By Matthew Cox, West Stand season ticket holder

As we walked out into the last summer night of the year following the victory over Newcastle, the feeling amongst the fans was an unexpected and welcome sense of nostalgia.

This was the glow of last season that would see us leaving stadiums, be they home or away, with both the points and the plaudits in the bag.

Certainly not the fears and anxieties that have been playing on the mind over recent weeks following the final whistle.

What a difference a week makes.

At 32 minutes into last Saturday's game against Blackburn with the third goal conceded with none in reply there was an unavoidable sense that the bubble had burst.

The cursed theory of the Second Syndrome that has been thrown our way since we achieved our highest league position in August was now a reality.

On the road we have not performed and even when we have got things going it has all been too late as we have gifted our opponents an early and consistently insurmountable lead.

At home, whilst points were being accumulated these were being won with endeavour rather than flair and positive play. Should we have been more ambitious in the transfer market over the summer?

Were Sidwell's shoes that much bigger than we thought when it came to filling them? Had Shorey's head been turned too far with any offers away from Berkshire?

Where could the right sided attacking play come from with Glen seemingly out for the season and Seol clearly not wanting to play for us anymore and soon to be gone?

Suddenly the compliments and praise that both players and fans alike could bask in were disappearing fast.

But when Dave Kitson swept the ball into the right hand corner of Given's net and then young Shane pounced late to drive the ball into the very same corner the storm clouds parted.

Like awakening from a bad dream we all sat down on Sunday morning to look over the papers (always best to get the tabloid and broadsheet verdict on your club) to realise that with 11 games gone we are sitting in 12th place.

We are on the same number of points we collected this time last year (OK the goal difference has room for improvement), there was sunlight between us and the relegation zone for the first time this season and crucially the goals were beginning to return to us.

Yes, the game this Saturday at Fulham may well determine whether we have turned the corner.

A defeat and we could be back at the bottom of a glass contemplating those Championship away trips next season but the fact is that we can see that the season is well underway and the table does not lie.

Are we in the hunt for the title? Of course not. Are we looking to obtain that European place that we so narrowly missed last season? Not one fan would admit that.

Where we are is sitting with the other established Premier League teams near the top of the Premier League second tier and looking to cement our long-term status and progression in the top flight.

If we think back to the so near so far play off pursuits of the last five years and then even further back to the dark days of rain soaked midweek defeats at a cold Elm Park then you really should finish reading this and reach down to pinch yourself or perhaps tell yourself you never had it so good.

Last season is over. But we have this season to enjoy now. We should be busy doing just that.

Coppell referred to the performance last Saturday as like 'seeing an old friend'. In fact that friend has never been away.