A difficult week - - The official of Robbie Elliott

A difficult week - 08/05/2004

Carl Cort - he's a quality player

It hurts to admit it, but I'd agree with most of the press in that Marseille deserved to progress. We were confident going in to the game, but after a poor first half in which we conceded Drogba's first goal, it was always going to be difficult. To be fair we did come out and take the game to them in the second half but it simply wasn't to be. Didier Drogba capped a great performance and we were out.

The atmosphere in Marseille was something else. 60,000 fans singing and jumping up an down with flares and flags waving was quite a sight. Our fans were again magnificent - it's just such a shame that once more there's no silverware to celebrate.

Human nature being what it is, it's so important to raise spirits before tomorrow's game against Wolves. If both Villa and Liverpool win their games today, it'll be another psychological blow. However the flip side is that if they don't, the lads will automatically get a bit of a boost.

Wolves won't be easy, although relegated they'll still want to put on a good show. They've pace up front with Camara, and in Carl Cort they'll have someone desperate to prove a point or two. He's done well at Wolves and with playing first team games he tells me that he's feeling fitter and sharper than he has in his last two years with us!! We all know what happened when we face Lua Lua at Fratton Park, so we'll be well aware it'll not be a walkover.

Stevie Caldwell will come back into the picture - quite ironic when you consider that both he and Corty were released in the transfer window - and now face eachother in the last home game of the season! That's football though, and I'm sure that we're in for another week of drama as the season draws to a close.