Unfortunately the weather put paid to another game for us last Saturday and it looks like there is a strong possibility the Christmas period will also be affected.

It’s probably a bit of a relief for everyone that the game was called of early Saturday morning, as the blizzards that hit the area could have caused more mayhem than there already was.

If you were unfortunate like me to get caught in the treacherous road conditions you will be willing for the end of the snow but the big freeze looks set to continue.

It’s a busy period for a footballer with games coming thick and fast. It’s important that we look after ourselves, so Christmas always has to take a bit of a back seat.

While the rest of the family are expanding their waistlines with stupid amounts of food and drink, it’s a player’s responsibility to hold back a little and make sure you don’t turn up on matchday a bloated mess.

For someone who is very partial to a mince pie or two it is sometimes hard to stop yourself!

But these are the little sacrifices you have to make. Although it is expected, the most frustrating part has to be when you’re called in to train on Christmas morning.

I had to do it last year for the first time and for me, with a young family, it was very hard to leave the kids straight after they had opened their presents, even though I’m only needed to put batteries in the toys.

We will all be enjoying the Christmas period but we will also be prepared for each game that the great British weather will allow us.

First up is a return to my former club Aldershot where I spent a few good seasons.

They are not doing as well as they have showed over the last few years since being back in the Football League, so with us in great form it’s a good opportunity to make it four away wins in a row. Who would have thought I would say that a few months ago!?

Hopefully we can go into the final game of 2010 against Port Vale with a win and finish the year on a positive note so we can really push toward our target in the new year and send a message to the rest of the league.

There have been a couple of set-backs with injuries in the last week, with Dennis Oli having a recurrence of his hamstring injury and Tony Sinclair joining the foot fracture club.

Both are really disappointed and frustrated, like all players who get injured, but will work hard to get back to fitness ASAP. For me I have been set back another week after my return to full training ended with me tweaking ankle ligaments.

Fortunately it doesn’t seem to be as serious as I first thought it could have been and I hope to still play some part over the Christmas period.

This week should see new arrivals for John Nutter and Danny Jackman with their wives due to give birth any day. Nuttsy left training in a hurry on Monday after the phone call that things had begun and Jacko was more hours than days from becoming a dad for the second time. So congratulations to both of them and their families - what a great early present. I’m looking forward to seeing them both when the sleep deprivation kicks in, especially John, who comes in every morning looking as if he has had 10 minutes sleep.

Finally, I would like to wish everybody a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Benno.