It's Christmas . . .

Walsall blogger Mark Jones is full of festive cheer!

A great philosopher once wrote:

'So here it is Merry Christmas everybody's having fun,

Look to the future now it's only just begu-u-u-n'

As it is the season of goodwill I'll give credit where it's due. The Focus Group meeting on Monday teatime was quite refreshing. Attended by club representatives Nigel Bond, Dan Mole and the ever present Roy Whalley along with a handful of fans, there was a frank exchange of views over the two and a bit hours but generally there were also a lot of positives.

I for one certainly appreciated some of the honest responses and the 'Is it possible?' and 'Can we have a look at that?' – type conversations that took place between the three officials. This is an encouraging development.

The next such meeting has been promised for March (2010) and I'm looking forward to hearing how much progress has been made on some of the issues discussed.

As always the club should be congratulated for putting on a Festive Funday with plenty of events for kids at the Orient game this Saturday. That old favourite the Santa hat (first seen at Aylesbury in 1990?) makes a welcome return, with proceeds going to Walsall Hospice, so get out and buy one. Oh yeah and there's a special guest at half-time too.

As for the future, apparently Monday breakfast's Shareholders meeting was a lot less open and welcoming than the Focus Group meeting – perhaps they're just not morning people.

Many of the questions asked by or on behalf of shareholders were answered in a curt and often dismissive manner which bordered on the pedantic.

Selectively using statistics to try and pretend falling crowds aren't an issue does nothing but reflect badly on those answering the questions.

It was proved at the Focus Group that listening and showing some courtesy to fans' views goes a long way. Maybe all of the board need to be on message.

Add into the mix the somewhat bewildering comments attributed to Jeff this week about his own role in the club's future, him only ever selling to that continually undefined, almost mythical 'right person', and being unable to bear things being 'messed up' (I think I know that feeling); and we're still miles away from having any idea of how the club is going to be able to make any progress in the future.

But never mind all that for now, who says we can't attract the big names at Walsall?

The half-time guest on Saturday is a true Walsall boy, the one the only Noddy Holder – fantastic! It is Christmas indeed.

PS: And in the spirit of things I feel I must also stick up for Thick Mick. Apparently he could be in a lot of trouble for putting out a team not up to Premiership standards, but I can't see what the problem is . . . he's been doing that since August after all. Ho ho ho!