Don: I'm Ready

While a lot of speculation recently has surrounded which striker or strikers Glenn Roeder may sign in January, one fact has been overlooked - the return to fitness of Don Hutchison.

Don finally returned to action against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday after 10 months out, making a brief substitute appearance in place of the injured Ian Pearce - who sustained a toe problem - and says he is willing to play up front if required.

"Whenever the gaffer needs me I will give it my best shot," he says.

"You can't put pressure on him - he has enough on his plate - but he knows if he needs a centre forward I will gladly play on Thursday.

As for his return to action after such a long absence - and in such difficult circumstances - he adds: "I didn't really regard it as being under pressure. It was just nice to get back on the pitch.

"I don't know how long I was on, but I felt really fit and that is the whole point of working hard, getting fit, and playing reserve games."

As for Michael Ricketts' heartbreaking equaliser, he says: "It was a bad decision on the linesman's part but we still had the chances to win it."

And he insists the 'voodoo' of the side being bottom at Christmas always going down is not definitive.

"It is all there to be broken," he says. "We shouldn't be in this position, but we are, and we have to get our fingers out."