Cod Almighty | Postbag
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the write
28 August 2016
The club considering nicking the Iceland chant; Players' final hurrahs at Blundell Park; Leyton Orient; Colchester; Peter Taylor's daughter. And the state of the Pontoon toilets.
Over the top
I agree with Jase Ives in part, but for me it was an innocent question that has been brought up by a fan and the club have responded to it. NO WAY should the chant be implemented but at the same time I find this article a total over-the-top reaction.
Let's have some positivity flowing through the place which can be created by the club and the trust but, also by posts such as what Cod Almighty produce.
UTM
from Declan Robinson
Letters Ed responds: Hi Declan, thanks for taking the time to write. Jase's piece was strong, perhaps angry but many of us were disappointed that the club would even consider it, given its links with the town and the fishing industry. Even without that history I think we're above such blatant bandwagon-jumping.
History and traditions should not be lost
Reading Jase Ives' excellent article about the club's seeming contempt for the heritage of Grimsby made me realise how much I envy people who originate from somewhere with a real identity. As someone who was born and brought up in the anonymity of a North London suburb, I can't lay claim to any real traditions or history.
Yes, I have been following Town for over 25 years, the last 18 as a season ticket holder, but does that make it my club in the way it is for natives of the area? If football allegiances went by place of birth, I would support QPR – which was also the team my Dad supported.
But it's too late now. As the song goes: I'm Grimsby til I die. I just hope the club heed Jase's warning so that the history and traditions I have chosen to buy into by supporting Grimsby Town are not lost.
from Sue Firth
Letters Ed responds: Hi Sue, glad you enjoyed it and found something to write in about. Jase had his finger on the nub of the zeitgeist with that piece and I'd like to think that someone at the club did take their time to read it, along with some of the briefer comments they received.
Clean up
In agreement with Jase. One thing more: clean up the toilets, at least with a coat of paint.
from James Woodhouse
Letters Ed responds: Well said James, and I'm presuming you mean the ones behind the Pontoon? Sometimes the shabbiness of a building or stadium lends a bit of character but in the case of the Blundell Park bogs, there comes a time when there's just too much character.
Tone deaf
The suggestion we might adopt the Icelandic chant is especially inane and tone deaf when a year ago we were selling a tee shirt with our own, distinctive chant on it, one that became a back-drop to the promotion season.
from Pat Bell
Letters Ed responds: Exactly, Pat. Maybe we could add something to the club's crest to remind them of the town's history? Or a song or chant with a reference to the industry, just so there's no confusion? I dunno, just ideas...
The Clough connection
Wasn't there some connection between Peter Taylor's daughter, and somebody from Grimsby? I remember this as being one of the reasons Taylor and Clough attended a Winter Garden Sporting Club event.
from Raymond Lawrance
Letters Ed responds: Hi Raymond, thanks for writing. I have no idea about the Taylor connection and neither does Google but maybe one of our readers can shed some light on it? Anyone?
Missing the action
My dad had taken to watching Bolton when he moved to the North-West in the Todd/Blake/Frandsen/Fish era, and they played Blackburn in a local derby.
It was my first trip to Ewood Park, we arrived late and were being told that Wanderers were losing to an early goal. We promptly missed the second home goal as the bloke next to us described the first, and then there was a kerfuffle and the visitors' Alan Thompson was red-carded.
So, not the best start to a game. At least it wasn't Town.
from Dan Humphrey
Letters Ed responds: Exactly Dan, it wasn't Town. You rescued yourself there and we're going to absolve you of that and dobbing in your old man.
Becchetti Towers
Excellent well-written report tells exactly how things are at "Becchetti Towers".
from Steve Smith
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Steve. O's fans are obviously a better class of supporter. We also had letters thanking us for the article from Alan Saunders, Mark Hodges, and an anonymous writer saying things were a 100 times worse than we could possibly imagine, as well as a few more below.
Brady, Sullivan and Gold: wanted for the murder of Orient
Thanks for a really enjoyable read. you more or less got things spot-on. Although you mentioned the "London Stadium" is roughly two miles from Orient's Ground. In actual fact it's more like one mile and a few yards away.
'Congratulations' must go to Messrs Baroness, (or whatever you want to call her) Brady, and the two former porn kings, Sullivan and Gold. Between them they have done a great job in killing off Leyton Orient FC within the next four years!
The contempt 'they' have shown to one of the oldest league clubs in the Country has been disgraceful! How would your supporters like it if Hull built a new stadium just down the road from you, and offered cheap tickets to your local youngsters.
As an O's supporter, I wish Grimsby Town FC a return to the great times you once had. God knows your town deserves it!
from Frank J (Lifelong O's supporter)
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Frank and all the best to you too. Sometimes it seems like the shysters holding the reigns of football really have no idea what they're doing and we need to speak up or they'll keep on doing it. It's happening now over the FL Trophy B team fiasco but we should have spoken out about the gifting of a new, fully funded stadium to what is essentially the wrong club. West Ham didn't need a hand; they're wallowing in the Premier League trough and to chuck more money at them, at the expense of the taxpayer is obscene.
I'm sure Orient will survive but it won't be easy as the more fickle fans will attend the shiny new stadium rather than one with some soul and history.
As an Orient-supporting Meggie
I enjoyed your fair and accurate piece about Leyton Orient. I've not lived in Cleethorpes since I was four, but I always look out for your results and was delighted when you returned to the Football League.
from Aidan
Letters Ed responds: Thanks Aidan, in return for your kind words we'll overlook you supporting the wrong team ;)
David v West Ham
A sad but good piece on the O's. Life really is David v Goliath isn't it!
Cheers.
UTM.
from Tony Barker
Letters Ed responds: You're not wrong, Tony. But if we support the Davids then when we do achieve something it means so much more.
Things even up
A good light-hearted read. Not sure about the date we joined the League though, as we were founder members, and only Fulham are older than us in London.
Thought we were slightly fortunate to walk away with three points, but don't know how we lost to Newport, so things even up. Good luck for the rest of the season except when you visit us.
from Mickey Kasler
Letters Ed responds: Pat, who wrote the Orient rough guide says: "I took the date of entry to the League from Wikipedia. Not infallible, but our first meeting was in the second division, which Town had been members of for some years, in 1905 so that seems to confirm it. Town did the double, since you ask"
The twilight team - I
Allenby Chilton, ex-Manchester United and England: player manager of Mariners' 1955-56 3rd Division North promotion side. What a pairing with Lord Futcher that would be - Beauty and The Beast.
Bob Crosbie, ex-Hull City centre forward in the 1955-56 promotion side.
Ralph Hunt, ex-Derby County scorer of 30+ goals in his only full season 1959-60.
Don Donovan, ex-Everton Irish international full back in the 1961-62 promotion side
from Rodney Edge
Letters Ed responds: This is in response to the diary of 25 August
The twilight team - II
One or two suggestions for the team:
Chris Nicholl, centre half;
Lumpaldinho for centre forward alongside Whymark. I remember Trev's debut and also speaking to him after a pre-season friendly at Skeggy
Mike Czucman at full back, although he was a little off the pace when he rejoined from his American exploits.
There are bound to be others lost in the midst of time. Matt Tees?
from Dave the engineer
The return of Tommy Briggs
Your proposed team of players coming to Grimsby in the twilight of their careers would, I think, be blessed by the presence of Tommy Briggs.
He was what used to be known as a "bustling" centre forward, so would sit well between the cultured skills of Garry Birtles and Trevor Whymark, already in your team.
He had two spells at Town. In the first, he was top scorer in the League before he left for Coventry City for a hefty fee in 1950, and later made a name for himself by scoring seven in a match for another of his clubs, Blackburn Rovers.
He returned to Grimsby, aged 33 or 34, in 1957. It was a big deal back then. Almost on a par with the more legendary return of Matt Tees a decade or so later.
All this I fondly recall because his comeback game was my first match at Blundell Park. We lost 3-1 to Sheffield United. Tommy scored the goal.
He had been a butcher by trade and I remember the Telegraph ran a headline: "Briggs brings home the Bacon", after he got the winner in a later game, which I thought rather witty at the time.
Anyway, his second spell was shorter than the first and within a couple of years he moved on to his last club, Glentoran, as player-manager.
I was sorry I had missed Tommy in his prime. He scored a shed-load of goals for the Town in the late 1940s. But glad I saw the twilight years. Since then, I've always been a fan of bustling centre-forwards.
Thanks for the excuse to reminisce and ramble on!
from Alan Readman
the Colchester jinx
Thanks for an entertaining article. This is the second time this week I have read Cod almighty. 'Flags' have appeared on the 'Newsnow - Colchester United' website which, living on the other side of the world (Oz) is my best reference for all Colchester news.
The U's have been my team for over 58 years but even home games have been out of the question since I emigrated four years ago.
I certainly remember the Roy McDonough era and can promise you there was seldom a dull moment with Big Roy in charge. I can also remember him being more than a pain playing against us for Southend before he moved up the A12.
Thank you again for a very entertaining couple of articles.
Regards and all the best for the new season, excluding tonight and when we play you again.
from John Foskew
Letters Ed responds: Thanks for writing John, glad you enjoyed it.
Pick up your pens and write, damn you! Letters on the new stadium - both for and against a move, for and against Peaks Parkway - especially welcome.