Saturday was like d�j� vu, all over again. Devoid of ideas, an air of resignation around the ground, Chris Brown doing a good impression of an immobile bollard up front and Rusty annoymous.

Preston fans, be afraid. Be very afraid. We know how that one ends.

Even trawling the depths of League One last season, as we strolled to becoming champions, we never came up against a side lacking that much heart. It was almost embarrassing. As was managing a silent crowd of 18,000 when you’re basically giving tickets away. It wasn’t very long ago we were in a similar boat. So it’s worth appreciating where we are now.

All you can ask for is hope. Having a team that puts in ridiculous amounts of work every game, never gives up on winning a match – and actually goes out TO win a match, wherever it is – doesn’t happen very often.

So where we are in the table may be a little false – it’s about four months too early to pay attention.

The players have genuine belief and us in the stands genuine hope. That’s the best part about following the boys in yellow at the moment.

A quick word for Holty. Clearly getting annoyed over his car issues wasn’t helping – because now it’s all sorted the guy produced a top effort at Deepdale. He deserved more than one goal on Saturday, but there’s no complaints over two league strikes earning six points.

He’s back to the big guy we love – Chumpionship, watch out.

• The Man fondly remembers our “rigorous” medical policy. You know the one. McGnarly and Gunny bigged it up at the start of last season.

Even Bowkett said in a web chat: “Too often in the past we have signed excellent players who have not been able to give a full season to the club.”

The Man also remembers some tall blonde American bloke who signed for us once. He looked really good for those 13 minutes he managed at Millwall last season – while being on the end of an equally impressive 13 minutes’ abuse from The New Den. Maybe he’s still cowering from that?

Lambo ruled Zak Whitbread out of last season’s final games because he needed the summer to get fit and raring to go for the Chumpionship. Hmm... we’re still waiting.

The thing is, some players’ bodies just can’t cope with being a professional footballer. We tried to do our bit for John Kennedy – he’d been crocked for years – but hopes we’d get a full season on loan out of him were shot down. His legs couldn’t cope.

The Zak attack (or rather, defend) has been (un)fit enough for just one start since January. In short bursts the guy looks quality. But it’s about time he got fit enough to prove it.