By Neil Ravenscroft
October 29 2004

It's the end of October and there's been plenty of time for Paul Merson to have started learning his trade properly. A first away win of the season is long overdue. It's two long months since I said on these pages that we should be giving Paul Merson until the end of October to learn his trade, at which point, our patience would be wearing thin. Well, the performances have improved since the departure of Iffy Onoura and the arrival of Frank Barlow, but our terrible away record keeps putting more and more pressure on the home performances and last week's defeat at Bescot by Bristol City means the pressure is back on again, especially with difficult away games to come in the League. What we cannot lose sight of is that we are in 18th place, with 17 points from 15 games and it just isn't good enough. We can talk about bad luck for just so long.

Merson should have a near fully fit squad to choose from for tomorrow's visit to the football equivalent of a MacDonald's franchise at the National Hockey Stadium. You need to hope that either the weather is dry, or take your waterproofs to one of the worst venues in the football league. Jorge Leitao should have recovered from his injury and looks likely to replace Fryatt in the starting line up. With Mark Kinsella still doubtful, that will probably be the only change to the team that has started playing a lot better, but without the results. Merson had been hoping to bring in a loan signing for the game, but, as the deadline passes, that looks very unlikely now.

As for the Franchise FC, they are in the bottom four and looking likely to suffer their second successive relegation, something which will warm the hearts of many football fans. They should be welcoming back Merson target and Northern Irish International Mark Williams from injury and midfielder Richard Johnson is likely to make his debut, following a loan move from QPR. Their main dangerman is Izale McCleod, so don't forget your boos and derogatory chanting as we remind him what a cheating little sod he was at Derby!

Last season we did the double over Franchise, with Neil Emblen getting the winner on both occasions. This season, we can't get a win away, despite some reasonable performances. In that case, I'll go for 1 – 0 to the Saddlers, with us playing rubbish!