...and the eventual page one, 4.20pm March 13

The blog before last was where I left page one when I disappeared into an exec meeting this morning. So how did it actually turn out by late afternoon on the streets?

Well, I was right with the splash, although the eventual headline from splash sub Pat Milliner eventually went for the newsiest part of the story rather than a general line about the head's 'reign of terror'. The published headline in print was 'Head "force-fed" nursery tot'.

750+ jobs was the main boost. And there was a strapline above that read 'COUNCIL STRIKE LATEST: PAGE 2' and 'FREE £2 CHELTENHAM BET: PAGE 68. No room for the 'budget special' in the strap, however, and that was instead snuck under the masthead as the secondary boost '4-page budget special starts page 15'.

The suggested Barry picture also made it, with a tweaked headine of 'Barry pen saves Villa'.

Not bad then... 85% the way I said it might look like? Perhaps the live news conference at 7.15am does wield a little influence after all.

Pop out and buy a copy to see for yourselves.