HOW many signings are you hoping to bring in during the summer and have you already started negotiations with anybody? LF, e-mail

Jacko says: THERE is one particular player who I have been in talks about for a while, and those talks are ongoing.

I do know my targets, but whether I can get them to the club is a different question.

With the change to transfer windows next season, I will probably need to bring in one or two defenders, maybe a midfielder and possibly another striker.

Instead of being able to sign players or bring in loans throughout the season - as we've done this time with Paul Rachubka, Luke Beckett and Delroy Facey - we are going to have to make sure we are properly staffed before the end of August.

Then, the only transfer work we will be able to do will be in January.

Because of that, our squad of 25 will probably have to be expanded by another four players.

Those clubs who can afford to carry only smaller squads will definitely suffer when injuries and suspensions kick in and this is something which myself and our chief executive, Andrew Watson, are already giving a lot of thought to.

WHY can't we afford to bring in Luke Beckett or, indeed, look to sign someone like Warren Feeney? Lee, Mirfield; Dave, Waterloo; Dave H, Shepley; Paul, Mirfield

Jacko says: MONEY is tight at the club and we don't want to end up back in the situation we found ourselves about 18 months ago.

I have to stick to a budget and I can't go over it.

It might have been different if we'd been in the top three and pushing for promotion but, as things stand, there is no way we can match what Oldham are paying for Luke Beckett and it's the same with Feeney - we just can't afford them.

We have always been honest with the fans and that is the truth.

I am not a man who will make false promises and we are not a board that will make false promises.

There is no point saying we are in the market for this player and that player and we are going to spend here and spend there.

It's far better to keep it black and white and stress that we can't afford to bring these sorts of players in permanently.

The board have given me excellent backing over the past 18 months with every player I have wanted to bring in - their support has been fantastic - but I can't go dipping into areas for money where none exists.

Money is tight, but we are continuing to build for a very bright future.

We have come a long way in a short time and the great thing is that we've got some tremendous young players on the books who are going to be the lifeblood of this club over the next three or four years.

Our youngsters are the envy of clubs up and down the country.

HOW do you think the young lads will cope with these next two big games against top opposition in Hartlepool and Sheffield Wednesday? Steven, Belfast

Jacko says: THEY are big games against teams in the play-off positions and they will both be good tests for us.

I've said many times how delighted I am with the younger players as a group and I think they've done excellently, so I've no doubt they will handle themselves well in these next two games.

Last Saturday was a big pressure game for us against Stockport and there was even more pressure when we went 3-2 down, but I got a tremendous response from the young lads and that shows how much character they've got.

We've now got eight games left and it's a tough start with these two, but we need to pick up as many points as we can and, particularly, to put our bad away run behind us.

If we play like we can, I know we are capable of winning any game in this division and if that means at Hartlepool tonight then so much the better.

It's important that we make a solid start to the game and give ourselves a platform. That's what we'll be looking for.

CAN Lee Fowler make his way back into your plans? JV, Huddersfield

Jacko says: I HAVE had a great response from Lee Fowler.

He proved when he came on as a substitute against Stockport what a good player he can be.

I have always said that I haven't discarded Lee from my plans.

He was disappointed and frustrated at not getting into the first team when the likes of Worthington and Carss and then Ahmed and Collins were in front of him, and we agreed to circulate his name because of that.

Lee has proved to everybody that if he plays like he can, he's a very good player - and that's what we want to see all the time.

As I've said, I have not discarded him. As long as he is here, being paid by the club, training properly and working well as a member of the squad then he will get due chance.

WITH lots of goals in Reserve games, I feel Akpo Sodje has a big future, whereas John McAliskey has been disappointing. Why do you rate Macca so highly? Andrew, e-mail

Jacko says: FIRST of all, Macca's scoring record for the games he has started in the first team is very good.

I have been very pleased with Akpo, with the way he has worked and, obviously, with the goals he has scored - that's why I brought him into the club in the first place with a view to seeing how he would progress.

I just don't feel, though, that he would have been able to get in front of Boothy, Pawel Abbott, Junior Mendes and McAliskey, which is why I've allowed him to sign for Darlington.

I agree that Macca's performances in the Reserves haven't been the best, but in the first team I think he's done well.

He has benefited from his Republic of Ireland Under 21 call-up, he has great control and skill and two really quick feet for a tall lad.

He's a great finisher, too, which is what catches the eye of every scout who comes here.

The one thing he needs to improve is his upper body strength, but he's working on that, and he could also do with making sure he doesn't get knocked off the ball too easily in the air.

Apart from one or two little pointers, though, Macca has got everything to make a great future for himself in the game.

I WOULD just like to wish Efe Sodje all the best in his future career and thank him for his contribution to what we've achieved here in the last two seasons.

Efe made probably the best debut I've ever seen by a footballer when he dominated our Carling Cup-tie against Derby County last season.

His performance at Oxford also stands out when, under a lot of pressure both on and off the field, he responded with a match-winning performance of truly colossal proportions.

He loved his time at the club and he loved being captain, so it is unfortunate that his disciplinary record has let him down this season.

Even so, we recognise what he has helped us to achieve and he goes to Yeovil with our very best wishes and we look forward to seeing him here with them next season .