Dodgy glowplugs perhaps?

The mongrel was tough to start on boxing day morning. Xmas day night had got down to 10 below possibly, where I was staying. Tried to start the car to let Dad out of the drive and it wouldn't catch. First seemed to catch and then just cranked over without any sign of a "spark". In the end I turned key off and on three times to exercise the plugs and after more cranking it started - lots of white smoke for a few seconds and then "normal" again. I do have large flow nozzles which are likely to not help in this scenario, but could my glowplugs be on the way out?

I have not vagcom'd the car yet. It was plus 5 degrees or so this morning and the car started much better, MUCH better!