FIRST of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Let's hope things warm up because if they don't I fear I might find a snowman in the passenger seat of my car next week!

Mind you Scott Carson can have no complaints about finding one in his Audi the other day at the training ground because he started it.

I can reveal James Morrison left his car open and Scotty put snow on the floor on the driver's side.

Mozza saw that and went one better.

He got Scotty's keys out of the locker and moved the snowman into the passenger side of his car.

It went a bit daft after that and it ended up in a few players' cars.

Mind you, it's good to see Mozza back in and around the lads having a laugh after a tough time with his heel injury.

December was an eventful month for Scotty after his sending-off against Cardiff.

Fair play to him for coming to every game during his three-match ban and helping Dean Kiely with the warm-ups.

It was good to have him around.

He's a big personality around the club and it was important he supported the lads during the games he was out.

Credit to Deano for stepping in and filling the void like he'd never been away.

He keeps himself in good shape and he's another good person to have around the dressing room because of his experience.

He's helped make Scotty a better goalkeeper this season in his coaching role and I think Scotty would probably say himself that he's helped him mature as a person.

Scotty's got a lot of responsibility on his shoulders now after being handed the captain's armband.

It was good to see Simon Cox extend his scoring run to seven goals in as many games in the early part of the month.

Strikers tend to score goals in batches and it was a good run while it lasted.

His goal in the final minute against QPR was important because it earned us a point that might prove crucial when all looked lost in that game.

He's had a bit of a tough time since then but he's shown he's got the quality to score goals and, with the chances we create, it will only be a matter of time before he gets back on the scoresheet.

The Christmas party came on the weekend the Blackpool away trip was postponed due to the weather - and it was a good time for it.

The Championship is a long season and it's important to have time like that.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and on the back of it we've had three wins.

Personally, I've felt like I haven't contributed as much as I could have over the last couple of games.

Huddersfield was a professional performance in the FA Cup.

We worked hard and in the end the quality showed and it was nice for me to create the two goals.

It's good to get a home tie in the next round, especially being away at Ipswich the Tuesday afterwards.

That's a long journey.

It would have been bad playing at Newcastle on the Monday night, then being away in the cup and away again on Tuesday - it would have been a long week for everybody.

You never know what's going to happen in the cup so it's hard to say whether it will be Plymouth or Newcastle in the next round.

In the league we're at the halfway stage.

Some of the lads are a bit disappointed we haven't got more from some of the games to be a bit closer to Newcastle.

Overall I think we're in a healthy position but we must continue that during the second half of the season.

It's been a chaotic time because of the weather, meaning we've had to train in the dome or at the stadium.

It's been interesting to see Gonzo Jara's reaction to the wintry conditions.

I don't think he'd ever seen snow until he came here because he's from the city in Chile.

He's got more than a few extra layers of clothes on!

Having said that we all have, because as I was saying to Jonas Olsson, it is the coldest I've ever known in England - and I'm from Northern Ireland!

Off the pitch we've seen the arrival of new signing Gabriel Tamas.

He's slotted in well and he speaks good English which is always a help.

It will be interesting to see how he does in the games.

The Championship is different to leagues he's played in and hopefully he can adapt quickly and fill the void left by Abdoulaye Meite, who was playing well.

It could be in at the deep end for him tonight but that's probably the best way to learn.

It's a bit like the changing of the guard with the retirement from professional football of Neil Clement on medical advice this week.

Speaking to Clem over the last few months I think he knew he was struggling with his knee.

To have it finally confirmed is not a nice thing.

It will be good to keep around the place in a coaching-type role.

He's been here that long, he's part of the building.

When I first signed he was one of the first people to come and speak to me.

He's a nice guy and I'm absolutely gutted for him.

But I know he's strong enough to hopefully go on and have a good career in whatever he chooses to do next, whether it be coaching or not.

He's also been through three promotions with the club, so if he's around, what better person to go to for advice.