Q: BEST wishes to you and your family for the New Year. What were you doing 12 months ago and, with the club struggling, did you ever dream of becoming Town manager again.
Sarah J, Heckmondwike
Jacko says: FIRST of all, can I wish you and all our supporters a very happy New Year and hope you all had a great Christmas.
This time last year I was working for a big sports agency in Leeds and, for New Year, we just had a family meal.
I came to watch the Tranmere match at the McAlpine on Boxing Day, but I wasn't really thinking about whether I might become manager again because I was happy in the work I was doing.
Things moved very quickly over the next few months, though, the club went into administration, there was talk of different people coming in to take charge and, eventually, I was approached to take the job.
I never had any doubts about returning to Town and I still don't have any doubts, because I feel this is my club and I'm very proud of that. Judging by some of the comments in the paper, there are some people who aren't happy about me being here or how we've done, but I think we are making good progress.
From not having a team only a few months ago, we have put ourselves in the play-off race and we have achieved my first objective, which was to make the McAlpine a fortress.
Everybody knows that our away form has not been good enough, but we picked up the points at Darlington and we've now got to look to build on that.
If we can just be more consistent and improve on our away form, then I think we could have a fantastic season.
Q: WHAT have been the best and the worst moments of the campaign so far?
Mick, Huddersfield
Jacko says: I THINK that everyone who was at the Stadium of Light back in September will long remember the win over Sunderland in the Carling Cup.
Away from home, that has definitely been the high point, because no-one gave us a chance and yet we showed the type of football we are capable of.
We were massive underdogs, but we produced a magnificent result, the shock of the competition and thoroughly deserved the win.
At home, I think the game I have most enjoyed was against Torquay.
It was a very good test for us, but we played extremely well and, even though it was only 1-0, we richly deserved the points on our performance.
The goal which won it, of course, from Tony Carss will also go down in Town folklore.
It was special in itself, but what made it even better for us was that it was something we had worked on during training.
We had tried it once or twice beforehand without any luck, but when it came off against Torquay it was a very special moment and one which people will never forget.
I also enjoyed the Hull game, too, because it came against a team who have invested heavily for three years and who were top of the League, and also because it came on the back of our FA Cup defeat by Accrington.
That was most definitely one of the lows, losing to a late goal against non-League opposition on TV after being unjustly down to 10 men for much of the game.
The other real low was the defeat at Macclesfield, which was extremely disappointing because we took big support over there.
The players haven't let me or the club down very often, but that was one afternoon to forget.
At least they have responded in the right way with a good performance against Oxford to earn a point and then two successive victories. so we want to keep the run going as long as we possibly can.
Q: DO you expect to be fending off offers for Jon Stead through January?
Carol, Holmfirth, text
Jacko says: THE indications are that there has been a lot of interest in Jon Stead and rightly so.
I said early in the season that he is probably the most talented and exciting player of his age outside the Premiership, and I stick by that.
He has netted 15 goals in the first half of the season, which is a terrific return, especially as he is working in tandem with Andy Booth, who is also into double figures following his winner at Darlington. Long may they continue.
Every week, our directors' box seems to be full of major scouts from major clubs, however, and it wouldn't surprise me if a bid came in for Steady. We have already turned down a massive bid from Sunderland, so you would have to imagine it will only be a matter of time before we receive another.
Q: HOW is Jon Newby and what impact could he have later in the season?
Dennis, Bury fan
Jacko says: JON is coming along well and is only a couple of weeks off playing again providing everything stays fine.
When he is available again, it will be like having a new signing and he is very capable of making a big impact in the closing stages of the season.
He started pre-season extremely well and he just needed a goal in the campaign proper to kick everything off, but he never fully recovered from the injury he suffered, he was in and out of the team for a while and then he needed surgery.
Hopefully, he will be back in contention for the first team in the next two to three weeks and, hopefully, he will be scoring some goals.
That would be a big boost for him and for us.
Q: HOW many loans have you still got to use up?
Jonathan, e-mail
Jacko says: WE have actually got seven more loans at our disposal should we feel it necessary to use them.
All clubs are allowed to make eight loan signings in any one season, although you are not allowed to have more than four at any one time.
What the League call short-term loans is anything up to 93 days and, at the moment, we have made only one such signing - Fola Onibuje from Preston North End.
Before anyone writes in and says anything about Lee Fowler, the fact that we eventually signed him permanently from Coventry means that his initial loan spell does not count towards our quota.
The possibility of another loan deal is something which is always at the back of my mind, but much depends on injuries and, at the moment, we seem to have a few more lads on the mend, which is encouraging.
Q: IT was a surprise to see the name of Jacob Giles on the teamsheet for the Christmas games. Why did it come about and what can you tell us about him?
Terry, e-mail
Jacko says: JACOB has come through the Academy and he played extremely well in the Youth Cup run.
Lee Martin had been our back-up keeper in the previous matches, but he has been niggled by an Achilles injury which he didn't want to risk and, in addition, Dave Buckby (our stand-in physio) was unable to travel to Darlington on Boxing Day.
It seemed the ideal opportunity to introduce Jacob to the first-team scene and that's why he was on the bench.
Q: WHY do you think we passed the ball so badly against Bury?
Jonthan, Liversedge, e-mail
Jacko says: IT wasn't just against Bury, it was up at Darlington, too, and I don't think we have strung five passes together in the two matches.
While that's disappointing, at least we have come out of those two holiday games with clean sheets and maximum points and that's a hell of a consolation.
Why our passing should go so badly off the boil is a bit of a concern, but at least we can work on it on the training ground and aim to play better in future.
It would be great to kick-off the New Year with a superb performance against Doncaster, but ask me whether I'd rather have a good performance or three points then you know what the answer will be! All I can ask is that the fans get right behind the lads.
