I watched the Powergen Cup semi-finals on the TV last weekend. I hated it. Another competition we have missed out on. It is a bit like a band playing at the Glastonbury Festival and performing on one of the stages around the back. We are a great club, with great players and supporters. We need to get back to the main stage pronto. I promise you, everyone at the club is entirely focussed on making sure we qualify for the Heineken Cup next year, which means performing well in the Guinness Premiership and winning the European Challenge Cup.

A big welcome today to Saracens, a club, like us, having come a long way since the game went professional but, again like us, have probably underperformed. They will want to win desperately and so will we; so it should be a good, hard, tight game. Looking at the league table shows how tight the situation is, especially between the bottom eight clubs – all of whom have shipped more points that they have scored.

Firstly, a massive thank you to all of the supporters and the Saints staff who went on our Italian adventure last weekend. Fog, ice, snow and aeroplanes diverted did not seem to dampen anyone’s spirit. We must try to learn from these experiences. In future, we are going to ask every supporter to give us their mobile telephone numbers, so that we can keep in touch.

I’m writing this on Monday morning after a fairly unhappy visit to Leeds. Usually I can manage to be fairly upbeat, but it’s frustrating when we are leading 6-17 but still manage to throw the game away. I know many of you feel the same. For the third time this season, we scored three tries away from home and came away the losers. Some of our passages of play are brilliant, particularly in thee first 10 minutes and the last 10. It’s the bit in between that’s worrying. I feel a bit better having got that off my chest, having said all of that, I don’t want to dramatically change our style of play. Eventually, I do think it will come right. I will keep the faith and I ask all loyal supporters to do the same. I don’t use this as any sort of excuse but after today’s game, we will have three players – Ben Cohen, Steve Thompson and Sean Lamont – back from international duty and available for selection.

The last time Geech was at Franklin’s Gardens was to open the new Tetley’s Stand. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but today sees the full opening of the South Stand. This brings our capacity up to 13,600. Interestingly enough, we have still had to erect a marquee to cater for 150 extra corporate guests. After a year’s rest, partly because I am fed up with the builders being in, we intend to alter the Sturtridge Pavilion end to take our capacity up to 16,000. We will also have car parking for 2,500 cars.  The best ground in the land to go with the best supporters. 

Well, it is Tuesday morning and my heart is still pumping from Saturday’s game. We have now scored 13 tries in our last four games, away to Gloucester, Worcester and home to Newport and London Irish. I think we had a hand in all the tries that were scored on Saturday, but that is the kind of rugby that Budge and Grase have introduced this year – and I like it. A lot of whoops and oops. I was thrilled to see a full house and the noise, especially when Bruce converted that last try, was incredible. You really are the best supporters in the land.

Firstly, a big welcome to everyone. Today’s crowd will be a record of somewhere in the 13,000 bracket. It will next be broken at the Wasps game on November 12 when we open up the boxes and executive club area which will take our maximum attendance figure to 13,600. So it will be a busy day at Franklin’s, made busier than normal because the Saints have organised a mini tournament on the back pitches. This is for the under 11s and 12s.  More than 500 youngsters and their parents were there 8.45am. Congratulations to everyone involved in this.

Reasons to be cheerful – part one

1. Last week was a good week at the club, starting on Monday night with a 36-0 victory against Leicester in the ‘A’ League.  These Wanderers fixtures are a good night out and free to our 8,000 season ticket holders.  A great atmosphere and close contact with the players add to the occasion. There is a game this coming Monday against Newcastle, see you there!

Well, here we go again, and a big welcome to Franklin’s Gardens. The new South Stand will be impressive when it is fully operational. The empty seats you see at the back are because we cannot use them until the Newport game. The new boxes, bars and executive facilities should all be in full use by the end of November. I know many of you are unhappy about lack of car parking, especially those who buy season tickets for the car park. Unfortunately we are behind schedule with this and things will not be ready until the late spring. Then of course, we will have a new road and car parking for 2,500 cars, more than the rest of the league put together and more than Twickenham. In the meantime, we will do our best to keep you happy.