WELL done Nigel and the board. The Man was delighted when the club swooped for Mr Earnshaw this week. Just when I could feel myself descending into rant mode the club pulled this Welsh Rarebit from the hat.

WELL done Nigel and the board.

The Man was delighted when the club swooped for Mr Earnshaw this week.

Just when I could feel myself descending into rant mode the club pulled this Welsh Rarebit from the hat.

Even the most fervent anti-December's manager of the month attack dog must concede it's a cracking signing.

Quite why no Premiership club decided to take a punt on Little Ern I don't know.

He got lots of goals for those lucky sods at West Brom last year, even though he didn't always get a game.

The beauty of Earnshaw is that he will get goals in any team, provided we get the ball into the box.

The other advantage is that his team-mates - however much they try - will not be able to just hoof the ball to him.

Earlier this season it seemed the first reaction of many of our players when they were placed under pressure was to lump the ball to the baldy former Crewe striker.

With Earnshaw that simply won't be on. They will have to P-A-S-S the ball.

An alien concept to many this season I know, but who knows, nutty Nigel might even embrace it.

Another positive aspect is the fact Earnshaw clearly has a rather big point to prove after his West Brom exit.

He is not all-too-happy with his treatment at the hands of morose-faced Bryan Robson, and wouldn't mind banging in a few goals to make Captain Marvel look even more down in the dumps.

When RE signed on he told the Press he wanted to help Norwich go up this season.

But the guy is not an idiot, and, somewhat unfortunately, he was at the Reading game.

Like every other fan I'd welcome a mad dash to the play-offs, but I can't see which of the top six is going to fade, or us winning enough games.

The point is I think Earnshaw knows it's really about next season.

Hopefully next term, with a more settled side featuring the Doc, Safri (fingers crossed), Hux, McVeigh (give him a deal?) and Earnshaw, we can really go for it.

Of course the right-sided issue needs to be sorted, but our bid for Halford at least indicates the management are intent on solving it.

I'm not going to bother questioning whether Worthy should be the man to take us on next season anymore.

Delia won't sack him unless we go down.

And then this whole debate is irrelevant anyway.

I believe we could soon start emerging out of this hellish period, despite recent results.

Maybe The Man just got out of the right side of bed for once - who knows? We'll see.

So good luck RE, I'm utterly convinced you will be a success at this club.

If you go on to become as bigger legend as the last handsome Welshman to play up front for this club then you'll have done well.