Well peeps the off-season is now well underway, although don't forget the Academy are just over halfway through their campaign, and the typical local crack content is "who is off to pastures new? Who have we retained for another bout of blue and white combat?"

It's all really quite an anticlimax from match action, yet keeps the wheels of interest slowly turning.

The main topic as I write is the query regarding Matt Sturm's future. Can Town win him over? Is he destined to leave? Personally I do hope he is courted strongly enough to enable us to witness his powerful play in Workington Town colours next season.

If it were to be a Matt finish, it would take the gloss off all other Town issues for a while, I just hope he doesn't varnish from the Derwent Park scene.

To be serious though I rate Matt Sturm very highly. Enough to make comparisons with other tough-as-teak Town forwards of yesteryear. Matt is not the biggest of physical specimens (not that I need talk), but extremely fit and plays well above his weight. I see comparisons with such as Matty McLeod and Frank Foster, two giants of the game during my early days as a Townie. And to rank Matt along with those two Town heroes is some accolade.

Incidentally I'll make a prediction, while on the theme of little-ish big men, and say that before long a local youngster is going to take on a similar mantle for Town. Mark my words on this, I'll add no name yet, but some will know whom I refer to.

Going back to recruitment I also heard on the grapevine that another NFP star is under offer to join Town, again no name from me. It's great stuff all this suspense game, eh?

Now then did you notice the Workington Town academy team are still in action? They are, and going very well.

Oggys 'otrods are up there at the top of Division One, OK then second to Leigh on points diff.

Last week was the game of the season. In fact I have not seen a better second half display produced by the kids in an amazing comeback at Oldham by any Town team for some time. The first half? Well yes sadly I have seen too many of that error strewn stuff to last me a life time thank you.

But when you win in such dramatic circumstances it seems so much sweeter.

The Town youngsters sang and sang, in the dressing room, and on the coach journey home. The spirits were high, the tunes flowed. Tunes? Well sort of.

All I will add is keep practising young fellas and you'll go places. But as for the singing, well you are not out of the 'boy zone' quite yet which reminds me to tell you I'm a big fan of Buster Bloodwotsit. Madness a great band! but Badness? (More like Baldness - Ed)

So then as the dust settles from the clash at Castleton (Oldham's academy home) we now look forward to a visit from the Lynx of Chorley. Bob, he of web site authority, has previously referred in the jocular mode as Chorley being the "weakest Lynx" that imputation a reference to the NFP table. And coincidentally, though perhaps not, the Lynx kittens are also a cellar dweller in academy life.

Our youngsters should nevertheless not step off the gas this weekend.

As I said earlier the points diff does not stand a favourable comparison with Leigh. This Sunday may provide an ideal opportunity to claw back some leeway (pun there or not?) Come on down folks and shout for your first team players of the future - oh and yes, see if you can spot that forward of the Sturm qualities I mentioned.
K.S.