AFTER the blow of losing David Ngog and Jay Spearing for the season, and defeat at Leicester we desperately need a pick-me-up... so step forward Stuart Holden.

Who better to bring back into the squad? He will absolutely revel in the idea of coming back to the club with that extra level of fitness, more games under his belt, and will desperately want to play his part at such a crucial stage of the season.

He is a ready-made replacement for Spearing, who I have to say has been the player of the season for me.

He’s been a model of consistency and he’s bought into the club right from the off. You can tell the way he has been brought up to keep hold of the ball, play things nice and simple and never give possession away.

Not having him available for the last three games really is a huge blow but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Dougie Freedman decided to bring Stuart back early from Sheffield Wednesday now.

Josh Vela is a good player and every minute he spends out there aids his progress.

He will do a good job if he’s the one put in there and it might just be the making of him, but at this stage of the season you need guarantees.

Just having him around the squad will be massive for his development in the long run.

David is a slightly different one because I don’t think Dougie has ever quite got his front line sorted the way he would like. Every time a player looks like getting on a run he never quite gets there.

You wonder now just who will get a shout – or whether Kevin Davies will get his chance.

I know this is a hot potato at the moment but Big Kev has got to look at this as an opportunity.

Whatever is done, is done. I’m sure he will want to leave the club with his head held high and this might be just the chance he needs.

Alternatively, this could be the chance for a couple of the younger lads – a Zach Clough or Tom Eaves.

I think sending Eaves out this season has shown you what benefit the loan system can have. He has come back having scored goals for Bristol Rovers and for Shrewsbury Town and is brimming with confidence now. I’m sure he will genuinely believe he can get goals at this level if he gets the chance.

*****

A WISE man once used the pages of this very newspaper to call for a “cauldron of passion” as we went into a crucial game at Burnden Park.

Back in 1995, we were going into the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Wolves and needed every single advantage we could get to turn round a 2-1 scoreline from the game at Molineux.

Well we need that kind of atmosphere again, and it just so happens that same wise man will be watching at the Reebok when we square off against Middlesbrough this weekend.

Bruce Rioch is back in town to be one of the very special guests at the White Hot Reunion dinner on Sunday night and will be the chairman’s guest of honour at the game.

How great would it be if we could give him that same atmosphere that he called for as we tried to get to Wembley all those years ago?

There’s no question that the backing at the Reebok has gradually got better and better all season.

People are believing. They are getting behind the team even when things aren’t going right.

There have been a few lulls just recently – I’m thinking when we were hanging on by our fingernails against Huddersfield or when Wolves came at us in the second half the other week. But the supporters have got us out, and they deserve a massive amount of credit for that. People sometimes think you are just paying lip service when you say how important the fans are but right now we’re talking about tiny things making a massive difference. That 10 per cent extra you can get out of certain players when the crowd are behind them can be the difference between him getting back to make a tackle or getting into the penalty box to get on the end of a cross.

The great man will be there to see two of his former clubs this weekend and I’d love to think that could be a spark for something really, really magical on the park.

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WHILE Middlesbrough are still mathematically capable of getting into the play-offs, they will feel they have a chance, so write them off at your peril.

They did us a favour by beating Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, which was a great result for Tony Mowbray and one that just gives them the faintest chance of sneaking into the top six.

It’s a long shot, and when you look at the team they can put out you wonder why they are not much further up the table, but it is still possible.

They have a very good side on paper. You look at players like Scott McDonald, Keiron Dyer, Josh McEachran or Marvin Emnes and they are match-winners on their day.

The cub have been on a bit of a downer and I know they have suffered a bit with injuries to some influential players this last few months.

But you only have to look at the impressive result against Forest to know they are well capable of getting on a bit of form.

*****

THE White Hot Reunion dinner is getting close – but I won’t enjoy it until I’ve actually sat down at the table and taken my shoes off.

It’s taken a lot of organising but we’re now just a few days away and I’m happy to say that the tickets have been going well for the event.

Having the whole team back in the same room for the first time in 20 years is something I really am looking forward to. I just hope we can pick up a result against Middlesbrough and it’ll all have gone according to plan.

Having Bruce Rioch there will make it extra special. I saw him at the Middlesbrough game earlier this season but, unfortunately, I was stuck up in the press box doing radio and I was only able to chat with him on the phone.

Sunday should be a great night, fingers crossed, so I hope lots of people can join us.

There are still a few tickets available that were released this week, so if anyone would like to come along please contact 07889 542776.