Promotion is in the bag achieved by a stylish and free-scoring team. A bright young manager with an impeccable pedigree. A forward-thinking moneybags chairman who shows no sign of closing his ample chequebook. Plans for a state-of-the art stadium.

Even the London Road pitch is in the best nick it has been for years.
And, best of all, there is a widely-held and not unreasonable belief that the best is yet to come both on and off the pitch.

It remains a dream that the London Road boys will one day be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal on a regular basis. But it is a dream that doesn't sound quite so far fetched as it did a couple of years ago.

And it's okay to dream, but Posh fans should remember to enjoy what they have now, because there's no guarantee the good times will last.
As a Leeds United fan, I know this better than most.

I am sure the people of the city will turn out in their thousands to see the team enjoy an open-top bus ride round the city.

They will have earned the adulation because at last, the city, not just die-hard fans, has a club to be proud of.

You never know, next year we might even see more youngsters in Queensgate wearing Posh shirts than Man U and Chelsea ones.

And that's how it should be.

Nobby the star
What a great idea to write a play about Peterborough through the eyes of one of our most famous residents, Nobby the tramp. It's the brainwave of playwright Mark Curtis, who was brought up in Netherton, but now runs a West End theatre company.

Hopefully, it will be a big success and who knows it might even become a Hollywood blockbuster. My money is on Tom Hanks taking the lead role as he's proved he can carry off a beard.

Meet Ice... Sporran and Cannonball
The return of the cult TV show Gladiators will have special interest for ET readers after it was revealed that former Hinchingbrooke School pupil Caroline Pearce will be one of the stars.

The Huntingdon lass will be Gladiator Ice in the Saturday night rumble.
Inspired, I asked some of my colleagues what their Gladiator name would be, which is why as I write this Sporran and Cannonball are sitting nearby.

After some deliberation, I settled on Tyke for my name.

Later, as I was explaining to My Special Friend how busy we had been at the ET, I revealed I had chosen Tyke because of my Yorkshire heritage.
She gave me one of those looks before replying: "Wouldn't 'Pudding' be more fitting?''

More cash for the police, but at what cost?
Chief Constable Julie Spence was looking very relaxed on the day she met the Home Secretary to plead the case for more cash.

She won the day and praise was lavished on her for having had the courage to put her head above the parapet to highlight the pressure the influx of migrants was putting on police in the county. Her argument was just, but predictably parts of the national media used it to show the county in a bad light. I'm not sure the extra cash was worth the damage to the area's reputation.

Calls may be recorded for training purposes
It must have been quite a shock for the unfortunate driver who lost control of his car and smashed into the historic cathedral gates.
But his ordeal probably didn't end there. He still had to break the news to his insurers.

I wonder if the conversation went anything like this . . . "Hello, you're through to the claims department. How can I help you?

A hesitant voice speaks: "Er . . . I had a little accident, I bumped my car into a gate.''

"Oh dear. Never mind, sir, your policy fully covers you, we can get that sorted. Have you had an estimate for the damage to your car?''

"Yes, it's a few hundred pounds.''

"Okay sir, and the gate, I suppose, is another £50, say £100 with labour.''

There is a long silence.

"Sir? . . . hello, sir. Can you hear me?

Finally, the voice pipes up: "Er, it's £100,000.''

I do hope they were "recording that call for training purposes''.
It must have been a classic.

Is she really the perfect woman?
Forget for a moment that she looks disconcertingly like daytime telly's Lorraine Kelly, but this is "the most seductive woman of all time''.

She is a composite of Marilyn Monroe, Angeline Jolie, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Kelly Brook and is called Angelle L'Brook.

I don't wish to appear picky but I'm not impressed. The hair's too big, the boobs are a little too large as well (yes, it is possible) but it's the left foot that worries me – it's huge.

(All the better for walking all over men – MSF).