John McAtee

Just an observation, this has been a brilliant week for our club, good away win with new players making a difference, massive up win, to 3 - 0 results and a fans forum that illustrates the positive direction of travel.

It must have been a really weird week for John McAtee who I think many would agree is our best player or if not certainly a best game changer and out of respect for his parent club he couldn't really be part of such a good night on Tuesday, and this is a lad for all the right reasons appears to enjoy being the focal point and at the centre of everything.

Colchester beware I think!

He gave a smashing interview in McMenemy's on Tuesday night.

Quoted from DaleH

He gave a smashing interview in McMenemy's on Tuesday night.

I've never spoken to him directly but he always seems to have time for everyone.

Quoted from DaleH

He gave a smashing interview in McMenemy's on Tuesday night.

What did he say Dale?

Quoted from toontown

What did he say Dale?

He was asked who he would like to win tonight and said ‘The Mariners of course, that’s who I play for!’

People might think I'm going OTT when I say this, but he's one of my favourite ever Town players. I started watching us in the 90/91 season and I don't remember enjoying watching anyone since the 90s as much as I enjoyed watching McAtee last season. I'm not for one second saying he's the best player to have played for us since 1990, but I can't think of anyone that has occupied the role of star player within a squad and also just seems to care quite so much as he does. You love to see it as a fan. If anything he lumps too much pressure on himself as the frustrations he obviously feels are quite often seemingly on the edge of boiling over. He's also got a rare quality among modern day footballers in that he comes across as a normal person in interviews. His interview on the pitch after the playoff final is pure gold. His performance vs Wrexham in the playoff final last season was a masterclass, even topped Ben Fox's ridiculous run-a-thon at Notts County the week before and should go down as such in the annals of Town folklore. If he can recapture his form from last season then we're in for an exciting end to the season. I think we've seen signs of that too, people we very quick to declare the Crewe match as an outlier in his form this season but he absolutely ran the show against Tranmere playing slightly out of position and I think we've seen him play well on several occasions when he perhaps didn't quite get the praise he deserved, Harrogate away and Stockport at home for example.

He has a very rare blend of attacking flair and work ethic; two attributes that are usually mutually exclusive. I have a sneaking suspicion he is the illegitimate love child of John Oster and Alan Pouton.

Such a shame we are going to lose him in the summer, let's hope there's some more memories made before then.

You never know, if we got promoted and Luton did, he might hang around a bit longer on loan...

Yeah, straw clutching, but stranger things have and do happen at Town these days.

Quoted from Son of Cod

People might think I'm going OTT when I say this, but he's one of my favourite ever Town players. I started watching us in the 90/91 season and I don't remember enjoying watching anyone since the 90s as much as I enjoyed watching McAtee last season. I'm not for one second saying he's the best player to have played for us since 1990, but I can't think of anyone that has occupied the role of star player within a squad and also just seems to care quite so much as he does. You love to see it as a fan. If anything he lumps too much pressure on himself as the frustrations he obviously feels are quite often seemingly on the edge of boiling over. He's also got a rare quality among modern day footballers in that he comes across as a normal person in interviews. His interview on the pitch after the playoff final is pure gold. His performance vs Wrexham in the playoff final last season was a masterclass, even topped Ben Fox's ridiculous run-a-thon at Notts County the week before and should go down as such in the annals of Town folklore. If he can recapture his form from last season then we're in for an exciting end to the season. I think we've seen signs of that too, people we very quick to declare the Crewe match as an outlier in his form this season but he absolutely ran the show against Tranmere playing slightly out of position and I think we've seen him play well on several occasions when he perhaps didn't quite get the praise he deserved, Harrogate away and Stockport at home for example.

I don't think that OTT, when he arrived we needed a game changer (every squad does) and he's done that on so many occasions and as you've referenced in the biggest of games too.