Done Gone

I'm not going to pretend I wasn't disappointed that Matty Done didn't sign a new contract for us, although it wasn't much of a surprise bearing in mind the time the decision was taking and a crytpic comment from Brian Little last week which implied he wasn't holding his breath over a deal. I think he could have been a real force in The Conference with his pace and direct approach.

However, there is another side to the argument and, though I'm not totally convinced by it, I'm going to trot it out, if only to try to convince myself that this isn't as bad a blow as it's starting to feel. Done hasn't scored since we knocked Sheffield Wednesday out of the League Cup at the start of the 2006-7 season, and hasn't had all that many assists since then either. His pace and the width he offers can really stretch a side; I particularly recall his impact as a sub in a number of games, particularly in the win at Bristol Rovers when Brian Carey's side battled their way to safety. However, the bald stats tend to suggest there wasn't enough end product from him. He's still young and will surely improve on this, but maybe we shoudl draw small consolation from the fact that Little might be able to bring in a more finished article for next season.

It all puts his effereverscent early impact at Hereford at the end of last season into a different context though, doesn't it?