for the team if players like Kirk moved on, you can never stand in the way of the chance for a player to better himself.

But hopefully he will be at Aldershot for a while yet. As for me, I've heard people say I've been playing well this season, but I'm just keeping my head down and getting on with things at Aldershot.

Actually, I would like to speak to The Gaffer soon about my situation.

I'm not sure if it's common knowledge but my contract is up in the summer, so I only have six months or so left on it.

It would be nice to talk to The Gaffer about it soon. Hopefully he'll call me in and let me know what he wants to do and what the club's plans are with me.

It's good that Andy Sandell has joined us permanently. He's already proved himself to be good player for us and can play at this level. That he's played in the Football League before and been promoted from this level with Bristol Rovers is good too; the more experience we have, the better.

Dean Howell has been back training with us this week, after his loan at Bury.

I'm not sure what his situation is, whether he is staying or going back to Bury, but he looks sharp and fit in training.

Myself and a few of the boys — Scotts Davies and Donnelly, Lewis Chalmers and Nikki Bull — went to the BDO World Championships at Lakeside in Frimley on Tuesday.

It was a good laugh and a good night was had by all. Except for the boys who put a little bet on Simon Whitlock, who lost in his match against Darryl Fitton!

A few more of us went last year, it was a bit more last-minute this time around.

But we enjoyed it. I like a game of darts every now and then, if there's a board in a pub. But I can't say I'm brilliant.

Anyway, back to football: we are all raring to go and hopefully Saturday will be on. We've yet to play this year!

Talking of the new year, have I made any resolutions? No, I'm not into that sort of thing at all. Life is a case of ‘another day, another dollar' in my book.

 

Thursday January 1

I missed the Dagenham game last Sunday after taking a whack on the side of my thigh at Barnet.

I took a knee in it I think, just before half-time, and had a dead leg as a result. I got through the rest of that Barnet game OK but it stiffened right up after the final whistle went.

I didn't train on Saturday (December 27), I just had some treatment in the gym and I had a fitness test at about 12.30pm before the Dagenham game. Once I got warm I thought the leg problem would ease off — but it didn't. Usually a dead leg should be OK after having a day and a bit to recover. I don't know, maybe it's my old age!

Before the Barnet game we had Christmas Day off — to a point. Like last season, The Gaffer was kind enough to give us the day off but we had to do a little workout on our own again.

We were given a heart-rate monitor and then they download it and they can see what we've been doing. Every single one of the boys did it properly and it shows our professionalism and will to do well that we went on to win 3-0 at Barnet the next day.

It's good news that Junior Mendes has signed a new deal. Junior is always going to be sharp and a little bit of a threat. He's quick, a good player and works hard. The Gaffer obviously has a little bit of faith in him.

As for my injury, I want to be back involved straight away and, after a day off on Monday, should have been back training on Tuesday. To be honest, Dagenham came just 24 hours too soon. If it had been a Friday match to a Monday I think I would have been OK.

As for losing the game, I'm not so much bothered about the home record coming to an end, to be honest. It's just the manner in which we lost. They had two shots on goal all game and scored goals from the both of them.

In the first 20 minutes we absolutely battered them. We've got to learn to wrap games up when we're on top. If we score two or three in the first 20 minutes of a game, it just kills teams off. They would just want to be getting out of here and not bother about playing.

So, we should have been more than a goal up. Then Charlesey [Anthony Charles] was a bit too eager to win the ball and gave away a free-kick. The guy had his back to goal. We shouldn't have given the free-kick away there. Give the other boy his due, he stuck it away well. Bully had no chance.

Strakes [Anthony Straker] was deservedly voted man of the match. He showed some great touches, put in some great crosses and his pace will always make him a threat.

But we didn't play as well in the second half. In the final third I thought some of our decision making just wasn't right.

We've had four on two going forward, some really promising positions and then the final pass was wrong or we've shot when it should have been a pass.

To be honest, as comfortable as the win at Barnet was, it was similar there too as we went in 1-0 up at the break when I thought it should have been 3-0, if we'd taken our chances.

Maybe if we had been 3-0 up I could have come off with this thigh injury and been fit for the Dagenham game!

Dagenham's winning goal was a good move, to be fair. I played against the boy [Peter] Gain in the past a few times and he's a good player.

He didn't do too much on Sunday but then showed a bit of class for the winner, picking the ball up, making a few passes and continuing his run and crossing for the goal. It's disappointing that no-one picked him up, mind.

But the Dagenham game was just the way football can go. We've had a good run in the last ten games. We've now lost one and the important thing is that we don't drop more points and that we crack on straight away.

Notts County are up next at home and we all remember we played all right up there and should have won — or at least got something from the game.

Hopefully we can turn around losing to the last kick up there and make an assault on those play-off places again.

Happy New Year to all and looking forward to another successful one for The Shots.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 18th December

When I woke up on last Saturday I wasn't really aware just how much it had been raining. The idea that our match against Rotherham might be off just hadn't even crossed my mind.

We were all ready to go for our pre-match walk, as we normally do. That was at about 11.30am and none of the boys really wanted to go on it in the rain.

We were about to set off, nonetheless, but The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] held us back and said we might as well wait for the referee to call back. "What do you need to speak to him about?" I asked. "There's a pitch inspection," he  said.
I was pretty surprised, rain rarely causes games to be off these days but The Gaffer seemed to think the game would be off.

I'm not sure he thought Rotherham were too keen to play us so soon after we'd beaten them in the FA Cup, what with them having a couple of suspensions. I'm sure they are keen for revenge for that defeat.

No, it really did rain hard and the referee made a quick decision. We never actually got to see just how bad the conditions were, anyway, as our hotel was 40 minutes or so from the ground.

Talking of waterlogged pitches, my dad has managed teams back home in Wales down the years and he's been known to use the old trick of getting the hosepipe on a pitch, when he wasn't so keen for a team to play!

While you can't help the weather, we were certainly disappointed not to play. We were confident and are on a bit of a roll and wanted it to continue.

That said, with our away record from earlier in the season maybe it's a good thing that we now won't have an away game from the Chester one last month and the Boxing Day trip to Barnet!

I think all the boys were expecting time off as soon as it was confirmed that the game had been postponed.

But The Gaffer and Martin Kuhl were having none of that and had us working hard in the gym in the hotel. But it was a good session and worthwhile.

It was strange having a Saturday afternoon free. I didn't head back on the coach and headed to Manchester with a couple of the boys as we had Sunday and Monday off. I have some friends up there.

But it must have been odd sitting on the coach heading back to Aldershot and keeping up with the Saturday afternoon scores as they came in.

Marvin Morgan is still suspended on Saturday after the postponement, so someone will get another chance to stake their claim. There was the reserves game against Reading before that on Wednesday afternoon.

I don't expect many of the regular first-teamers to have been involved, it'll be more the players who are short of games.

Some of those players did not take their chance in the Hampshire Cup loss at Basingstoke last week and yesterday presented them with another chance to do well.

That second chance has come sooner than they might have thought. That's the beauty of football, chances do come again. I hope one or two players took their chance yesterday — and then do the same on Saturday against Grimsby.

Grimsby had a good result last Saturday, beating Shrewsbury, but our home form speaks for itself. I don't expect many team to come to The Rec — sorry, the EBB Stadium — and get anything. We will be confident again.

My brother Ryan was in action in the UK Championship in Telford on Saturday but lost out in the first round to fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens.

I didn't see it myself as I was driving but I did speak to my dad after a couple of frames, when Ryan was already losing.

"He's got no chance of winning," said dad. Quite how he knew that after two frames of a best of 17 contest, I don't know, but he just said that Ryan's body language was not right.

To be fair to dad, he's normally right and Ryan went on to lose 9-5.

Dad claims he can tell the same with me. Just by watching me as I run out onto the pitch, he says he can tell by the way I run whether I'm at the races or not.

I'm not sure about that but thankfully so far this season I have mainly been at the races!

We are all raring to go for Saturday and there hasn't been a problem with keeping fit.

In fact, after having so many injuries already this season, I've been able to do a bit more work in the gym and strengthen myself up a little bit more, to try and ward off further injuries.

We all had a double session to welcome us back to training on Tuesday too, so we've been kept busy and now can't wait for a game.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 11th December

The first half against Wycombe was, for me, the best we've played this season. We seem to make a habit of it against Peter Taylor, what with the game at home to Stevenage last season too.

We sat off a little in the second half and we weren't so dominant, but even at 2-1 I didn't think they would equalise. I thought we were pretty comfortable.

To be honest, I think the way Wycombe play suited us. That was why I was so confident before the game. I thought our pace and passing could hurt them and a final score of 3-2 flattered them a bit.

It was great to see youngsters like Kirk Hudson and Danny Hylton do so well and score some great goals. It could be a bit scary for us in the January transfer window, however. I'm sure there may be clubs interested in some of our players, if we keep performing as we have in recent weeks.

I guess it's brilliant for the club in some way, but young, exciting players might be difficult to replace. But that is football and we'll just have to see what happens.

I won pretty much everything in the air in the first half and put some good challenges in. But I was up against two small guys. Matt Harrold came on after the break and he's a decent player, to be fair. He won a couple of headers and I thought: "Hang on, I've work to do here."

As a defender, it was good to see Ricky Newman come on when we were 2-1 up on Saturday, to use his experience and sit in front of the back four. He knows how to kill the game, like when he fell over Tommy Doherty and bought us time, a free-kick — and a booking for Doherty.

That said, I think Newmo got a bit excited at times and was charging up field and ended up at centre forward at one stage. I was screaming ‘Rickaaaaay' at him. It was like being in EastEnders.

Talking of a bit of acting, it was good fun to model the new blue away kit last week.

I hear that Christmas sales are high already, which is no surprise with me modelling it! No, I was a bit surprised to be asked, to be honest, but myself Ben [Harding] and Marvin [Morgan] enjoyed plenty of banter doing it.

There was one picture where Ben and I were facing the camera but Marvin had his back to it. Quite right too: Marvin is only good for modelling clothes from behind.

It's always nice to do something a little different for the club and we had the children's party after the game on Saturday. It's important players show their faces at events like that and that we can show our thanks to families for their support and please the kids by signing things and the like.

We had a skittles night on Monday too, which was well attended. The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] was impressive and stayed in the competition for quite a while. Anthony Charles did not.

I went along to the Hampshire Cup game on Tuesday at Basingstoke. How was it? Very cold. I took my girlfriend with me and we braved the first half but by half-time she was not happy. Not at all. It was not the best of games and it was freezing.

So we left and I didn't know that we'd lost until the next morning. From what I saw, the players involved did not take their chance.

We were out of the other cups and reserve games are few and far between.

I'd like to think the players saw the Hampshire Cup as a chance to play and have more games later on too. To stake a claim. That's how they should have viewed it but I'm not sure all the players thought like that. Some of them will be hurting right now after losing, I'd imagine.

Yesterday was a day off, so I had a bit of a lie-in. The missus went out to get her hair and her make-up done but then she was planning to drag me out Christmas shopping, much to my joy.
 
Marvin has a day off on Saturday — because of suspension. It's a big loss.

I really don't know what The Gaffer will do. There are the strikers who played against Basingstoke [John Grant, Junior Mendes and Rob Elvins] but there's always the option of putting Kirk up front and bring Soaresy back in. Whatever The Gaffer and Martin Kuhl decide, I'll go with that.

Saturday is a big game. Our away form has improved and our home form has been brilliant. We must keep going and get as high as possible in the division. Rotherham are a decent team and will be up for the game after we beat them 3-0 at their place in the FA Cup recently.

We were based at a lovely hotel the afternoon before that match and hopefully we will be at the same one tomorrow night. That way I know we'll have good food and an excellent night's sleep before the game.

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 4th December

I'm very hopeful that I will be fully fit and available for Saturday's League Two match at home to leaders Wycombe Wanderers.

I was busy in the gym on Monday and was then back running at 50% by the end of the day. By yesterday that should have been up to 100% and hopefully today [Thursday] I will be back in training with the boys. I feel that if you are back in full training on a Thursday then you are available for selection on the Saturday.

So, if things go according to plan, I would imagine that I will only not be playing on Saturday if The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] decides to stick with the boys who played in the win over Lincoln City and the 3-0 FA Cup defeat at Millwall.

To be completely honest, I don't think the boys who played at the back on Saturday were up to their usual standard and I also believe I did well in the side before I got injured.

I'd like to think that The Gaffer would also like to bring his captain back in at the first opportunity. I hope he's looking to have be back leading on the pitch.

I was keen to play for the reserves at Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday afternoon and asked if I could have 45 minutes or an hour to improve my fitness, rather than just run around a track. But club physio Jim Joyce made the decision that there was no need trying to generate a little match fitness when there was a risk of getting injured again.

The Gaffer sat the back four down on Monday morning and they watched the Millwall DVD back together, so they could find an explanation as to what happened and how the mistakes can be cut out. For all three goals and more crosses besides we appeared to switch off. And that was from players who have done really well this season.

It just goes to show that, being a professional sportsman, you must go into work every day on top of your game or you will get punished, especially when you are playing against a side who are doing well in the league above.

I thought in between the two boxes on Saturday that we had a fair go at Millwall and were more than equal to them. But in both boxes we were inferior. We didn't take our chances and we switched off at the back. Games are won and lost in penalty areas and we lost out.

But as a defender, I have to say we have it the hard way. Your forwards can miss chances or your midfielders can lack creativity but if you still keep a clean sheet, you have the chance of a replay or a point in the league. But let in goals and there is no guarantee you'll get something from the game. It is why defenders are often the unsung heroes of football.

Well done to Nikki Bull for making his 300th appearance for the club at Millwall. Bully is an outstanding professional and has scarcely missed a game since he got to the club.

I didn't go to the reserves' match at QPR. In fact, after working on my fitness in the gym I was busy doing some Christmas shopping in the afternoon. Not that I ended up buying much.

I was really pleased to hear that Lewis Chalmers had a good game and was on the scoresheet. That should give him a bit of a lift. He has been a bit down lately about not being in the team and a little thing like scoring in a very impressive win for the reserves will be good for him. He's not in the team but he still gives his all for the reserves — it shows that his heart is very much in the club.

It's tough on Lewis but Ben Harding and Scott Davies are playing well in the midfield. The Gaffer knows what he wants and I think you do need a base of a settled back four and at least two midfielders playing week in, week out. That solid six gives a foundation to the team and it's unlucky on Lewis that he was not part of it when it was settled on.

Lewis is pushing for a start and with Andy Sandell back from being cup-tied and Danny Hylton's suspension over, there is plenty of competition for places on Saturday; it can only be healthy for the club.

I went along to watch Wycombe at home to Macclesfield on Tuesday night. The Gaffer was going anyway but Granty [John Grant] and I fancied going along to see them. I was hoping that they won — or even better, draw [Wycombe won 4-0] — as I want us to be the ones to take their unbeaten league record away from them on Saturday.

If we play like we did last season at home against a Peter Taylor team [Aldershot beat Stevenage Borough 3-1] then we will be very happy.  All I can say is: look out on Saturday if we do play so well again. I remember picking up a bit of a knock in that game — there's a rarity, me and an injury.

Granty's been lacking a few goals this season and Saturday was not the best game he's ever had. But then other players were off too. I'm sure Granty will come through this period. He gets in good positions and he's a good finisher. He's set up a number of goals this season and holds the ball up well.

We are out of the cups, so it's all about the league now. So hopefully I'll be involved on Saturday too. My Dad is looking to come and support me but he is organising a big night down at our sport club in the valleys at Pontycymer, near Bridgend, so he may not be able to make it.

Talking of Wales, was I especially happy to win on the border of north Wales, at Chester two weeks ago? Not really, a win is a win to me. But, I have to say, North Walians are more scousers than Welsh, anyway!

Rhys Day was talking to Charlie Oliver

 

Thursday 27th November

I am not sure I am going to be fit for Saturday's big FA Cup clash at Millwall.

I had a session in the gym with the physio on Wednesday lunchtime and then I was due to have another one in the evening. I can't really see myself training today (Thursday) and while I may make training on Friday, I think that gives The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] a bit of a headache.

I tend to think that if a player is not fit to train on the Thursday then they should not be in contention to start on the Saturday. We shall see. Perhaps the hamstring will suddenly feel better and I'll be OK this morning. I really want to play.

It will be a great shame to miss out if I do. With seven substitutes allowed in the FA Cup, perhaps I can persuade The Gaffer to name me on the bench, even if there's no chance of me playing. I want to be involved.
 
I'm confident that we can go the New Den and get something from the game. The aim is still to be in the hat come the Third Round draw and I believe we can achieve that, even if  Millwall are going really well in the league above us.

As for the injury, I felt something go slightly in my hamstring in the second half of the FA Cup replay win at Rotherham.

It's a slight tear and I didn't train last Wednesday and Thursday but we decided to give it a go at Chester.

I was OK to start with but I felt the injury after about 15 minutes and later in the half I realised that it was not going to go away and it was better for me to come off.

I have to keep in mind that rushing back on Saturday may put me back further, should I aggravate the injury, and we have to bear in mind that we have a big League Two game a week on Saturday, at home to leaders Wycombe Wanderers.

I don't think the injury is directly related to my hernia operation, which is good.

However, I did not have a full pre-season and I think that may be significant. Pre-season is very important. It is a chance to get your body ready for a full season, to get your muscles fully prepared.

I missed out on that and I also came back from my operation without even playing a reserves or friendly match. I think perhaps playing six or seven games in three weeks has caught up with me.

Of course, even if I am fit on Saturday, I may not make the team as I missed out on the win over Lincoln on Tuesday evening.

I lost the shirt and Ricky Newman came in and did very well. That is football for you — being out of the team is dangerous.

That said, I'd like to think that I have done well since I came back into the team. You never know but I think my displays have been good enough to install a lot of confidence in my ability with The Gaffer. I'd like to think he will stick with me as soon as I am fit but, that said, I would have no complaints if I am left out. There is a lot to the saying of never change a winning team.

With our current winning streak, spirits are high in the camp. There is a little bit more joking at training in that players are less tense and feel that they can enjoy themselves, which often makes you play better too in games.

Ricky Newman leads the way with his old-school football banter, while Scotty Davies likes to think he has the big-time banter chat.

As for Anthony Charles, if there was a picture next to the word ‘banter' in a dictionary, then it would be of his face.

Andy Sandell did well on Tuesday night. He's quite a quiet lad but I'm impressed with him. What I like is that he knows the game. He knows when to pass, when to hold onto the ball, when to make a run, that sort of thing. He's an intelligent footballer, which is nice to see.

I thought we deserved both the wins over Chester and Lincoln. I thought Chester were quite poor, to be honest, and I was pleased with the way we were patient and dropped a little deeper than in other away games and got our reward.

Bully made some fantastic saves against Lincoln. He is such a calming influence to play in front of. If players get past us, they've still got to beat Bully. But I still thought we took a deserved lead and I said that to my Dad at the time. He had come to watch the game.

We are just two points off the play-offs and to get among those places is the next barrier to break. I honestly see no reason why we cannot do that or even go higher still in the table.

 

Thursday 20th November

Tuesday was a long day — but it was certainly worth it after our 3-0 FA Cup win at Rotherham.

Without a shadow of doubt I thought it was our best performance of the season. Perhaps even our best one under The Gaffer [Gary Waddock], although the home win over Stevenage last season is still up there for me.

Although we didn't start the game too well and they were camped in our half, once Kirk Hudson smashed us ahead we didn't look back.

It was a great goal from Kirk but his celebration was not so hot. He ran off towards the most empty part of the stadium — I've no idea at all what he was up to.

It was good news for us to hear that Andy Warrington wasn't in goal for Rotherham. That gave us a little lift and The Gaffer told us to pull the trigger whenever possible. Not that their young keeper could do anything much about the goals. Kirk's first one was unstoppable.

I felt we were really solid at the back on Tuesday and it was nice to get a compliment from Martin Kuhl about the defence after the game — he doesn't tend to compliment too often!

That's three clean sheets in the last five games, so I must be making a difference after coming back from injury.

No, seriously, all of the defence has worked really hard in training, on a number of different things, and we're beginning to see the results.

I think Charlesey [Anthony Charles] was a bit battered after a few challenges with their substitute Broughton but that is just part and parcel of being a defender.

It was unusual for us to win by such a big margin. Charlesey and I were saying at 2-0 ‘come on, let's just get one more'. And we did and it was game over, so we could enjoy the last few minutes.

I feel a big win like that — let's face it, we could have won by more — has been coming and I knew that a team would feel our wrath if we play as we can. And we did it on Tuesday.

It is important, of course, that we go on and get something at Chester on Saturday. We will certainly take confidence from the win and now we know we can win away and win well. I can't see there being too much of a problem on Saturday — provided we play as well as we can.

Marvin Morgan played really well on Tuesday and took his goal well. There's always competition for places and Danny Hylton must be rueing his red card against Exeter even more.

Danny's a young kid and you learn from things like Saturday. He may not get back in for a while, who knows, but that is the way professional football is.

I hope Danny does stay out of the team for a while — I don't mean that in any way to be nasty to Danny but it will mean we are playing well and not getting injuries.

John Grant did well up front with Marvin. I think John can get a bit frustrated when we score three goals and he doesn't get one but he's right up there on the assists list this season, which is very important too.

I think Scotty Davies, not Granty, would have taken a penalty on Tuesday, had we been awarded one.

In training on Monday Scott and John Grant were on the same side and Kuhly awarded a penalty for no reason whatsoever.

I guess it was to see who took it and Scott grabbed the ball — although I'm afraid to say he managed to hit the post with his effort.

Andy Sandell is settling in well to the club. We have a little initiation whereby new players have to sing a song on their first away trip.

We forgot to get Andy to sing for the Rotherham game but I think we'll have plenty of time before Chester — we are travelling up on Friday — to hear his voice.

Talking of singing, I must say something about the Aldershot fans who made the journey up to Rotherham.

They were just brilliant in their little corner and I hope they thought we showed our appreciation after the result. I was clapping away with Bully at the end and we hadn't realised just how many fans were there.

I think it was a fabulous effort for a Tuesday night, given that most would have got home at 2am and had to work first thing in the morning.
 
I have never played at Millwall's New Den ground and I'm really looking forward to it.

I think there will be a great atmosphere and we can go and get something from the tie.

However, we have Chester and then Lincoln at home to think of first and we must build on what we achieved at Rotherham.

 

Thursday 13th November

The bad weather forced us on to the Astroturf for training at the start of the week but we've had some good sessions.

Tuesday was especially hard, with plenty of fitness. We usually get made to run on Tuesdays, when there is no midweek game — and then the reserves' match was called off too - so we always know we might be blowing by the end of a Tuesday session.
 
But often get a breather on a Wednesday — as we did this week.

Anthony Charles has been pretty vocal in training this week, on the back of his 30-yard thunderbolt against Rotherham, that crashed against the bar.

He keeps suggesting to Martin Kuhl that if we have a shooting session, then he'll gladly take it. In fact he's talked of nothing else but that shot.

I have to keep reminding him that it did not go in, however good it was. I was in the area when he lined up the shot and I said to myself: "Charlesy, what on earth are you doing, that's heading straight for the train station." But it was a great effort, to be fair, and very unlucky.

Fair play to John Grant for keeping his nerve to score our injury-time equaliser from the penalty spot. I said last week that I backed Granty to score from penalties, despite having one saved at Morecambe, and he proved it.

The keeper may have got a hand to the shot but it was just too powerful. I said to Grant "good minerals" as we were running back after celebrating the goal. As in he showed a lot of "balls" to score after not hitting the back of the net for so long. Fair play to him.

I thought Rotherham's keeper, Andy Warrington, was outstanding on Saturday — just as Barry Roche of Morecambe was the week before.

Saturday was one of the most one-sided games I've ever played in and it would have been a travesty if we hadn't got something from the game. I thought we battered them in the first half and for quite a bit of the second half too.

Some of Warrington's saves in the first half were unbelievable. I'm confident that we can go and get a result up there next week. We haven't seen an away victory for a long, long time but we are going to win away sooner than later.

I enjoyed Saturday. I thought we looked really solid at the back. Charlesy came back into the middle and Chris Blackburn did well at right back. They are both experienced players and have played a fair bit in the Football League and can adapt to different positions.

Once Rotherham got their goal we were all pleased with the controlled manner in which we responded.

As soon as we went behind, The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] said to me to make sure that the boys continued to stick to doing the right things, to keep playing as we had been.

While we had to wait until right at the end, the way we'd been playing on Saturday it was a near certainty that chances would come our way and, thankfully, Granty tucked away the penalty.

We would have all been pretty devastated to go out of the FA Cup after playing so well.

Now we know that, should be get past Rotherham, we will travel to League One Millwall in the second round.

It's a great incentive for us, knowing that we can win ourselves the chance to take on better opposition, at a fairly big ground.

Millwall have been going really well too — if we can get through it's going to be a great day out for everyone.

Before the Rotherham replay we have Exeter City at home in the league, however. Their FA Cup loss at Curzon Ashton shows just what strange results the Cup can throw up.

We know that they will be looking to bounce back from that shock defeat but they also know that our home form is formidable.

Of course, Exeter has great memories for us from last season but they have started well in the league and we need another good result at home.

We're into mid-November and, Dave Winfield aside, we've got a fit squad, with plenty of competition, which is great to see.

One man really keen to make an impression is Junior Mendes. His contract is up at the end of the calendar year but he's been back in full training this week after another niggle and really putting himself about.

It's been a very frustrating time for him and he looks really determined this week, to try and get a chance to show what he can do. Fair play to him.

I'm sure The Gaffer has some ideas as to what he would like to do with the squad and I would more than welcome any new additions on loan or in the January transfer window. It could only be healthy. But whether or not The Gaffer has the means to do that is another matter entirely. We shall see.

With another home game on Saturday, I'm sure the pitch at The Rec will be looking good again.

We've played in snow and pouring rain lately but, given just how wet it was on Saturday, before and during the game, I thought the pitch stood up to the weather superbly.

It was outstanding and allowed us to play our passing football with even more zip than usual. All credit to groundsman Andy Nunn.

 

Thursday 6th November

I haven't been training all week as my groin has been sore after the Morecambe game.

So, I've been busy with Jim Joyce, the club physio, just doing lots of stretching and keeping on top of things. The good news is that I passed a fitness test with Jim yesterday morning (Wednesday) and I should be back in full training today and tomorrow. I am fit for the Rotherham game.

I'm not surprised that I have had a bit of a reaction to playing three full games in a week.

While it was great to come back into the team sooner than expected after my hernia operation, I thought that I would be eased back in, with 45 minutes here and then an hour there, and not necessarily in the first team.

But I'm fine and really pleased to be in the team and captaining it. While we've lost at Morecambe and Rochdale — as well as keeping a clean sheet and beating Port Vale 1-0 — since I've come back in, I feel I've done pretty well.

The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] has some choices to make on Saturday, with Anthony Charles back from suspension and Anthony Straker playing 90 minutes at Morecambe last week.

But I feel Blackie [Chris Blackburn] and I have done fairly well together. I've felt pretty comfortable coming straight back in and I think I've done enough to keep my place in the middle at the back. I will be bitterly disappointed if I'm left out against Rotherham.

The FA Cup is massive for all players. If you win a couple of games you might get drawn against the big side you supported as a kid — for me it was Manchester United, I have to admit. But when I went to Manchester City as a youngster I had to change my tune, so Cardiff City became my team.

But as well as possibly playing against your dream team, the FA Cup can be good for your future career and personal ambition. There are often more scouts at FA Cup games and you might even end up playing on TV.

So, while Rotherham are a good side, we are determined to get a result. They've done really well in cup competitions and to turn around their points deficit so quickly is impressive.

But I think if we play as we can and keep working together and believe in ourselves then Rotherham may just come unstuck on Saturday.

Who knows, we may draw and then win the replay — an away win! Although, to be honest, I'd much rather just win at home and finish the tie on Saturday.

I've watched a number of our defeats in our long losing streak away from home and now I've got to play in a couple too.

Saturday at Morecambe was so frustrating. I think they had three chances all game and scored from two of them.

I thought we dominated the first half and if Granty [John Grant] had scored the penalty, or if we'd taken just one of the other chances we had, then I think they would have been dead and buried. It would have silenced their crowd and put them on the back foot.

But I back Granty with the penalty duties for the future and I thought it was a good save by Barry Roche. I took a few spot-kicks last season but, while Granty and Scott Davies have missed this season, I won't be returning to the penalty taking.

I would put my name down for a shoot-out kick, for sure, but I think I'll leave the ones in 90 minutes to the other lads.

The Gaffer and Martin Kuhl ripped into us at half-time at Morecambe. We'd been the better team but they obviously felt we could give more.

That said, I felt comfortable with the game at half-time and I expected us to go on and win.

I think once we went a goal down some of the team were guilty of trying too hard to chase the game.

Too often we would try and beat three players or go for the spectacular pass, when instead we should have been keeping the ball and doing the easy thing and keeping our shape. There was plenty of time left. We will learn from it.

Scotty Davies got punished in the worst fashion after he tried to bring the ball down and find a great pass and lost possession — they scored their second goal directly from it.

I think there are a few players who definitely are playing better at home than they are away. They would admit that. I think it must be a mental thing.

It's not something I can really relate to or put my finger on, as, to me, there is no difference between playing home or away.

But I'm sure the players will come through it, with experience. If we work hard and stick together, then I think we can go and win a few games away from home.

We must not lose faith in the way we play. Once you get anxious then you are bound to go into a downward spiral and we must stop that happening.

We haven't had too much luck on the road and things will change. There are people in a lot worse situations than us, in football and in life in general for that matter. We will be OK away.

Besides, we now have two home games to look forward to, starting with Rotherham. It's a great one, being the FA Cup, and we can't wait for the game.

 

Thursday 30th October

It's nice to be able to talk about playing, rather than my progress back to fitness.

I knew I would probably get the nod at Rochdale after we'd shipped so many goals, provided I could prove I was fit, if not match fit.

Despite the defeat there, I felt I was pretty solid and even more so on Tuesday night against Port Vale. I felt a bit sore afterwards but no more than that. I thought the clean sheet and win were thoroughly deserved against Vale. Everyone worked hard and it paid dividends.
 
Chris Blackburn and I are fairly new playing together but we are both experienced and I think we've been solid as a pair.

We both like to shout, so that's two voices at the back organising. The fullbacks did really well on Tuesday — it's fair to say Blackie and I did a fair bit of shouting in their earholes, that's the way we are.

It was nice to enjoy a few good touches against Vale. When I turned out of defence and sent two of their players the wrong way I shouted ‘get me a Bovril, will you' as I left them behind me!

The crowd reacted well when I did some good pieces of play and that was nice.

It's good to be back. We were all really pleased to reward what was a good crowd, given the weather. I was cold running about, so it must have been freezing to watch the game.

Ryan Williams came to watch the game, as did my brothers, Ryan and George. Ryan (Day) has been out of the country playing in an invitational event in Austria since he came second in the big Grand Prix snooker tournament in Glasgow ten days ago. It was good to see him — his missus doesn't let him out that often!

George is only seven and I couldn't believe it at the start of the second half that he was standing by the dugout talking to Martin Kuhl. I found out later that he was asking for chocolates as Lisa the tea lady gives them to The Gaffer, Martin and the coaching staff. But, unfortunately for George, I think Kuhly had already eaten them!

The Gaffer gave us the day off on Wednesday after Tuesday's win. Provided the snow had melted then I was planning to play a round of golf with Willo (Ryan Williams).

My handicap according to the boys is about 18 but I reckon it's closer to 22. Ryan's a good player, his is six. He's a short, stocky Welshman, in the Ian Woosnam mould.

Then it's back to training today and tomorrow morning, before travelling up to Morecambe.

I can't really put my finger on why our home and away records are so different but hopefully we can turn it around at Morecambe. Perhaps teams are more attacking at home and that is catching us out a little.

At our home, however, I do think a few teams get caught out by the size of the pitch at The Rec. It's slightly bigger than some and we know we can pass the ball wide with our style of play, as that is where the space is.

With quick wingers like Louie Soares and Kirk Hudson, we can exploit the room, as Louie showed by cutting inside from wide to score against Vale.

I think we can take a lot of confidence from the clean sheet against Vale as we go to Morecambe.

Anthony Charles is suspended, so we will have to make a change to the back four from Tuesday.

We have Dean Howell who can play there but Anthony Straker has been back with us in training for the last couple of days.

Whether or not he's quite ready for a League Two match, I really don't know. I guess The Gaffer will know more when we train today and perhaps he'll get thrown in, as I was at Rochdale.

We are obviously looking to win at Morecambe but after the away run of defeats we've had away from home, then a point would be a good result. Look at Droylsden last season; we should have won there but, even so, 2-2 was a good result and kept us ticking along.

We'll be in yellow on Saturday, a kit I haven't worn yet. But we won in it at Accrington and I should be OK in it, given that I drive a bright white new Audi, after all. I lost the car in the snow after the Vale game but, apart from that, the car is great.

Apparently the BBC website had my name as Rhys Gay in the Rochdale match report — which did make me laugh. I hope that was a mistake rather than a reference to my choice of car!

 

Thursday 23rd October

Hopefully we will have put in a good performance at Chesterfield last night (Wednesday) and that will set us up nicely for the next couple of days, before the match at Rochdale on Saturday.

It's a very important part of the season for us, with a run of four league games in a row in a short space of time. If we lose every one then I guess we'll be near the bottom of the table! But we fear nobody in this league, so I can't see that happening.

But, with three out of the four games away from home, hopefully we can get an away win after the run of defeats. It's important to start picking up points away from home and hopefully we will start doing that.

But it's a difficult league, there are no easy games. That said, we've already beaten some of the top teams and the boys can take a lot of confidence from the performance against Brentford on Saturday. I think we've been through a little stage when some of the guys were not playing quite as well as they can and, as a result, the team wasn't at its best. But that is inevitable during a season.

I thought we were unlucky not to win on Saturday. I didn't think it was a penalty for Brentford's goal.I thought Dean Howell definitely got a push and we should have had a free-kick before the handball.

But you have to accept that sometimes you get decisions, while other times you do not. Ricky Newman was excellent on Saturday. We looked solid with him in the midfield and he's got a good voice on him to marshal the team. But it was no surprise to any of us to see him do so well. He's still a very good player, we see that in training every day, and, above all, he has a fantastic will to win.

With Anthony Charles possibly unavailable for the Chesterfield game last night, after becoming a dad, I may have been involved, from the bench.

I'm certainly back fit now after my hernia operation, even if I am short of match fitness. I'm in full training and I did a little extra on Tuesday too. I just need games. Ideally, I'd like a reserve game or friendly to generate some match fitness, before I play in the first team. But I'm ready, if needed.

We are all looking forward to the few days away up north, which should be good for us all — but we need to make it count on the pitch too. Today and Friday we will be training before the Rochdale game. I think we will be using some university sports facilities up there. Lewis Chalmers is local to the area and spoke to some contacts up that way and the club sorted it out from there.

It was great to see my older brother, Ryan, reach the final of snooker's Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Glasgow on Sunday. Unfortunately he lost 9-7 to John Higgins, despite a great comeback from 7-2 down to 8-7. I thought he had enough chances to win.

Still, he picked up a few quid for his troubles and, with the ranking points that go with coming second, he should be up to number three in the world. He's always had the ability to be the best in the world but he still hasn't won a ranking tournament. He just needs to get over the line and win one and then I think he can be the best there is.

I managed to get up to Glasgow to watch the final. I couldn't get flights at the last minute to get me back on Sunday night, so I rang The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] and he gave me permission to have Monday off, which was very good of him.

Ryan and I have both really benefited from our father. Dad played football and loves snooker and he's always been so supportive of both our careers. He went here, there and everywhere for us when we were younger, trying to make an impact.

Dad has also instilled a winning mentality in us. Ryan and I both hate to lose and that drives us forward.I'm not bad at snooker but I can't say I've ever made a break beyond the 40-odd mark. Ryan was not too bad a footballer at all, a fast centre-forward, so the opposite of me! But snooker soon took over and the football was left to me.

 

Friday 17th October

Everything is going fine with my recovery from the hernia operation. I've started twisting and turning and striking the ball this week and that has all gone really well.

All my little niggles were  connected with the hernia and I'm pleased to say that both my ankle and calf feel good too now, as well as the groin.

I've now been through quite a bit of training and I'm pushing it further each day.

It's a shame that this week's reserves match against Southampton came just a little too soon for me. Next week there is no reserves match, as we are away at both Chesterfield and Rochdale, so that's not ideal for me.

We're hoping to arrange a match for the Wednesday after the home game versus Port Vale (Tuesday October 28), so that's the match target I have in mind.

Dave Winfield is coming along well too. He's been running with me today too and he's a naturally fit guy. I'd say it will be a month at most before he's back in contention.

We're both competitive guys and want to get back in the team and the likes of Anthony Charles and Chris Blackburn know that.
In fact, after the goals we've been letting in lately, they've both said to me if I fancy having a go now!

If I had been on the bench for the last two games, with seven goals let in, then I would imagine I would have had a good chance of playing against Brentford this Saturday, so that makes the injury more frustrating.

But I still can't get my head around last Saturday. What the hell happened? I thought we did well in the first half and we were really comfortable and should have taken a few chances and led.

But then we just made mistakes all over the park and the game changed. I left the ground straight after the game as I didn't want to have to talk to my mate Terry Dunfield, who plays for Macclesfield.

Sure enough, as soon as he was out of the shower, he phoned me. I didn't bother to say hello and just said: "You play for a pub team."

"Well, that pub team just put four past your lot," he said. Unfortunately, there was no coming back from that.

Some people have talked about Nikki Bull having a bad game but I don't see it that way. You can't point a finger at one guy.

A lot went wrong, it's a group thing. Look at Macclesfield's first goal. It was a bad touch from Lewis Chalmers at a throw-in, then Louie Soares got caught and we were nowhere near tight enough in the area. That's three errors before there's even been a shot.

I've sensed in the last few games that we've been a bit tense as a group. Perhaps we've been worrying about letting goals in but I think we need to let the management get on with dealing with that, while we, first and foremost, start to enjoy playing again. We love playing and that attitude has served us well in the past.

We will always back each other and I back us to do well against Brentford. I don't think we should worry about them, we must just enjoy it.

I definitely think we should carry on playing the way we play, rather than change our philosophy and go more defensive. This group of players is at its best when we fear nobody, believe in how we play and stick to it.

People talk about our great home record compared to our away one but I'm not sure players look at that too much. I don't. I look at each opposition as we play them and, with overnight stays for away games now, our preparation and rest is just as good away as it is at home. We can beat everyone, home or away.

Maybe a few people have had off games but we have good quality in the squad and we believe in ourselves.

And look at Danny Hylton. He's come in and done well. It's good to see Danny get a couple of goals. He's a nuisance and I can tell you that defenders don't like playing against a nuisance.

The Gaffer has talked about the need for leaders and, as captain, it's frustrating that I can't play. I listen to the Gaffer and Martin Kuhl and I know that if I could go back into the team I could provide some of the qualities they are looking for from certain players.

But I'm not too down about the injury problems. Besides, I've gone out and bought myself a new car. It's a lovely Audi A4 convertible. I love it. Look out for me in it. And, before you say anything, it's far too big to be a hairdresser's car!

 

Thursday 9th October

‘The missus' and I went to watch Ryan Williams play for Weymouth at Woking on Tuesday night, in their 1-1 draw.

I shared a flat with ‘Willo' for two years when he was at Aldershot and I keep in regular touch with him — in fact, he's one of those friends that you just know, even when you go your separate ways, you will always stay in contact with, forever, probably.

I didn't think he was at his best on Tuesday. He couldn't get on the ball enough. Weymouth played him up front, which was a strange decision. A little lad like him was never going to win many headers against Woking's big centre-halves.

But Willo is enjoying it down there and gets on well with the manager, John Hollins. He gets time off to go and see his kids up north and is now fully fit and looking lean — and small!

Talking of fitness, my hernia operation went well last week and I was already back in the gym on Monday, after resting back home in Wales over the weekend.

I managed half an hour on the bike on Monday and wanted to do more but the physio said no. By Tuesday I was doing a bit of running and now it's just a case of building up the work and hopefully being able to join in with some parts of full training by the middle of next week.

Hopefully the likes of Charlesy and Chris Blackburn will be looking over their shoulders — although they may be doing that already after the 3-3 draw with Bury last weekend.

I was watching some mates play in a local league in Wales on Saturday afternoon, from 2pm.

But my dad was next to me, and he has the Aldershot text message service on his phone.

I couldn't believe it when it said Bully wasn't playing, as The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] had told me the expected starting line-up earlier in the week.

I guessed Bully was ill or injured at the last minute but it was still a surprise — and then the Bury goals started coming through. 0-1, 0-2, 0-3.

It was not looking good, especially on the back of the Notts County defeat.

By the time Robbie Elvins pulled a goal back I was tucking into a stew in front of Sky Sports. Once it got to 3-2 Jeff Stelling started paying a lot of attention to the game and there was a fair bit of excitement when Danny Hylton's goal flashed up.
 
I was hoping a fourth Aldershot goal would appear but it didn't. But, in the circumstances, by no means was it a bad point, particularly against the league leaders. After all, I spoke to Charlesy on Sunday and he said that for 60-odd minutes we had been atrocious — but we got something out of the game.

I was especially pleased for Rob [Elvins]. I felt a bit for him earlier in the season. Even in reserves matches he was playing out of position, out wide, such is the number of strikers we have in the squad.

But he got the nod from the bench on Saturday and, by all accounts changed the game.

It just shows how things can change overnight in football if you are prepared to be patient and make sure you are ready and fit for when your chance comes along.

But I'm sure Marvin Morgan, John Grant  and Junior Mendes won't want to be playing in just the Hampshire Cup every week, so Rob and Danny have got to make sure that they take their chance, now that it looks like they have earned it.

The whole squad, including the injured guys like myself, will be travelling up to Macclesfield on Saturday.

We all always travel as a squad and I for one am really looking forward to watching a game live, after having to follow the Bury game by phone and TV.

My best mate Terry Dunfield plays for them in midfield. We were at Manchester City together as youngsters.

I spoke to Terry on Tuesday and I asked him how Macclesfield have been playing, as they've had some very inconsistent results, winning a few but losing a lot too.

He said it depends on how he plays — if he plays well, they do!

He has a point, to be fair. He's the type of midfielder who can run a game from the middle of the park if he's allowed to do so.

But I told him he won't be having it all his own way on Saturday as it's not as if we're too short of quality in the middle.

If Lewis Chalmers plays — he knows all about Terry — I'm sure he'll be quick to be in his ear. I think there may be a bit of banter come 3pm.

 

Thursday 2nd October

I go in for my operation on my hernia today [Thursday] at midday.

The op is being carried out by a private surgeon in Leicester. I'll stay in overnight and then, as I won't be able to drive straight away, I'm being picked up by my dad. I'll probably go back to the family in Wales, where I'll be waited on hand and foot!

So I may not be there on Saturday for the Bury game, it depends on whether I can get driven to the Rec.

To be honest, the plan is to have a good rest over the weekend, put my legs up, and then get back into my training recovery next week.

I'll need to get some feedback from the surgeon but, judging from people who've had the same operation, I hope to be back in full training two weeks after the op. Then hopefully it's only another week or so before I'm ready to play.

I've mentally written off the first two months of the season now and I have a date in mind when the season will start again for me.

As early as this coming Monday I think I can be in the gym on the bike, then I can move on to the cross-trainer a day or so later. After that, it'll be running in a straight line and then bringing in some twisting and turning, during the next couple of weeks.

Everyone was extremely down and disappointed in the dressing room after Saturday's late loss at Notts County.

The Gaffer [Gary Waddock] and Kuhly [Martin Kuhl] didn't really say much in the dressing room afterwards. They just told us what time the coach was leaving and that they would see us all at 10am the next day for extra training.

It was a very quiet journey home on the coach. The game spoilt my weekend — and I was only watching from the stand. It was so disappointing to be the more comfortable team all game and then lose it for ourselves.

The Gaffer wasn't especially angry on Sunday at training. He just explained the situation to us all. He won't accept losing in that manner, repeatedly. He said he doesn't want to be in charge of a team that keeps on losing in that way. It's fair enough, all that he said, and we must learn and improve.

Before every game — even if say we draw Manchester United in the FA Cup — our mindset is to win that match. But scenarios change during a game and sometimes a point is a good point. If we'd drawn that match at County, we'd have looked in the paper on Sunday and thought ‘that's not too bad a point at all'.

It's hard to put your finger on just what went wrong. I think we were a bit naive and we lost our shape at a crucial moment.

The Gaffer has hinted he may make changes for the Bury game. I'm not sure whether or not that will happen but, from my experience last season, the Gaffer always goes about it the right way, when he chooses to leave a player out. He pulls you to one side and tells you first and makes sure you understand the reasons for his decision.

It's different to some of the managers I've played under. I've turned up for games on a Saturday fully expecting to play after the week's training, only to find I'm not even on the bench.

Being dropped is never easy.I for one always want to play. You never know when you might play a game again, football can change so quickly.

When training came around on Monday it was back to business as usual. A few of the guys were maybe a bit down still and sulking after Saturday. But we have a few characters in the squad who made sure that Monday's training was a bit more fun and that there was plenty of banter.

That got the boys going again. Ricky Newman is excellent at that, he's an experienced pro and knows how to go about these things. Nikki Bull and I, as captains, help out too.

I think Bury is the perfect game for us to have on Saturday. It couldn't be better than to get stuck into the league leaders at home, where we have such a great record. If we can bounce back with a win on Saturday it will make another big statement to the league. It's all set up to be another good game at the Rec.

 

Thursday 25th September

This was already the worst start to the season — on a personal level — I've ever had.

And now it's just got worse. It looks like my hernia has gone again. I had an operation on my right one in the summer and now the left one has gone. I'm off to see the specialist today [Thursday] and I reckon I'll be needing another operation.

I played for the Reserves against Millwall on Tuesday as, although it sounds strange, we wanted the hernia to be as bad as possible, as that will help the specialist assess the damage better and settle on the way forward.

I'm pretty devastated, to be honest, but now I just hope that, if I need an op, I can be fitted in pretty quickly and then get back on the road to fitness. Normally it's about three weeks after a hernia op before you're back fit, so I guess I'm just going to have to write off the first two months of the season. But hopefully the injury problems will soon be out the way — perhaps all the little niggles I've had have been connected to the hernia.

I thought the boys did OK in the Reserves at Millwall. We lost 2-1 and their winner was down to a sloppy error from me.

But we had come on strong in the second half to equalise and Junior Mendes did well and got a good goal. He must be close to the first-team squad now that hopefully his injuries problems are behind him.

Saturday against Gillingham was another really good win for us. That said, I would have been devastated if I had been sent off for a challenge like Mark McCammon's on Nikki Bull. It was not a good challenge, that's for sure, but I thought it was more mis-timed than malicious.

I must admit I was worried the referee, if he thought he'd made a mistake, might level things up by sending off one of us or giving them a penalty. I was relieved Marvin Morgan only got a yellow for his tackle and he was involved a few little niggles too. I told him in the dressing room at half-time to keep his head and not make any daft challenges.

I thought the game might just drift to 0-0 at one stage. We looked really solid at the back on Saturday. It's not always easy playing against just one man up front and Charlesy and Chris Blackburn did well to keep their concentration against Simeon Jackson.

We pushed on in the second half, to be fair, even if, in the end, we needed a bit of luck to win it. But Scotty Davies earned that lucky deflection  with his shooting earlier in the game.

I have to say that Scotty is the worst trainer I have ever seen. All he ever wants to do is kick footballs at goal as hard as he can! Still, I suppose it has its advantages when we come to play matches.

But sometimes Kuhly [Martin Kuhl] gets furious when, after he's put balls down as part of a training regime, Scott just comes along and boots them as hard as possible at the nearest goal. It's great to have Scott back fit, however. The competition for starting places in central midfield is just so intense. And healthy.

All in all, we've made a great start. Thirteen points from seven games, many against the fancied teams, is good. But, let's face it, we could have done better. We've thrown points away by letting in some late goals, even if we've scored a few late ones too.

Notts County will be a difficult place to go on Saturday. It's a part of the world I know well, after my time up the road at Mansfield Town. I've been to Meadow Lane a few times and it's a big ground and they have a decent following. I expect them to keep things tight and compact — but if we play as well as we can do, then I don't think they'll be able to live with us.

"It's another overnight trip for us, which I quite enjoy. The boys can have a laugh, although it's always a bit harder for the guys who have young kids left behind at home.

"I'll be rooming with Charlesy, as usual, so it's a good job I'm deaf in one ear, so I can roll over and won't be able to hear his snoring."

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