No pre-season friendlies as my reappearance ends with a character assassination from the Marilyn Monroe of the sales

Tuesday, January 23

Here we go again. After a brief hiatus, the first sale of the year was upon us. So, like a creature coming out of winter hibernation, I emerged grizzled and groggy from my festive food coma and headed for the bloodstock heartlands of Doncaster. 

If I looked particularly grizzled it’s because my barber took even more of January off than I did. On top of that, a 5.30am alarm call meant I was feeling extra groggy by the time I landed in South Yorkshire. The early start also meant I literally had to get dressed in the dark, as none of my immediate family were awake by the time I left.