It's been an eventful seven days for the Albion - we've shown how we are improving, made an acrimonious exit from the FA Cup and potentially lost a major part of our midfield.

Saturday saw us take on the form team of the division, and give possibly our best performance of the season. Before the game we knew we would have to be at our best to get anything against Coventry and we rose to the challenge to outplay one of the fancied teams. And we were desperately disappointed not to win, which shows how far we have come.

Normally a point would have been a great result but such is our performance that, from the early stages, we took the game to them, backed up by an excellent following, and made every effort to get the three points. At the final whistle, they were the ones most relieved.

But a point is still a point, and when they all add up, we will surely reap their benefits. All the pre-FA Cup talk was about the projected future of Jasper Sidwell and his move to Reading which rendered him unavailable to us for the trip to Carrow Road. Now we all know how important the Ginger Man is to us, and it was always going to be a blow but he has done well for us and if he does leave, I'm sure you will wish him well as he has been nothing short of a revelation.

Well the delayed Cup tie finally got under way after another delay and it was an enthralling encounter. We started well and were in command of the game in the first half. I don't know how it looked from the sides but as a team we felt comfortable and easily dealt with anything they had and looked more dangerous attacking on the break.

We finally went ahead through our Steptoe-like defender Robbie Pethick and I honestly felt we were going to come through the tie. However, they scored an equaliser and went ahead with help from the ref, and we were forced to chase the game until more bad officiating gave them a flattering third.

They knew they had been in a game but I don't know if the last two games, and the manner of them, plus the travelling involved took their toll. But we were unable to keep up our first half all-action display, and we gallantly bowed out.

But, as the old cliche goes, we must now concentrate on the League.

The Brazilians continued their impressive form as they confidently dispatched of Gillingham 4-1 at Woodside Road, with Chris 'the speedboat' McPhee and the Technique Boys (John Piercy 2, Dave Lee 1) getting the goals. It was an impressive performance and at one point one spectator whispered "it's just like watching Brazil." Well, he wasn't wrong. Blunkett (Dean White) was in good spirits after the game, although a little shine was taken off the win as his son, who is a clone of his dad, was playing for the Gills. They, however, with contrasting spirits, re-fuelled with a couple of Rodeo burgers and a bucket of fries with a thick shake for company.

Well after a verbal hammering, I was sent a picture message this week from my bootboy Darren Budd and I thought I'd get something funny but I had the fright of my life to see his smiling face on it. Now, it's a good thing that Buddy can play football, because he's no model, I can tell you. But he did have something to smile about as he started his training this week after his injury and it'll be great to see the little Ewok playing again.

And finally, just a little update on my Weakest Link appearance. It was true, I had to miss the auditions last series, but I received a phone call on Thursday and my audition is back on for the new series. I don't really know what I'll spend the money on but I'm open to suggestions.

*Saturday January 18