DO you agree this is the fittest Town squad for ages? I can't remember so many defenders joining the attack and Lloyd, in particular, must have the lungs of a racehorse. Dave H, Shepley

Jacko says: I DO agree we are a very fit side.

It all stems from the fact that we worked the players extremely hard during pre-season.

That is what has given them the basis, and when you get to this time of year you start to feel the benefits.

I said to the lads at half time during the Boston match, which was 0-0 at the time and quite close, that we would have too many `legs' for them the longer the match went on.

I just knew we were going to finish the game stronger than them.

It helps that we've got quite a few young lads in the side, but as a squad of players I think we are tremendously fit.

It is a compliment to the players and to how they have worked, and it is something which gives us great pride as a coaching unit.

The squad know exactly what we expect of them on the training ground and, when they are away from the club, the lads conduct themselves really well.

They all look after themselves as athletes and, from a disciplinary point of view, we really haven't had a minute's problem.

As for Anthony Lloyd, he is a very fit boy and I was absolutely thrilled for him when he scored against Boston.

He could have had five or six goals by now, but he keeps on bombing forward and he really deserved to get on the scoresheet for all the effort he has put in.

IN your second season last time around, it was about this time of year when we flopped in terms of a run towards promotion, after being top for a while. What have you learned that can keep us going this time, and is it better to come with a late run? Graham, e-mail

Jacko says: OUR bad run that season coincided with a lot of speculation that I was to lose my job at the end of the season.

In my heart of hearts, I knew from about November that I wouldn't be in charge the following campaign and that was hard to deal with.

It was something which I tried to keep away from the players, but I don't think I managed it and the whole situation affected them.

We also had a lot of injuries at the time which didn't help, but the overriding factor was that I knew I was going to lose my job six months before I did and that's not a healthy situation for anyone to work in.

Thankfully, things are now completely different and I haven't got anything like that hanging over my head (at least I hope not!).

We are up there in the table and we are playing well, so the object of the exercise now is to keep it going.

I do think it's a benefit not to have hit the top too early, although you never turn it down if that's how things work out. If we keep on going as we are, then it could be a very good season.

I am getting the full backing of the board, which is marvellous, and I have known from Day One exactly where we stand on finances.

There have been no false promises, no false budgets and Ken Davy and the directors have been great.

As for the players, they have been excellent from the first day of pre-season training and the indications are that if we provide success for our fans, they will come flocking back to the McAlpine.

Support both home and away has been excellent and I know the lads really appreciate it.

To be taking 3,355 to York on Sunday is just unbelievable.

As for what I've learned since last time, that's probably that you never trust anyone in this game.

You have to do your own thing and be true to yourself.

Despite what happened towards the end, I enjoyed my last spell here as manager - but I am enjoying this second spell a hell of a lot more.

The first time was a big learning experience, and I've stored all that away because we did some good things in the Great Escape. If we bring success to the club this season, which is what we are all working towards, then I believe it will be an even greater achievement, not just for myself, the coaching staff and the players, but for everyone behind the scenes.

I LIKED the kit we wore at Cambridge. Can we wear the same at York and forget about the black? Kelly, e-mail

Jacko says: YES is the easy answer to that, because the players also like the blue and white stripes with blue shorts and blue socks.

In my playing days, we had much darker stripes one season with dark blue shorts as a regular feature - it was the kit we played the Autoglass Trophy final in.

But now the blue is much lighter and the lads like those matching shorts and socks.

As people know, I am not at all superstitious and the fact we weren't winning matches in the black kit never bothered me in that sense - it was about how we were performing in each game.

Thankfully, we have now put that behind us and we can look forward to improving the away run.

That's all that matters.

THREE out of the next four games are away from home. Do you think we will know by the middle of February if we are going to be successful, and how many points would you settle for from those games? Jim, Dalton

Jacko says: OUR fate will not be decided over the next four games, so it is pointless making predictions about how many points we might get.

If we are consistent and continue like we've been going, then we'll be right up there at the end.

There is no point getting carried away, though, because there are a lot of games to play after the next four and, if we bomb out in those, it won't matter if we've picked up another 12 by the time we leave Torquay on February 14.

WITH Jon Stead's goals and our gameplan based around his intelligence, do you agree with the fans that his sale now would have a massive impact on our chances of promotion? Kieron Barton, e-mail

Jacko says: WE will be only too glad to keep Jon Stead at this club, but we are in the Third Division and every player has his price.

This is not like the situation when Marcus Stewart was sold, because the club was in the First Division then and looking towards the Premier League.

We are in the Third Division and looking to build and yet, when the £800,000 offer came in from Sunderland, Ken Davy backed what I thought and decided not to take the money.

That's a great credit to him and it shows we are not hell-bent on selling Steady, who has been absolutely marvellous this season.

If we were hell-bent on selling him, we would have taken the money and run three months ago.

I can't think of a Third Division club ever turning down such a big offer for a player, and that's a measure of how highly we rate him.

I think Steady is destined for big things - he could even become international class if he continues to develop like he has.

He is an exceptional talent and, if he moves on, that will be reflected in the fee we receive.

CAN we print the words to our club songs in the programme, so that people can join in? Mr G.M.Wood, Longwood

Jacko says: GOOD idea, as many of our younger fans won't know the words to songs like Smile Awhile and Those Were The Days which are associated with the club.

I also like to hear some of the more modern music, too, and it was great to see the lads coming off the pitch after the victory against Boston with the M People song Moving on Up being played over the tannoy.

I thought the atmosphere was tremendous, the lads really enjoyed it and it seems to fit such an occasion.

Hopefully, we will be able to play tunes like that a lot more at the McAlpine this season.