Chocky Returns

By Dave Picken - December 30 2003
Chocky Returns
New Year Return
Chocky Davies is clear to line-up against Redcar at Brinkburn on Saturday - if the game goes ahead. Brinkburn is currently frozen and, after a slight thaw over New Year, temperatures are forecast to return to those of today [Tuesday] which are -5 deg overnight and a daytime maximum of only +2.

If the forecast is right its highly unlikely that the game will be on. Here's the latest prediction BBC Forecast.

If the game is on Chocky will come straight back into the second row, but there could be other changes after the poor show against Rovers.

Davy Tighe will be missing, of course, with his shoulder injury, but the management had the other lads in the dressing room until 7.45 last night hammering home some salient points.

The Boss did admit he had not previously appreciated the importance of the game, to both sets of players and supporters, as well as the town in general. But one or two players got a rollicking for pursuing their own private battles in preference to the game plan.

Saturday's line-up may well reflect the increasing frustration felt about decision making on the pitch.

That will have to wait until fitness decisions on Henry Tones and Allan Milne. Tonesy played through the pain barrier, after somehow managing to pass a fitness test on the morning of the Rovers match. He'd been star man for the previous four or five league matches but was well below par on Boxing Day. Allan Milne may be due a comeback, but is currently in darkest Lancashire and its not known whether he has fully recovered from his hamstring strain.