NICE to see Stan Ternent hasn't lost his penchant for plain speaking since his days at Gigg Lane.

His constant criticism of Bury folk in his new book went against the grain with me as a lad from that town and proud of it.

I wasn't bothered - nor convinced about the accuracy - about the book's monotonously repetitive stories of how Stan has gone through his life head-butting, chinning, chasing and verbally abusing people.

I was taken aback by the continuous negativity and sarcasm about folk I have lived among for every one of my 39 years.

I expected more respect but I'm long enough in the tooth to know that being nice, decent and fair to people doesn't sell books.

I had to agree with him this week, however, when he criticised FA Cup opponents Fulham for complaining about being tired after a long season and a Premiership game just 48 hours before going to Turf Moor last night.

Fulham's fatigue is of their own making for entering the Inter Toto Cup which started their season in July and if professional sportsmen cannot, for once in a blue moon, perform for 90 minutes after two good nights' sleep and a full day to recover they do not deserve to call themselves athletes.