SOME people might imagine I'm embarrassed because Gary Megson hasn't been on our team sheet since he came here during the close season. They couldn't be more wrong!
There are two good reasons why he hasn't been able to force his way into the side. And neither of them has anything to do with his ability.
The first is Ian Bowyer and the second is Johnny Metgod.
The captain's contribution has been nothing short of incredible since the season kicked off. He's never shirked responsibility on the pitch, despite our performances suddenly hitting a sticky patch.
The Dutchman has added another dimension to his game, simply because he's a master passer of the ball. The truth is we don't possess another player in his league in that department.
The form of those two means there's no way I can contemplate choosing Gary Megson at the moment.
One director asked me at our last board meeting why I'd bought him for the first team and then not picked him.
My answer was that, first and foremost, I sign players to strengthen the squad, not for one particular side.
In fact, there was no guarantee any of our summer buys would automatically play in the First Division.
Let me emphasise this point: I can't complain about the players I've bought recently – even those who haven't got further than the Central League so far.
I'd also like to think we'd be signing someone else before too long. There is certainly sufficient cash available for me to go back into the transfer market.
Our balance sheet reveals a �402,000 profit in the last financial year. It proves what a healthy state this club currently finds itself in. By being in the black we are the envy of many rivals – including Liverpool.
We got into such a satisfying position by finishing third in the First Division and by reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. And I know we must achieve something on pretty similar lines during the next eight months to repeat our financial feat next year.
Because, believe me, it's so desperately difficult to survive on the sort of 14,000 crowd we had against Stoke last Saturday.
Even so, our present situation is a staggering turnaround compared with the debts which were began to pile up a few years ago.
The signing of three strikers put us in deep financial water. Ian Wallace and Justin Fashanu both cost �1m. Peter Ward was nearly half as much.
I reckon we recouped roughly �300,000 when the three of them were sold, which can hardly be described as the best bit of business I've ever done.
But I never criticise those players concerned – and nor should anybody else.
After all, they didn't ask us to buy them for such big fees.
Of course, there's no doubt the reduction in our wage bill was significant in relation to the profit we've just announced. Nevertheless, six players – Colin Walsh, Steve Wigley, Steve Hodge, Peter Davenport, Steve Sutton and Chris Fairclough – were handed substantial rises after signing new contracts last season.
Which is one of the reasons I resisted when the players quizzed me about European bonus money before we played Bruges.
Steve Hodge and Chris Fairclough were given the task of acting as negotiators.
I suggest before they walk into my office to ask about money, one of them learns how to trap a ball and the other starts to head it consistently.
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