Harry Pell's weekly Gazette column

We're showing our quality

IT’S another big game for us on Saturday.

We played Macclesfield Town last December at home and although we beat them 1-0, they’ve certainly improved under Sol Campbell.

I can see them getting out of trouble along with Notts County and it’ll be a tough game for us.

I’m sure that they’ll have done their homework on us but they’ll know all about our great form and we need to concentrate on us.

It’s not really about what they do – it’s about us and we’re taking it one game at a time.

It was an amazing performance against Cheltenham Town, last weekend.

The boys are playing fantastic at the moment and as a team, we’re really showing our quality.

I think it comes from competition for places and across the board we look strong – long may that continue.

When you look around the changing room before the game, it looks very strong.

There are lots of good players everywhere you look and it’s essential that we keep everyone fit.

There were some cracking goals scored against Cheltenham and it’s difficult to choose between the three, in terms of which one was the best.

I read Kane Vincent-Young’s interview in the Gazette and that was typical Kane – he was really modest but I felt his goal was probably the pick of the lot.

The way he struck the ball was unbelievable.

He’s a left-back and a left winger in one and is on fire at the moment.

I thought I’d nailed our Goal of the Season competition but I definitely have some competition now!

Frank’s goal was quality too and I’ve said to Abs that if he scores for the third game in a row on Saturday, I’ll buy him a little present!

I wish my former club Cheltenham all the best for the rest of the season but we showed our quality.

We were very professional and we did everything that was asked of us.

We have a good squad now and if one player is out injured or isn’t performing, there’s always someone to come in and do well.

Happy to help

BEFORE the Cheltenham game, I received a letter from a young Colchester fan called Bobby.

He told me how much he loved the U’s and watching me play, so I invited him to come down before the game and meet the squad.

He had a thoroughly good day and it was great for him to meet the boys.

PSG showed their class

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has done a terrific job at Manchester United.

But I think Manchester United’s Champions League home defeat against Paris St Germain has brought them down to earth.

PSG were missing key players in Neymar and Cavani but they showed all of their experience, on Tuesday night.

They did a job on Rashford and Mbappe was class.

TV rage

I ENDED up watching an hour of my team Chelsea’s match at Manchester City and then turned it off because I was getting so angry.

The players have so much power at the top level and in the lower leagues, it’s definitely not like that.

There’s so much money involved at that level.

I feel sorry for Maurizio Sarri – I think he’s a good manager and I think the players have to look at themselves in the mirror.

Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the job and I for one would love him to be Chelsea’s manager in the future.

But I’d also like to see how well Sarri does over a few years and have time to build his own philosophy, a bit like Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Talking about managers, Paul Scholes’ appointment as Oldham’s new manager has caused a bit of interest.

He was a fantastic player for Manchester United and England and I’m sure he’ll get them playing some quality stuff.

We play Oldham in April and will be good to come up against one of his sides.

On course for Cheltenham

AS a horse racing fan, it’s been sad reading about the outbreak of Equine flu.

It’s been really disruptive and I’ve not known what to do with my afternoons!

But they have done the right thing in shutting it down because the horses’ safety is the most important thing and I’m buzzing that it’s all started again.

It’s important that they get back at it and there are some big meetings coming up – like Cheltenham next month!

I won't forget to be romantic!

LOVE is in the air.

It’s Valentine’s Day today and I’ll leave it up to my fiancée to decide whether I’m a romantic or not!

I certainly won’t be forgetting to mark it though and I’ll be getting something for both my fiancée and my daughter to mark the occasion.