OBVIOUSLY I am over the moon that the U’s fans will finally be allowed back into the stadium, but I am also so disappointed that the green light coincided with December. Scrambling to find and wash winter apparel when it would have been so much kinder in the summer.

All this is totally tongue in cheek of course, but I do have a strong suspicion that a certain “Jim” will still be wearing his shorts for the 5.30pm kick-off against Grimsby Town tomorrow.

This is a vast step in the right direction for football at our level. For me it is the chance to prove to the doubters that football fans can follow the critical rules when they need to do, especially for the benefit of the club they support.

That benefit will probably be long term though because I cannot see the numbers allowed being profitable for the U’s at the moment. If all goes well then it will be the catalyst for more U’s fans sooner rather than later, I hope.

So onto tomorrow and the chance for the U’s to continue their unbeaten home run in the league. After the Exeter debacle, we battled to a draw against Crawley on Tuesday night.

It was an opportunity for the players to find their feet again and although it wasn’t a classic I thought we seemed like ourselves at time, especially in the final quarter.

That said, a different story would be told if it was not for Dean Gerken who made some exceptional shot stopping saves. After some recent errors, Dean responded to his critics in the only way he could and all credit to him.

It was a fantastic strike from Harriott and U’s fans will be pleased to see him fit and back in form again. I thought that Sowumni did well after so little action this season and of course I was delighted to see Tom Lapslie back on the pitch. Please wrap him up in cotton wool Mr Ball. He gives us the midfield bite that I love to see.

Another four cautions on Tuesday, although I thought Ben Stevenson was unlucky, brings the U’s even closer to wrong end of the discipline table.

It is the manner of several of the cautions that disappoints. Petulant tackles and misdemeanours and I think we are better than that.

With a busy and important couple of months ahead, especially with injuries, or in some cases players self-isolating, we will need our better players on the pitch rather than sitting in the stands.

Back to tomorrow and on this occasion as we are being allowed to bring in our own non-alcoholic refreshments, I am looking for ways to keep my Bovril and Balti Pie hot before taking my seat.

I had thought about placing them under the bonnet of my car but I suspect that apart from being stupidly dangerous, the thought of an oily-flavoured meat-based drink does not really appeal to me. Perhaps a well-known food courier company could moped them up to me?

Seriously though, it will be great to be back watching the U’s tomorrow. Fingers crossed that more fans can be accommodated soon and also fingers crossed that the U’s make up for my lack of hot drink by delivering a very warming three points.