The week ahead

After the embarrassment of the first team defeat at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday and a 6-0 home spanking for the U18's by, ahem, Millwall, the Club gets the chance to atone this week at Crawley Town tomorrow evening and then at Barnet on Saturday. We should never read too much into friendlies , of course, but as fans you want to go into the first league match of the season on the back of some comfident pre-season games and results.

Whilst Phil Parkinson scratches his head over the selections for this week, Andy Gray will not be a name on his starting list. The ill-fated Scot looks likely to be signed by Barnsley this week in a deal where Charlton will give him away and may end up paying part of his wages just to get him off our books. We may have got the better of Cardiff with the Hudson fee, but giving away a player we paid £2m for 18 months ago is bad business but, once again, we should remind ourselves of the imperatives as our club continues to haemorrage cash. The players we continue to be linked with are likely to be on a fraction of the wages of Gray and most now appear to be out of contract with their former clubs and, presumably, pretty desperate. Chris McCready, who played and scored in the Bray match, is expected to be made an offer this week. If he joins as a utility defender, I would expect the next interest to be in a midfielder so that Shelvey or Bailey can be sold on to keep the wolves from the door.

Meanwhile, the takeover is presumably edging forward after the brief statement from the Board late on Friday. They suggest that a deal will be done before the season starts. Assuming they are being as conservative with that statement as they have with their communication since we were relegated, then we may well get some serious news this week. I won't be wasting any of the Earth's precious resources by travelling to Gatwick tomorrow as I am saving them for a week in Norfolk where we head for our Summer holiday on Friday. So no Barnet for me either, although I am hoping to get to Carrow Road next Tuesday to cheer the Canaries on against Crystal Palace. I'm not a big one for football shirts on holiday (or at all for that reason), but I may make an exception next week.