It's back to business on the club front after the internationals and we are pleased to report that everyone is fit and well.
We were sad to see Scotty Parker leave us in the past week. He did our club proud in his time here and although we were sad to see him leave, we wish him the best of luck for the future.
There has been a few new faces around the place this week, I would like to welcome Sam Baldock, David Bentley, Henri Lansbury, Guy Demel, Papa Bouba Diop and Brian Montenegro. They are all good lads and all raring to go to play their part in what we are trying to achieve this season.
Team morale is on a high, following on from our great away win in our last match at Nottingham Forest. With everyone returning and the new lads settling in, there is a good spirit in the dressing room.
This week we had our team photo taken for this season, so there was the usual banter flying around while we were having our pictures done. It was all good fun and it helped the new lads get a feel for being part of the squad and it was good to do.
We also wished Chairman David Gold many happy returns as he celebrated his 75th birthday. The manager presented him with a cake in the dressing room after training and we hope he enjoyed his day.
It has also been a good, but emotional week off the pitch in the Nolan household. My wife and I did what I am sure many of you mums and dad out there were doing, when we took our daughter to her new school for the first time.
It was good to see how happy she was to go into the school but, as you will know for us parents, it's quite an emotional time as you see them go off. I hope all our young fans got back to school OK this week.
Talking of our young fans, Saturday's game against Portsmouth is a Kids for a Quid match. We hope that as many our younger supporters get a chance to see us play and enjoy a day out watching football with their family, because that is what it is all about.
On the match itself, we face a strong Portsmouth side, who like every other side in this league, want to be up there challenging for the top positions.
For us, we simply want to get a win at home to follow up our great away victories. It was great to be a part of the team performance at Nottingham Forest when we scored another four goals on the road and brought all three points back.
We want to be bossing it on our own ground and on Saturday, with your fantastic support behind us, we will be going all out to get that home win.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain