 Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Stuart, if you start with bodies-wise, firstly, how are you after Tuesday evening? Yeah, slightly disappointing, Zelly went for a scan yesterday and he's got a low-grade 2 on his hamstring, which probably puts him at the 2-3 week mark where, how long he'll be out. Clayton's going for an x-ray today on top of his foot, although it's settled down a lot. He's still quite swollen, but he's hopeful, and Christopher's hopeful he should be at a joining training on Saturday, but we're just getting him scanned as a precaution, there's no little crack on top of his foot, but we're hopeful he'll be okay. So, it could be worse news, but Zelly's out for 2-3 week, and we're just waiting on the return of it, or Clayton's going this afternoon for an x-ray. Other than that, all okay? Yeah, all good, other than that, we had 12 bodies training with us today that didn't play the other night and had a good session, and then the other lads did a bit of a passing drill and cooled down, but yeah, everyone's in good spirits. Four days away until the league meeting with Harrogate, it will be a historic game, no doubt. I'll ask him more about that in a moment, but do you know your team yet, given there's still a gap between now and then? No, no, funny enough we were talking about this morning, which is a good thing. We've got options in a few key positions, but we've got obviously training Saturday and training Sunday to decide upon it. I watched the game back from the other night and it was as pleasing as I thought when I was watching it, so a lot of good positives to take out of it. So, no, I'll be honest, I don't know the team we'll be putting out, which as I said, is a good thing in a way because we've got people vying for sports. Yeah, it leads me into the question really, now you've had the chance to look back at Tuesday again in more detail, whether or not some of the players in that 11 have really staked a claim to push into a starting sport, say, for more than that. Yeah, well a lot of them have done no harm, but again, we've trained hard the week, the lads have not played on, we didn't plan Tuesday, we've trained hard Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and they've been very good as well. So everyone's pushing each other, it's a good healthy competition at this moment, which any manager wants really. So it'll be, it's still to be decided, but yeah, there's no doubt, as we say to the players, it's not only when they get a chance to play the game, it's also training, whatever they do around the place in the gym, wherever they are, how they conduct themselves, they're always impressing. So, up to now we've had a really good positive week. How do you size up Harrogate then as opponents? What have you made of them thus far? Yeah, very good. I went to watch the game last Saturday at Bolton and certainly didn't deserve to lose the game. Over the piece, they probably could have won it. Good football inside. I think what they've got there in Simon and Paul Thull as his assistant, who had no well from Sheffield United, two guys who have done a fantastic job there and brought the team up having, living in and around Harrogate on and off for the last 20-odd years and have seen the emergence of the football club as a whole, but they've managed to get a good winning mentality. They've got a lot of the same, although they've added four or five people, there might be more than that in the squad. They've got lads who've been there for three or four years now who've been used to winning football games and going by, obviously, the game last Saturday, they played some good football. They've got options up front. John Stead came off the bench the other night and actually played in the game on Tuesday night. It's a game I'm really looking forward to, naturally, but it's one that we know how to get more than a good side. What have you made of their story and their progression? Fantastic, yeah, brilliant. I think it had to be done, obviously, losing the artificial service and getting a new grass one, which might cost the club money in other revenues because I've taken my grandkids down there to play, to do football, coaching schools and things like that. So I certainly know they've got a lot of revenue through that being a 4G or anastro, whatever it is nowadays. Hence, a lot of clubs in Scotland go that way. I think Hamilton, Livingston, Kilmarnock, because it brings revenue in throughout the week. So that's one thing they miss out on, but I'm sure they'll be happy to forego that having got themselves into the football league. It feels like they're on this real momentum at the moment, and you sometimes see when teams are promoted, they continue that momentum through. Do you think it's been somewhat aided by the fact that we've had not really a pre-season as such a shorter pre-season from their play or final into the start of this season? They've carried that momentum through? Yeah, they certainly carried it through. Obviously, on the open day, they went and won it south end 4-0, didn't they? I think they beat Tramir in the first round of the cup on penalties at Tramir. So they got off to a really good start, which helps confidence-wise. As I say, they've had a couple of draws in Port Vale, but again, I think that was their first defeat last week against Bolton, and as I said, for the entire game, myself and Kenny were there. Certainly, they didn't deserve to lose the game. So, listen, I'm pleased for them as a town, as a football club. As I say, I know the management reasonably well, and they've got the just rewards for doing such a really good job. There's quite a bit of interest surrounding this league meeting between you both, given it's the Yorkshire Derby, given it's the first time that you'll have met in a league environment. It's quite incredible when you look at the club's histories and you compare them, yet they meet on the same field on Monday. When you compare it to, it's quite an incredible comparison, isn't it? Yeah, I think Simon, the manager, was making the point last week when they were playing Bolton, you know, exactly the same, and you know, it's probably the same yourselves as self, you know, how many years ago we were in the Premier League, you know, and how they got, you know, many divisions below. So it's great credit to them, where they are now. And they're certainly not just there to make the numbers up. You know, I think they'll have a real positive mindset to finishing the top half of the table. And from what I've seen up to now, I don't see any reason why there won't be, you know, certainly the top half. We spoke to Harry Pritchard earlier. He is tinged with disappointment somewhat, and he alluded to that, given that this was going to be one of the games that will have been welcoming the fans back in. It's one of those fixtures, isn't it, that would have drawn the fans in in numbers and it would have just had that extra buzz around it? Yeah, it would. Unfortunately, we know that's not to be the case, but this was one of the games or the game put down as maybe the one that we're going to let fans in. But it's not to be, unfortunately. Added bonuses, suppose it's live on TV, although I'm sure the radio still give good commentary. But no, listen, it's a game, I'm sure both sides are looking forward to. In terms of the petition and just keeping with the fans, have you seen that position? I was going to ask you about it on Tuesday, but I don't really get a chance to do so. But what have you made of that movement? I'm glad you didn't ask me on Tuesday because I won't have had the clue what you're on about. Yeah, I mean, I don't know what was it up to 100,000 won on Tuesday. I don't know what it's at now. But I don't know enough about it, if I'm honest. But you don't have to switch on the telly this morning. The people in the pubs in the restaurants are claiming they're a safe place as anywhere to go. And that should be getting opened. Obviously, as a sport and as a football business, we want the clubs and the fans back in. But as I said, you can go through lots of walks of life that needs the public to be going in and spending money. But yeah, we just need to see this rise in cases going the opposite way, going down before we can start getting them in, I suppose. But I do think there'll be, you know, I mean, not go out regularly, go out for a meal and everything's actually so well organized that. And I'm sure football's the same when forest green fans come in, it looked to be, you know, from the outside looking in. It looked to be well managed and social distance and everything like that. So yeah, again, I don't know what the petition's up to, but you know, I had my name to it. Yeah. Well, I think that I'd make it 180,000 and 180,001 with your name added to it. Key one, isn't it? Exactly. Do you think it will make a difference though, realistically? I mean, we see a lot of these petitions come around and they do at least get debated in Parliament. But do you think realistically it will actually make a difference? I don't know, but I do know, certainly listening to the government over the last few months, there has been a swear try to get, you know, sport up and running as quickly as possible. And probably quicker than we first thought, you know, getting the league season up and running from where we were to get people back training and then playing and then to get the initial, you know, teams that had fans in. So I suppose every little bit helps, but I genuinely don't know the answer to that, but hopefully. And again, as long as it's done, we talk about protocols, but everyone's got to be on the same page. You know, that goes through all the football clubs. You know, there's no good 89, 90% of us doing the protocols on one or two of clubs, not. They're the ones that are going to cause problems for everyone else. So as long as everyone's six by the protocol that's put out there, then I think it should get up and running, hopefully, shortly. Just away from that, I saw that you'd rubbish the Conor woodrumers that were floating around earlier in the week. It's led to, though, to talk about his current situation with his contract, which is out in the summer. Are you at any point in terms of starting conversations on that front in this current climate as well? Yeah, I don't think I actually rubbish them. I think it was just the look that I give Simon sort of alluded to rubbish in him, but yeah, it caught me off guard. What was it? I thought the rumor was anyone can open a Twitter account and put a rumor out, can't they? Yeah. Jillingham. I think Jillingham are probably, I'm not saying they're worse, they're the most close, but you listen to their chairman, Mr Scally, speaking. I doubt they've got anywhere in there 200 grand to go pushing on a planet. So I think it was one that I didn't need to talk into. But going back to your point, yeah, I think that's something that once this window closes, then it's people that are out there obviously coming to the end of contracts at the end of this season. It'll be one that we will be discussing definitely, of course, because Connor's a key part of what we're doing here. How difficult a dynamic is that right now with the current climate and the uncertainty? And then you add into the mix, the salary cap now as well, how difficult a discussion will that be? It is, and that's why probably it's not being done up to now because there's still an outside chance that things will get closed down again. Obviously, that's the worst case scenario. But if that was to be the case and we weren't to get any revenue from the I follow, et cetera, et cetera, where are we getting it from at the moment? Then the offers that we can make to players will be certainly a lot less. But as I said, hopefully in the coming months we can get back up and running and the futures of football clubs certainly financially wise can be a lot healthier. But it is naturally something that we've all got to take into consideration now. Final question from me, Stuart. You know I'm going to ask it eight days away now until the end of the domestic window. Recruitment wise, is that developed any further than Tuesday evening? I'm going to knock you off your chair now and say yes. We'll be hopeful not for the Mondays game, but we should have something in the next few days, like I said, not for the actual game on Monday, but maybe in for Monday if things go according to plan. You've been in the market for a forward, would it be right to assume that this will be a forward coming in? I think it will be right to assume that, yes. Stuart, thank you. Good luck to Monday, we'll see you then. Yes, thank you. Having said that you want to bring someone in and you're trying to bring someone in on the other side of that, how much are you looking forward to the window closing? And you know what you've got and you can get on with working with that squad? Yeah, I think as always, I think in times gone by, when James Hansen left and then they would discuss that Charlie White might have gone in a window or other players. James Merridge, if I think thinking back. So when you've got players that other people might be looking at, I think it is different now, you know, obviously with COVID that I don't think there's clubs probably lower level or, you know, championship below. I've got a load of money that's going to take our players at this moment in time. So that's, I'm normally happy when the window's shut in regard and nobody will be coming taking us players, nor any players moving out the group. So, yeah, yeah, let's see if we can get this one more in. I'm really pleased with the people we've brought to the club. As I said before, not just as players, but as personalities, how they've settled into the group, the characters that they are, the type of people we won't represent in our club. And as I said, if we can get one more in, I'll be really pleased with the business we've done. We started off at the beginning of the season saying we did want to trim the squad and, you know, that's what we've done. And also the emergence of, you know, some of the younger boys, which would have no worries in, you know, throwing in if need be. So we're evaluating every day and training and seeing how people progress. And so we've been really pleased with the way things have gone since we got back in the building and back training. Presumably, it's hard for the younger players at the moment with not having that many games that they can play in. It is. You know, we got a good look at them over the preseason when we had enough games there to mix and match the teams. But as I said, you know, it's nice we can see them in 90 minute games, but every day in training, we're seeing them and we're seeing them progress and improve. And that's what we want to do and want to see them. So yeah, we've been pleased, you know, where they've been developing. And going back to Monday Night again, how much rearranging has that meant that you're playing on a Monday, not only this week, but also next week? Yeah, it changes things. Like, you know, the lads will be off on a Friday, which is unusual, but they're in Saturday and Sunday. What it does, it gives me self Kenny and some of the staff a chance to go watch games. I'll be able to go watch Mansfield now on there. I think the lads will be in training nine o'clock Saturday morning, which is a bit early for them. But because I think Kenny, Kenny might be going to Cambridge and I'm going down at Mansfield, as I said, and some of the staff going to Walsall, I think. So we need to be away and get down to the games. So and obviously in on a Sunday. But I think what we'll do after the Monday game is we'll try to get back to a bit of routine by everyone who'll be in on Tuesday after the game. Some will train, some will just have a cool down. We'll have Wednesday off and then we'll start preparing for Saturday Tuesday games as we go. It's a good look at Monday. Yes, thank you. You were saying about obviously hopefully having someone in the next few days. I mean, it's been a it's been a long old hunt this one, isn't it? It has. And, you know, for different reasons, you know, we haven't got certain people in. But, you know, when I like say when I when I brought a look to Gareth Evans when we brought him in, obviously I remember him more of a striker for us, but more I've seen him in training. You know, it gives it for me is probably not the one that will go and play up there, although I've no doubts you can play up there. But it's maybe best coming from a deeper line role, be it as a 10 or as an attacking midfielder or off one of the sides. Again, in training, we've looked at Dylan Motley Henry up there when we'll talk about pace. And he's certainly in training, you know, when he's played in a two. The other night he was more of a three. So he wasn't actually an out and out striker. So, and, you know, we've been not back with a few, obviously everyone knows that. So, but, you know, we've spoke to a lot of clubs, premiership clubs, championship clubs about players. We've had a look at them. It is so difficult. We're getting tapes from people. You can't go. We're not allowed to go and watch players up close and personal, as we say. So we then take on board, you know, the recommendations and the people known. But, you know, I've watched so much academy football in the last month or so. And a lot of it sometimes can be artificial, as we said, you know, what a good academy player might look like and then come down and play in a league two is might be different. So, but, you know, we've been, we've been happy with what we've got in me or what we've had and what we've been working with. And we'll look to add one more, which we've always said we would do and look to do that. And, you know, I'm confident we'll do that in the coming days. Has this been a very different window for you from previous ones because of, you know, the way things have, you know, unraveled and the season has been put on hold and the way it's sort of drifted into October, as it has and what have you? Yeah, probably, but I think early on, you know, the targets you wanted, obviously we needed to strengthen, strengthen midfield. Looking back before we came back to the first day of training, it looked like we had four centre forwards and then we had a lot of centre halves, three left backs maybe, and centre midfield and we wanted to play was the area. And as I said with the players that we've brought in there, I've been, you know, more than happy with them. They all give something different, you know, Clarke's experience and now some intelligence. Elliot Watts, you know, I think game by game is getting better. Levi all over, the fans have not seen a great deal of him. You know, we see it day in, day out and training. We know we're getting from him, bringing Cookie back in. So, yeah, the area we take, we needed to strengthen ideally. And then a lot of the time in our thoughts when we come back, we were going to play with wing backs, but attacking wing backs. So, you know, Dylan Mottler Henry could definitely do that job, Levi could do it. Tyler then emerged that he could certainly do it and do it well. So as we were saying, we needed a right back, we needed a right back. But, yeah, we've gone now and got one, although Bryce is an attacking right back, which, you know, we need. So we need, we prefer, you know, somebody that can play down the side if we go to wing backs. So, all in all, I think the only last piece of the jigsaw would be to add, you know, a striker and possibly, although we're not urgently looking, maybe a number three goalkeeper, a younger one, just to certainly being in and around training as well. Training with two goalkeepers all the time. If anyone got a little injured that we can't do with proper training. So, you know, being a light with Sam, he's really pushing Richard now. But I don't know if anything will crop up on that thing as a, not aloney, but, you know, a younger one that could come in and train. But the main area, obviously, as we know, is up top. And it obviously will be alone, yeah. Yes. Well, we hope so, if it goes so, yeah. It will be well, yeah. And going forward to Monday's game, I mean, as you say, you've been a sort of a local resident round Harrogate for many years. I mean, have you been down there much to watch games down the year? A couple, I've taken a couple in. Well, you know, for Harrogate's sake, I remember going back years ago when I was when I came back down from Scotland and they got obviously the big open space, I call it straight Harrogate. And the number of Leeds United Tops you used to see, you know, mainways was and then when we managed to play in the Premier League, it was great to walk out there and there was as many Bradford City Tops. And now for the folk of Harrogate, you go down there and there's more Harrogate tops than anything. So for the town, it's been it's been great for them. And, you know, they've worked hard, obviously, the family, the Weaver family. Obviously, Simon's dad's backed it and financially, they've been backed well. But I think it's a great story. And I'm really pleased it's a good place. And they thoroughly deserve to be where they are now in their league football. And obviously, as you say, when you've got a manager there, like Simon's been there for nine and a half years, I mean, just imagine that, you know, you can put your roots down and really sort of mould the club as you want. Exactly. And I think that's what they've done and done it really well. You know, Able assisted, as I said, with Paul Ferwell, who I worked with at Sheffield United and we were in contact with them over the seasons. You know, they've taken a few of our home players. We've played in pre-season games. And as I said, you know, the one downside for them is maybe they have to pick up the Astro, but, you know, for being in league football, they'll hopefully have a lovely grass surface by the time they're all bedded in by the time we go play them. Anna, did you ever imagine all these years ago that you'd ended up managing a team against Harrogate in the football league? No, yeah, I would never have thought that, no. But as I said, full credit to them. So hopefully I'd be managing them and beating them. That'd be nice. But no, I've got full respect. And as I said, going to watch them on Saturday, you know, they were a good, you can tell, they're a together bunch. We've had a lot of success recently and they've got a winning mentality. And it's a game we're naturally looking forward to. So, Stuart, thank you. Yes. Hello, Stuart, are you well? Hi, Lee, I'm good. Thank you. Just got a couple, mate. I know it's been a long. And obviously, I did a piece earlier this week. Robert, the United's chairman, he was saying that he fears that five to seven clubs, if there's not a bailout, sometimes this this month could go into admin and are being serviced all by the end of the month. How important do you think it is, whether it's the government or the Premier League, to just get some rescue package sorted out very quickly? Yeah, I think obviously it'd be nice. You know, I mean, I think everyone's asking for bailouts with the government out there, you know, every industry, you know, everyone's going to be struggling in this day and age. But yeah, of course, every little bit helps whether it be from the Premier League, you know. And again, we know, listen, I'm not one. You know, they've got their own overheads. But when you see obviously the amount of money that's on transfer fees, et cetera. Yeah, but I think it was which term did you say? Was it rather in my country? Yeah, it was Tony, Tony Stewart. All right, Tony, yeah. I mean, that might be the case. Obviously, we hope that won't come to that. I think I think the key is when if we do get help, the clubs, then, you know, we've got to have a responsibility to, you know, to to do is right with the money that we get if we from the. Yeah, yeah. You know, we can't think or clubs can't think or we've got money now we can go for it away here there and everywhere. I think as long as clubs are responsible, I think we are a keenest to probably help. But, you know, I say it only needs one or two clubs in whatever it is, you know, not to follow protocol or not to do things right that spoils it for everyone else. So as long as you get your own house in order, now obviously. Yeah, and you can't spend above your means. You know, I think that's what it's all like. You know, having a budget is that that's what it is. So, you know, certainly since I've been back here the second time and probably the first time as well, you stick to a budget. You spend what you can. Yeah. And that's what's got to be done. So we've got a responsibility. If we do get help, then to make sure we do it properly. And there was some just some talk today about I think it was a man city chief executive talking about that with a B teams and the EFLs not sustainable. That was the comments to a lot of people in the EFL that took them back a little bit. Yeah, I saw the headline. I read the first couple of paragraphs. Yeah, I won't keen on listening to that. It's like anything. If you don't want to wear it, you close your ears to it. But yeah, yeah, I mean, again, it goes back. You know, we've got to make ourselves our clubs in any way we can make it sustainable the business. And that's business football is a business now as much as it's supposed to be an entertainment business, which is fine. I would never, never have done ask any one of my chairman owners to spend any money that we haven't got. And I would never do that. It's irresponsible. So yeah, we might have in certain times the 10th largest budget or whatever it may be, the fourth or the, you know, motherwell, not in the top six. But it is what it is. And that's the club you're at and you've got to work within them parameters. And as long as everyone understands that, now, don't get me wrong. Obviously, when you get 9,500 season tickets, it's a massive bonus. A club at our side in this division, you know, got great support. But, you know, as long as everyone tries to live within the means that keeps football clubs running as best we can. Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud based solutions. Come on, city.