Thin Lines (between love and hate)

Chris Lines was like Marmite.
You either loved him or hated him.
Now the player who caused such a split in the Gashead ranks has finally jumped ship and moved to Sheffield Wednesday.
We expected it would happen sooner or later.
All summer the talk has been of where he would go, not if he would be going at all.
Then he had a trial with Crystal Palace and it seemed he was on his way, only for them to decide maybe he wasn't the answer to their myriad problems.
So he was welcomed back into the fold by our manager Paul Buckle and it seemed he would be our player for another season.
Interestingly, he was left on the bench for the opening game against AFC Wimbledon and came on in the second half.
It was something all three of our managers refused to countenance last season - if he was fit, he was in the team.
It indicated that Buckle didn't really consider him as part of his plans, particularly with the acquisition of Craig Stanley and Matt Gill, two highly experienced midfielders.
Lines, like most young players, has good days and bad days.
When he was good, he could be very good.
But on other occasions he went missing - particularly when the going got tough.
In our relegation battle he seemed to fade in and out of the action.
Perhaps, the situation was all too comfortable for him at his hometown club.
Rarely, though, did I see him grab a game by the scruff of the neck.
He scored the odd spectacular free kick, and drifted into the box now and again.
But, certainly in the blue and white quarters, he became a bit of a luxury last season when we needed 11 players scrapping for the cause.
It will be interesting to see how he fares at a club in another part of the country where he hasn't been brought up and nurtured - a small fish in a big pool.

Meanwhile, this Saturday will be a big day for our manager Paul Buckle. He comes up against his former club Torquay at the Mem.
Unfortunately I can't be there, but I am already impressed with his professional approach.
He says it is just about getting the three points, not about any side issues. And when he says it you believe him.
Here's hoping for three more points tomorrow.