Cod Almighty | Postbag

Matchday superstitions, goalkeepers' green and much more

6 December 2014

Its December and the letters have been literally trickling in. Except not literally. 

A long way from Blundell Park

Hello Cod Almighty,

Are we still doing photos of ourselves in exotic places with Town shirts on? If yes, look at this lovely picture of Gondar stadium in Ethiopia - the little splodge of black and white is me training for the Great Ethiopia Run in Addis Ababa. Sorry, I didn't pack my red stockings.

We are (inevitably) raising money for Link Ethiopia, a charity which helps out here training teachers and improving classrooms. (It also helps out in the UK by employing me as a projects manager). So please plug us.

from Rory Dillon

Goalie's green and other stories

Traditionally, Town's keepers never wore green as green was considered unlucky by fishermen, who, in the mists of time, made up the majority of the crowd (Hence "Pontoon" stand).

Talking of keepers, whatever happened to our current number one training with that 'Url as was being mooted after Steve Croudson left these shores for greater glory?

Why has no-one challenged our esteemed ex-Chairman with regard to not relocating the ground to the former Western School site? There is an existing road infrastructure (and roads will be easier (and cheaper) to improve rather than creating a new junction and access on Peaks Parkway), it is not close to a crematorium or existing allotments or housing which will inevitably create nimby opposition.

I've just realised - Peaks Parkway is closer to Fenty's home than the Western school site.

from Phil Shorter

Greener

Green simply brings bad luck at sea. I don't think it has anything to do with not being able to spot anyone in green clothes against the background of a green sea.

I remember watching a documentary-type programme where a rich Italian guy was prevented from getting on board a sailing ship in the Med because he was wearing green.

from Chris Parrott

Lenell

How about a little love for John-Lewis? When's the last time a Town striker had 11 goals before Bonfire Night? Seriously, I'd like to know.

from Phil Watson

Letters Ed responds: Not based on an exhaustive check, but Alan Connell had scored 12 goals by the end of October in 2010-11.

Matchday superstitions: route one, or two

I don't live in Cleethorpes any more, but my parents do. So when I come back for a match, I call in at their place first, down Queen Mary Avenue, before heading to Blundell Park.

I grew up in that house and didn't leave until I was 21, and in that time I never did find out which route was quickest to Blundell Park since our house was equidistant from Park Avenue and Elliston Street (that was the "genius of its location", to squeeze a Partridge quote in there).

Which route I took before each match while living at home was done on a whim until I began to realise, slowly, that we might just perform better when I go down Elliston Street. So I took Elliston Street a lot of the time. And when we lost, which would happen, I'd try Park Avenue. And then we'd lose again. But I remained convinced that one held more luck than the other.

I toggled between the two so often, such was my desperation to discover a winning formula, that I can't remember which one brought most luck. So today, 10 years on from when I left, I still don't know what I'm doing when I close my parents' front gate behind me, Town top on, ticket in hand.

As matchday superstitions go, this is a really stupid one. I'll convince myself it's Elliston Street, and when we lose to Southport I'll convince myself it's Park Avenue, but by the time I go to the next game I'll have forgotten I went down Elliston Street the last time and I'll remain convinced that's it's still the way to go.

So now I've totally confused myself. I have just two options and I can never remember which one is the lucky one. You'd think I'd remember, with their being just two variables, but then my dad could never remember which way round the yellow and green balls went on a snooker table, so I guess this level of stupidity runs through the Lord family.

from Richard Lord

Matchday superstitions: shun tea

I never drink out of any of my Town mugs on matchday until after the final whistle. I can't really remember why or when this started - about 30 years ago we must have lost a match after I had a mug of tea in a Grimsby mug on the morning of the game!

If I am at a Town game I never have a cup of tea at half-time. This superstition started in 1988 at Edgar Street, Hereford when we went in 1-0 up at half time (Richard O'Kelly scored the goal). I had a cup of tea at half-time but before I had managed to finish it, we had conceded two quick goals, and lost the game 2-1.

from Dermot McKeown

Leonard

Great article, well thought through and very entertaining. Only trouble is I'm going have to listen to some Leonard Cohen on YouTube now.

from John Walter

Paul Hurst v Town fans

You might surmise by looking at the subject line of this piece that I would be writing to complain about Paul Hurst and his constant vilification of town fans in his post match rants/interviews. However, I have a slightly alternative view and in some ways I agree with him.

There will only ever be one winner when a manager attacks his own fans (see Rob Scott versus John Tondeur.) Town fans are fiercely loyal, proud of their team and their heritage, fed up of losing, fed up of Sky sports, plastic fans, the bloody Premier League, and sick to the back teeth of watching hoofball. That said some of the shoutings from the terraces (only at home games) have been misguided and often poisonous.

The problem now is that anyone who has played football on a Sunday morning at Barrats, or won the league on Football Manager thinks they are Jose Mourinho. I despair at the amount of times I hear "get it forward", "launch it", "put a shift in" and other such Sunday League generic quotes. I can't imagine Arsene Wenger shouting at his players to "get it in the mixer". And what's with booing us off at half-time whenever we might be a goal down?

Yes if you pay your money you are entitled to have your say. But when you shout out "get it forward" when one of our players dares to pass it backwards or sideways to one of his team-mate, it becomes counter-productive.

It may well be a minority of town fans that boo and hiss and shout out utter nonsense, but unfortunately they are the ones heard the loudest.

Let's not give Paul Hurst reason to whinge. Think before you speak/shout, and get behind the boys. Let's face it, they need all the help they can get.

Up the bloody mariners.

from Kris Richardson

Thanks to everyone who has written in to Cod Almighty.