AFTER all the mess-iah, can two naughty boys get themselves back in the good books after the international break?

While their plight might have been magnified by the general feeling of discontent among Wanderers fans of late, both Jermaine Beckford and Jay Spearing will be under the spotlight if they take the field this weekend against Sheffield Wednesday.

The furore has died down since Beckford’s apparent salute to Leeds fans at Elland Road, or the pictures which emerged of Spearing’s mini-break to Ibiza early last week.

Indeed, opinion is still split on whether the pair did anything wrong at all to deserve the criticism that came their way.

But if anything is to come out of an angry fortnight, where football has hardly been debated at all, then it is that all of Dougie Freedman’s squad should now understand just how personally the club’s supporters have taken the poor start to the season.

Beckford’s salute to the home fans at Elland Road, deemed a PR own-goal by most, harmless gesture by some, gives him more making up to do than his captain.

Spearing had been the best player in a Wanderers shirt that afternoon but Beckford’s late miss – and later lack of contrition – was followed by a surprising link with Fulham on transfer deadline day.

Once that move did not go through, the 30-year-old striker was always going to be in a difficult position on his return to the Macron.

Football has a habit of forgetting these indiscretions, however, and you only need look at the example of Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney as to how things can change in a relatively short period of time.

Beckford’s cause could definitely be helped with more time on the pitch – but where he fits into the equation up front is up for debate.

Craig Davies has been the in-form striker with two goals this season and also provides more physical presence and work-rate up front than others in the camp.

Joe Mason has been preferred as his partner up front but after a wasteful afternoon at Leeds, he may also feel his position is under threat.

Beckford is unlikely to weave around the edges like Mason, preferring to get his chances by running off a defender’s shoulder or picking up pieces in the penalty box.

In that respect, Wanderers do not help him at times.

If he is to get back into the good books, he will have to find some way of playing alongside Davies or Mason, at least until Freedman manages to bring in more attacking options.

Spearing’s job appears quite simple, carry on in a similar vein to that he was in at Leeds.

Whether or not you agree that the skipper should have been pictured sunning himself in the Balearics while the team are rooted in the bottom three of the Championship or not, he remains an integral piece of the Wanderers midfield.

It is highly likely that he will start the game against Wednesday with a little word in the ear from Freedman about appearing on social media – one of the manager’s pet hates – but nothing more.

A little shine may have been taken off the one-time terrace darling but the damage is only superficial, provided the team get on a roll quickly.

Looking on the bright side of life, six points from the next two home games might just lighten the mood a bit.