Tom Hopper
I know Hops has a year left on his contract, but I do wonder if tomorrow might tell us a bit about his future. He’s suffered from his injury this season, and I don’t think since he’s come back he’s been the same player he was last season (in fact, I don’t think he’s been the same for 12 months now). He’s been on the bench a bit recently, and that comes despite him and Marquis seemingly being the saviour pairing after beating Sheff Weds. I know injuries could dictate who does and doesn’t start almost as much as future intention, but which of the strikers is left next to Michael on the bench will be telling. It might just be that Tom’s two-and-a-half-year stint at the Bank could be under pressure this summer and if he’s not starting tomorrow, that could indicate which way it goes.
I really have enjoyed reading your comments week after week Gary, even the exasperating “played well but lost” theme of so many of them. All I ask is that Michael tries to get a good balance of age and experience and youthful ability for next season. Hard, I appreciate, with only what he can find stuffed down the back of the couch. I’ll settle for a safe mid-table end to next season with a few really good home performances on the way. Oh, and please lads, can we have a good win on Saturday against Crewe? Send us home (or to the pub) feeling good, not full of foreboding. Don’t let us down.