WELL, for one reason or another, it's been quite an embarrassing week all round!

First, came our humiliating defeat against Sunderland on Boxing Day. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, I was left looking like a Christmas turkey when I went to the pantomime at King George's Hall last night.

It was my 22nd birthday yesterday, you see, and as a little treat I decided to go to the show with a few friends and my little cousin Jordan.

The panto itself was great until it got to the point when they suddenly started reading out birthday requests and one of the members of my party -- who shall remain nameless -- had given them my name!

Next news, they were suddenly reading my name out and I had to stick my hand up -- I don't think I've ever been as embarrassed in my whole life!

Wednesday's game against Sunderland came pretty close, though, and the less said about that, the better.

To say we were disappointed with the way we performed is an understatement.

After showing so much character to get a result at Charlton, we went into Boxing Day's game oozing confidence but for whatever reason we never got going as a team.

Now we've got to make sure we put that right against Derby tomorrow but we'll have to play a lot better than that if we plan to get anything from that game.

I know a few of the Derby lads through the England Under 21s and, though they've had a miserable season so far, they've still got plenty of decent players.

Malcolm Christie up front, for instance, is an excellent finisher and boasts a proven scoring record, both with the Under 21s and in the Premiership. Then there's central defender Chris Riggott who attracted interest off Liverpool earlier in the season which came as no surprise to me because he's got all the attributes required to become a top player.

And of course they've also got Fabrizio Ravanelli -- one of the Premiership's most potent strikers on his day.

The last time we played them I ended up getting injured as a result of a crunching tackle by Fab -- an injury which kept me out for over a month.

But I don't harbour any grudge towards him, in fact quite the opposite.

I know he might not be everyone's cup of tea but he was very good with me after that and even sent a fax a couple of days later to apologise for the tackle and to check if I was okay.

So I'll shake his hand tomorrow and forgive and forget.

As for our striker situation, I hear the club are trying to sign Andy Cole and I've got to say that would be an unbelievable move if it came off.

He's spent the last four or five years at the biggest club in the world and if anyone knows what it takes to score goals in the Premiership then it's him.

With players like Keith Gillespie and Damien Duff in our team, we'll always make chances and, with someone like Cole on the end of them, I'm sure he'd score a bagful in a Rovers shirt.

Here's to a Happy New Year.