Anyone who has ever seen an episode of Drop The Dead Donkey will know that you come across some real characters when you work in a newsroom.
One of the most 'colourful' I have met since I started at the Chron almost seven years was a sub-editor who had a variety of weird and wonderful opinions on just about everything. For the purpose of this article, let's call him Ken.

One of Ken's favourite topics of conversation was football. He'd tell the boys on the sports desk how it was always worth betting a pound on teams like, say, Charlton Athletic to win the Premier League because a pound was pretty worthless, and if they did win it, then you'd net a fortune.
So you get the kind of level of footballing knowledge we were dealing with.

Among the bizarre tactical virtues he would often randomly extol on us was the concept of filling the Northampton Town team entirely with supporters.
His rationale was that, as well as being a lot cheaper than paid professionals, 11 fans would always play with passion. A decent coach, he argued, could surely mould such a motley crew into a team that would fight for every inch of the pitch and, while they were at it, eke out a few results.

Of course, it's a laughable suggestion, but - on this rare occasion - old Ken may have actually been onto something.

The recent performances of Courtney Herbert, someone who has simply played for the love of the game for his entire life, with no expectation other than enjoyment, has been a breath of fresh air in this side.

He is a raw talent, no doubt about that, and from speaking to him for the first time at Bury last weekend it is clear he is very aware he has a lot of work to do to maintain his current performance level, and improve it.

But he brings a unique commodity to the club, and that's a burning desire to succeed as a professional footballer.

The rest of the team undoubtedly all have that, but they have been told they are good enough from very young age, it has been constantly impressed on all of them that somebody thinks they are worthy of being attached to a league club since they were children.

Herbert knows he has to succeed because he has spent his footballing life up to this point in non-league football - he will use every fibre of his being to ensure he does not return there.