A loan spell: "better than doing nothing"

With Steve Harper on loan at Brighton - "better than doing nothing", he's said - what of our other loan 'keepers?

It's been a bumpy ride of late for Fraser Forster, with Celtic enjoying Europa League football but languishing ten points behind arch rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premier League. The Bhoys lost to Hearts before Forster conceded three first-half to lowly Kilmarnock - though his teammates fought back to force a draw thanks in large part to two goals from ex-Mackem lump Anthony Stokes, once barred from the Dark Place's Glass Spider club by Royston Keane.

Meanwhile, Ole Soderberg is currently on a month's loan at Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Darlington. The game against Newport County on 1st October - a 2-0 win for his side - may have been the young Swede's first-team debut, and he may only have played five more times since, but it seems he already feels justified in criticising his colleagues. Three wins in those six appearances - including a rollercoaster 4-3 against Stockport - haven't been enough to save Mark Cooper's job, though, the manager given the boot by chairman Raj Singh after the weekend defeat at Braintree.

And lastly to a loan defender, James Tavernier, whose bad mistake contributed to Carlisle's 4-0 thumping at league leaders Charlton on Saturday. The Cumbrians weren't down for long, though, a quick three-goal blitz last night putting the Addicks' promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday to the sword. The clean sheets seem to have dried up somewhat, but the experience can only be good for Tavernier.