James Perch - A full-time scapegoat?

James Perch is becoming a bit of a cult hero these days. Well, to me he is anyway...

Of course he isn't the greatest player to have even graced the black and white stripes, but he does give his all or the cause which goes a long long way in my eyes.

It's amazing what a difference can be made when you play players in their favoured position. This is happening with James Perch now, and to be fair to the lad he is not disappointing when played in his preferred central midfield/defensive midfield role. For instance on Sunday he was one of our best performers, if not the best on the day.

Thing is, it's not exactly been an isolated incident either. If you look at Perch's performances in the middle he's actually done rather well and certainly hasn't been the disgrace that some people like to paint him out to be.

Yet if you take a look around there is very little credit heading in the direction of the Mansfield Zanetti. Ordinarily I wouldn't be fussed about it and would just see Perch doing what he has been doing as a player doing what he is actually supposed to be doing, but not many players have had the same amount of venom spat about them as Perch has had since he joined the club last season.

That venom has subsided recently, but we still see some rather odd comments about James. I mean in the wake of the Norwich game he was castigated by some for, well, for I don't know what actually as, like I said, he was one of our better players.

It's almost like it has become a form of habit and people are just looking at Perch and blaming him for things that essentially are nothing to do with him. Is it not about time people laid off him?

He gives 100%, can tackle, can pass, will run, chase, harass and put his body on the line.

Is that not enough?