THE banter has been flying around the training ground this week and it’s all to do with our Christmas party.

It’s fancy dress and to sort out who would be wearing what we all wrote a costume onto a piece of paper and placed them into a hat.

The lads then all had to draw theirs out and there were some hilarious results.

Peggy Lokando going as Harry Potter has caused us much amusement and so has Paul Furlong having to go as a women.

Rather bizarrely, considering it was a random pick and wasn’t at all fixed, Irishman Alan McCormack drew out the leprechaun costume!

I have to go as Snow White which should be a laugh and Alex Revell is Cinderella.

I’ve called a truce with Revs after we were both giving each other a little bit of stick but he should be suited for that because although he’s 25 now he still hasn’t started shaving.

It will be a good laugh but a few of the younger lads aren’t happy.

Stuart O’Keefe is one of those and he certainly isn’t relishing the prospect of a night out dressed as Wonderwoman!

It will be fun and every player has to go to town on their costume and they will face a series of forfeits if it isn’t good enough.

So, here’s the full list of who we’re going as – Steve Mildenhall (Hulk), Simon Francis (Buzz Lightyear), Peter Clarke (Jack Sparrow), Me (Snow White), Anthony Grant (Hugh Heffner), Alan McCormack (A leprechaun), Lee Barnard (Rambo), James Walker (Robin Hood), Alex Revell (Cinderella), Damian Scannell (SUFC team-mate in full kit and shinpads), Osei Sankofa (Michael Jackson), Dougie Freedman (Ghostbuster), Hal Robson-Kanu (Spiderman), Johnny Herd (Ali G), Charles Ademeno (Emu), Jean-Francois Christophe (Superman), Kevin Betsy (The Incredibles), Dan Harding (Robin), Ian Joyce (Gangster), Clark Masters (Santa), Francis Laurent (Austin Powers), Peggy Lokando (Harry Potter), Lee Sawyer (Wolverine), Paul Furlong (A women), Stuart O'Keefe (Wonderwoman), Adam Federici (Dangermouse), Jamie Forshaw (Beetlejuice) and Luke Thurlbourne (Miami Vice).

PLEASED FOR KEEPER MILDENHALL

I was very pleased for Steve Mildenhall in the week after his excellent performance in the FA Cup against AFC Telford.

He’s had an unfortunate start to his Southend career and came in for a lot of unfair stick.

But he’s a good keeper and he showed what he can with some excellent saves.

That will be good for confidence and, at the other end of the pitch, the same can be said of James Walker.

He’s off the mark for the season now and hopefully he can go on from here now.

It wasn’t the best of games against AFC Telford but the main thing is we got through.

We got better as the match progressed but there is definite room for improvement there.

We had to make a lot of changes and that led to a new formation but the tempo wasn’t high enough in the first half and the desire wasn’t there either.

Thankfully, we upped it after the break and got ourselves into the next round and a home tie with Luton.

IT'LL BE GOOD TO WELCOME KEV BACK

It’s a big game against Oldham on Saturday as they are just above us in the table.

Both teams will be looking for the win to try and get back in the play-offs.

It will also be great to see Kevin Maher back at Roots Hall.

I had four great years with him here and it will feel like coming home for him after all the time he spent with us.

It would be strange for him as well though and he has to remember to go in the right dressing room!