FESTIVE greetings to you.

This time next week we’ll be either on the way to or on the way back from Brentford, depending on when you read this.

Ah, Brentford - warm sunshine, a breathtaking game and abject misery.

Yes, I’m sure you remember it well.

As we stand at the moment, our team is just outside the play-off zone - a remarkable achievement from a side full of young players and with a manager working hard to prove himself at Football League level.

I think if you’d given any Town fan eighth place just before Christmas, then your hand may well have had several teeth indents in it. Can that place be maintained or even improved upon?

That has to be the big question in the latter stages of 2013. Saturday’s defeat at Bramall Lane gave cause for concern.

The lack of any potent strike force was evident.

With the Nile Ranger situation no clearer and the possible loss of Nicky Ajose in January, there is a worry that a lack of goals will be a major problem in the new year.

Obviously, we don’t know what plans, if any, there are to strengthen the squad.

What we do know is that money isn’t going to be thrown at it like in the past couple of seasons.

The games over the next couple of weeks will give us an indication of where we’ll be for the second half of the campaign.

Coventry, Brentford and Bradford provide real tests for players, several of whom won't have been through such a tough programme.

Here’s hoping that Santa is kind.

On the subject of last Saturday and the chanting by Town fans that's drawn criticism.

The game was dull, desperately dull.

For me the gallows humour of the terraces livened up an excruciating second half.

The support, as always, was there. It was fans doing what fans do, having a laugh.

There was no abuse, just a release of frustration.

After a long and expensive trip supporters are entitled to their opinion.

I'm sure the team wasn't upset and the same people will be at Brentford and Bradford proudly wearing red and white.

Let’s not take life so seriously, eh?

Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself.

Happy Christmas.