BY the time our game with Bury comes around tomorrow we will have played just once in 20 days.

Having been knocked out of the FA Cup in the first round and then had our game at Bradford City called off because of the rain last weekend we’ve found ourselves in an unusual situation.

It’s been a difficult balance too because you want to keep the players ticking over so they’re still as fit as possible for the next game.

But at the same time you don’t want to be tiring them out.

With that in mind, we’ve had to change where we have been training just recently.

At Boots & Laces we regularly battle with the pitches and at the moment the pitches are winning.

The surface there is energy sapping and would take a lot out of the players which is something we obviously want to avoid happening ahead of a busy period.

Playing on Friday is a good chance for us to catch up on our game in hand, at least for a few hours, but Bury will be very difficult opponents.

I went to watch them in the end against Chesterfield on Saturday and I was very impressed by what I saw.

Their two wingers - Doodo and Mayor – who I had at Preston – are very lively and it will be a testing night for our full-backs.

But it’s important for us to get going again with a win and to give our supporters something to be happy about heading into Christmas.

The lads are like race horses waiting to be let out the starting gate and I’m expecting a high octane performance, just like what is being spoken about with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

PLAYERS GIVEN MORE TIME TO GET FIT

THE break that has been forced upon us has at least given the likes of David Worrall, Gary Deegan, Michael Timlin and Noel Hunt to all improve on their fitness after recent injuries.

They will all be back in contention for tomorrow’s game with Bury but the game will probably be a bit too soon for Ted Smith.

He’s still suffering with a thigh problem and with Paul Smith’s back injury it has thrown up a little bit of a dilemma for me.

Josh Bexon would have been in the squad at Bradford but he has an important FA Youth Cup at Blackburn on Saturday.

So with that in mind I need to decide whether or not Paul Smith will be OK on the bench on whether or not we include Josh and then have him travel up to meet up with the youth team right after the game.

Stephen McLaughlin and Myles Weston are also still being treated for injuries but Macca is closer to a return and could well be back out on the grass today.

BIG WEEK FOR OUR KIDS

IT’S a big week for our under 18s as they take on Blackburn Rovers in the FA Youth Cup on Saturday.

The lads have been pulling up trees this season and this will be a good test for them.

Ewood Park is a great ground and it’s literally 25 minutes from where I live with my daughter.

I’ve seen Blackburn’s under 21 team play against Everton this season with one eye on the January transfer window and they had a few very young players out that day.

I’m sure they will be involved on Saturday and I’ve filed a scouting report for our youth coaches to have a look at.

WOODY'S ON THE MEND

ANTHONY Wordsworth is now off crutches and it’s great to see him with a smile on his face again.

When he first found out he was going to be sidelined for three months he was down in the dumps like you would expect.

He had his foot in a pot as well as using the crutches and I think it’s hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel in that kind of situation.

But he’s making progress now, he’s working on his upper body and he’s doing whatever else is possible in the gym which is great to see.

LEICESTER GET REWARDS AND MOURINHO'S GREATEST TEST

IT’S been a great season so far in the Premier League and we’re seeing hard work being rewarded which always pleases me.

Seeing Leicester top is great for any neutral fan and the rise Jamie Vardy has had from playing non-league is incredible.

I’m sure several top teams both in our country and from across Europe will be thinking of maybe making a move for him during the January transfer window.

But what they’re doing at Leicester at the moment is just incredible.

At the other end of the table, it’s also remarkable what’s happening at Chelsea.

I think Jose Mourinho is now facing the biggest test of his entire managerial career and it’s not just one win they need now.

They need to be able to put a real run together.

MY VOTE IS FOR HAMILTON

IT’S the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards this weekend and as ever there are a number of top candidates.

It’s always really difficult to single out just one person after all the success which has been enjoyed.

But I think I would have to pick Lewis Hamilton after winning the F1 World Drivers Championship for the third time.