JUST when is the right time to judge whether or not Grimsby Town have made a good start to the season? Three games? Five? Ten?
When Roy Hodgson managed Liverpool he once said he didn't look at league tables until after the first ten games, once teams had settled into a new system and players had got used to their team-mates.
It's a fair comment – just ask Kidderminster, who took ten games to register a win a couple of seasons ago before taking Mansfield to the last game of the season, and then finishing second.
Seasons are not won or lost by the middle of September.
So has Town's start to the season been good? Following Saturday's dismal home defeat against Torquay – and let's be honest, the Mariners were poor – they lie 14th in the table with just 12 points from the opening nine matches.
I'm not sure the points tally tells the whole story. The opening three matches yielded just three points, but it could and should have been nine.
The Gateshead/Alfreton double-header certainly turned heads, but defeats at Aldershot and Lincoln were harsh – and probably avoidable with sendings-off and silly mistakes at fault for goals conceded.
However, performances ultimately don't win you football matches. Goals do – and Town haven't scored enough if you take the 13-goal weekend out of the equation.
One goal in the first three games and three defeats in the last four matches have seen a positive, unbeaten start suddenly grind to a halt.
With four clean sheets in the first seven matches, there's certainly no concerns in the back four.
Carl Magnay has so far proved to be a brilliant acquisition and Toto Nsiala is a more than capable replacement for Andrew Boyce.
I think most Town fans have also been impressed by Scott Brown and Craig Clay in the middle of the park. The former is the central midfielder we've been crying out for.
But with Jon-Paul Pittman now set for a long spell on the sidelines with a torn hamstring, and Lenell John-Lewis and Nathan Arnold also injured, Town do look light up front and it's inevitable Paul Hurst will dip into the loan market to bring in a new attacking threat.
Has it been a good start? The league position would say no, but there's a long way to go.
Saturday's defeat was arguably the lowest point of the season so far with two more tough games to come this week. But wins over Halifax and Kidderminster and the outlook changes again.
I think consistency will be key – if Town can go on a run of wins, they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
The squad, so far anyway, looks as though it has the qualities available for a promotion charge.
It hasn't been the best start, but there's plenty of time to make amends.
Do you think Grimsby Town have made a good start to the season? Let me know on Twitter @toogoodtogodown
