Cod Almighty | Postbag
The League Cup quarter final and other fishy tales
25 January 2015
Crikey, letters. Lots of them, and good reading throughout. Let's get on with it.
McMenemy memories
Greetings,
Neville Butt's reminiscences (in the Diary, 30 December) from the Main Stand bring back some great memories of Lawrie McMenemy. However, stalwarts in the Osmond Stand which I frequented were initially less than thrilled to learn that Town had appointed a man sacked by Doncaster Rovers! I remember his first home match and the sight of this 7ft tall (so it seemed) ramrod-straight figure in a black leather coat - goodness knows what effect this had on the team. Lawrie introduced team visits to the fish docks, with the threat that any under-performers would be put on a trawler for Iceland.
I hope there won't be too many laughs when I say that I rank Lawrie with the great Brian Clough, in that he had the ability to get something extra out of otherwise very ordinary players. My hope is that Paul Hurst will inspire his team in McMenemy fashion and get us out of this wretched Conference.
Best wishes,
from David Elvidge
In defence of the FA Trophy
Hi guys,
I tend to agree that the FA Trophy is a distraction that we could do without in our quest for promotion.
However, this is not a view shared by the younger members of my household. My lads like the Trophy because it offers Town another route to Wembley. Attending the final in 2013 has been used on several occasions as the trump card to repel jeers from their Premiership supporting mates. Although the game ended in defeat, the magic of the day ensured they were hooked as Town fans.
As a forty-something, I have Town's past glories to tap into. Unfortunately, for this generation of fans, the Mariners are a tough sell. Maybe the Trophy is to be tolerated if it can help draw in younger supporters and give them a reason to be proud to support Town.
Cheers,
from Peter Anderson
Dave Gilbert v Louth Canal
Dear CA,
Your diary of the 20 January and the story of Dave Gilbert's penalty miss against West Ham in 1993 brought back memories of something that happened the day after. It showed how when your luck's out, it's really out.
'Diddy' was a very keen angler, as is my Dad. Having finished work, Dad made his way to Tetney Lock for an afternoon's dangling when who should be on the riverbank when my dad arrived? Yes, his Town hero and favourite pint-sized touchline hogger, Mr Gilbert.
By this stage, Diddy had firmly established himself in mine and Dad's hearts as one of our favourite Town players. His jinking runs, beating the same defender three times because he can, and blistering free-kicks and penalties had given us countless enjoyable afternoons at Blundell Park.
After recognising Diddy and exchanging the usual anglers' pleasantries, my Dad took his place on the riverbank a few yards away from Town's tricky winger. Some time later, my Dad's lazy afternoon was roused by the sound of something small, but perfectly formed, entering the water. Over walked Diddy to see my Dad, water dripping from his nose. He'd lost his footing and taken a plunge into the Louth Canal. Poor Dave.
"Can you watch my gear while I go home and get changed?" asked dejected Diddy.
"Of course, no problem," said Dad, probably a little too enthusiastic to help out his hero.
Some time later, dejected Diddy returned. Then, the bombshell. For some reason, my dad wasn't familiar with what exactly had happened at Upton Park the night before, only that we'd lost 2-1 and played quite well. Diddy, after thanking my Dad for minding his gear and taking his place on the riverbank again, slipped into a more philosophical mood. The conversation went something like this.
Diddy: "It's just my luck really. I missed a penalty last night as well..."
Dad: "Er, what?
Diddy: "Yeah, hit the bar. Would've got us a point as well."
Dad: "Well if I'd have known that, I'd have stuck my f*%£ing foot on yer 'ead!"
My Dad, the diplomat!
Yours sincerely
from Chris Kirk
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Chris. We also had a letter disputing the diarist's description of the penality as "soft", saying Julian Dick's had been star jumping when the ball struck his hand. Unfortunately we've mislaid that one, so can't credit it. Especially unfortunate as we seem to recall that, apart from the description of the penalty, our correspondent praised the diary's wisdom.
Where's Tony?
Chaps,
As you know, I've recommended Tony Butcher for the Nobel Prize for Literature several times, and he has sustained me for years during my exile. Is he ill? I'm not moaning, and I know he does it all for free, but I'm dying to read the Barnet report. I can't believe it still isn't up. Has he been kidnapped?
His greatest fan
from Phil Ball
Letters Ed responds: As Deviant Diary said, Tony was declared unfit for the Barnet game. He is now fully recovered and normal service has been resumed.
League Cup 1: a foul, outside the box
You mentioned in this diary the League Cup replay in 1979 against Wolves and the first goal being a disputed penalty. By memory I think it was Clive Wiggington who fouled the Wolves player. It was definitely a foul but outside the box. Under today's rules he would have walked under the last man rule.
The ground was packed. We played well, as we did in the first two games, more than matching them. If I've got the right game, what struck Town fans in the first game at Blundell Park was Emlyn Hughes seemingly never leaving the ref's side. Hughes more or less reffed the game. The point you make in the diary is right, we more than matched the bigger clubs in all of the matches we played and this was when we started to get the reputation for being a club to be respected, on and off the field.
A bit's changed since then, eh?
from Dave Holmes
League Cup 2: a dive
It was undoubtedly a dive by the master of that particular dark art - Andy Gray.
We should have won both the previous games, too. At home Kevin Moore headed against the cross bar with such force that it was probably still vibrating the following day. The replay at Wolves was dominated in large parts by "little Grimsby" who, only six months previously, had gained promotion from the old fourth division. The Wolves manager, John Barnwell, said that his side, in the top half of the old first division, were lucky to still be in the tournament. Sadly, they won the second replay at neutral Derby - a lot nearer to Wolverhampton than Cleethorpes, incidentally - and went on to win the cup.
I always felt that that was our best chance to get to Wembley in a big boy's trophy. If we'd beaten Wolves, as we should have done, we would have played Swindon in the semi-final. They were in the same division as us and had an inferior side to the Mariners.
Still, we went on to win the 3rd division that season, at the first attempt, with the crowning glory being the 4-0 demolition of Sheffield United featuring a hat-trick by Kevin Drinkell, one of five or six home-grown boys in one of the most successful Town teams of all time.
Oh, where have the good times gone? Must we forever have to wallow in nostalgia?
from John England
Letters Ed responds: Thanks John. Bear in mind that not long before that season, fans had been wallowing in nostalgia for Matt Tees and Lawrie McMenemy.
League Cup 3: dodgy
I attended this match. I seem to recall Batchy booting Andy Gray after he had scored the dodgy penalty. That is if I am actually remembering the right replay.
I was also at Leicester for the second replay against Southampton the season before when we succumbed 4-1. It snowed on the way home and the choke stuck on in my Mini, so every time I stopped at traffic lights she cut out and was a bitch to start again. A boot in the front grill made me feel better, until I got the bill!
from Dave the Engineer
League Cup 4: a slight touch, outside the box
Wiggington never touched him. I'll concede he may have... slightly but he was outside the box.
There were more Town than Wolves fans at the Baseball Ground. I remember fuelling up at the Lyndon in Meggies, the coach arriving at the ground with half a dozen lads sat on the coach roof singing songs, queuing for an age to get in. Derby totally underestimated the number of Town fans that would travel.
I missed only a re-arranged Friday night match at Carlisle that year. What a year. What a team. What a sublime legacy to lock away for ever...
Onward and upward.
from Rich Jones
Hear 'See the Mariners'
Humber Music are re-releasing Grimsby Town FC’s 1985 song ‘See The Mariners’ (Down at Blundell Park) by Good News. It's out on Monday 12th January 2015.
Regards
from Kevin
Make your own theme team
Dear CA,
Dismayed by events on the pitch and inspired by your recent Theme Teams, I decided to build my own Theme Team. Listed below, with subs and staff, is my Bruisers XI......perhaps a team of Lightweights could be compiled in response?
Keep up the great work, UTM
1. Nigel Batch
2. John Stone
3. Ronnie Bull
4. Curtis Woodhouse
5. Chris Nicholl
6. Justin Whittle (captain)
7. Tommy Watson
8. Nathan Jarman
9. Anthony Elding
10. George Santos
11. Bobby Cumming
Subs: Tony Rees, Ashley Sestanovich, Darran Kempson, James Hunt, Stacy Coldicott, Barry Conlon, Rob Jones
Joint Managers: Mike Lyons & Rob Scott
Assistant: Brian Laws
Physio: Dave Moore
from Steve Evison
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Steve, and thanks to everyone who has written to us. All cracking stuff.
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