Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..

Is it just me, or is this close season already the longest in living memory? No European Championship or World Cups to sustain us - or even qualifiers for us Jocks - and the best part of nine weeks yet to go.

Recent close seasons have passed in the flash of an eye and, frankly, I could have done with another couple of weeks off. Having once attended friendly matches religiously - I once toured Ireland for my Summer holiday so I could take in the Addicks pre-season - I've not bothered in recent years, largely because I was all footballed-out and was content to hang on for another fortnight before the real action began. Planning a Summer holiday has always been a bit tricky because I never want to miss the opening match of the season, or at least, not the first home game. If you want to avoid the manic first few weeks of the school holidays when there's precious little availability and it's so expensive (and amok with kids), holidays have to be shoe-horned into the two weeks prior to kick-off or I've gambled on a late September break when I can, hopefully, only miss one home match and still get some sunshine.

This year seems so different and I'm not sure why? We may have finished a week earlier than normal but we are kicking off a week earlier too. I have a suspicion that it's the anxious wait for news of a takeover and the near news blackout from the Valley that has heightened tensions and exaggerated things. Yes, we have started to get some news of the potential comings and goings in the last week but nothing really interesting.

In the circumstances, I am contemplating taking my Summer holiday early to help pass the time and the friendlies are looking increasingly attractive for a change. Perhaps I will go somewhere far from the maddening crowd with limited communications (the north-west of Scotland) just to tempt takeover fate?