Two of my old clubs are struggling at the moment in the Premier League but both I believe will eventually come good, wrote Colin Todd before his dramatic announcement to quit the club.

Derby County and Middlesborough are having a tough time and I was interested to read at the weekend that a Derby player thought that the side were were too good to be relegated to Division One.

That is a dangerous thing to say as you have to earn the right to play in the top flight and that means having an appetite and a desire to win.

When the chips are down that's when you see if your players have the mettle to cope with it.

Derby are a great club and I had a wonderful time there when I played for them.

Jim Smith has worked wonders to not only get them back in the top echelon but keep them there.

The same can be said of Bryan Robson at Boro although he has the help of a chairman prepared to spend some money.

Money though, doesn't guarantee anything. I've said this many times because while it requires investment in the right squad it also requires a team spirit.

It's a hotbed of football up in the northeast and Robbo has done a great job in getting people to back the team with some big name signings.

The Riverside is full every week but he will have to work some magic to ensure that some of those big names don't let him down.

What is interesting is that clubs are already been written off - after only ten games - which is ridiculous.

This season there are probably a dozen teams who could end up fighting for survival whereas in the past it has been four or five.

There is still such a long way to go and I believe that both clubs will sort themselves out and hang on to their much-prized Premier League status.

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