Cod Almighty | Postbag
Letters? Oh, go on then
19 June 2018
Grimsby pioneers of women's football, neglected goals, penalty takers and Town replica shirts. What more could you want? Read on
Janusz's itchy thumbs
Whilst twiddling my thumbs (mouse wheel actually) in the "Twilight Period" and only finding MJ flogging tickets, JF keeping quiet, PH managing the "Tractor Boys" and RS "probably" set to build a Carlisle team fit for the 5th tier, I came across this article. It mentions Grimsby and Footy so it counts.
The Nettie Honeyball in the piccy has nothing to do with Grimsby. However, she was one of the main people of The British Ladies' Football Club, who did "tour" so maybe played here.
As an aside, Nettie Honeyball, was not her real name but a pseudonym for protection as the football ladies suffered from Trolls in those days. I think her inclusion was the BBC padding out a slim article; something CA would never stoop to.
The interesting bits were that "Pontoonites chaffed the players" (took the mickey) This could never and does not happen surely?
The term of "more than seven"... Not being from here I've never heard it before. Indeed I cannot find any reference to it anywhere. I assume it's just Grimbarian, and Fish Docks only. Can anyone elucidate?
Yep, only 64 days to go UTM
PS if you want a countdown time try this
from Janusz Przeniczny
Beat that
There won't be video of it. We didn't even have colour TV then. But the sight of Ron Cockerill, all sinewed legs, striding towards goal lives on more brightly in memory than any digititalised re-run.
It was the early 60s (of course it was). It was under floodlights (we hadn't had them long). It could have been against one of the Bristol side (who cares?).
Cockerill received the ball on the defensive side of the centre circle. The opposition scurried to mark the players he could pass to (that's what they did then). Ron saw it as the parting of the seas. His path was clear. Deliberate and determined, he went forward.
We knew what he could do.
The opposition didn't.
But they soon found out. A screamer from 35 yards (or more in memory), a net that barely managed to survive.
They called him Cannonball... A bit obvious really.
And West Yorkshire Diary wants examples of spectacular goals.
Beat that.
from Keith Tremayne
Letters Ed responds: There are more neglected goals on Twitter
Penalty takers
Paddy Johnston was supreme. He would sidefoot a penalty kick into the corner of the net. I don't think he ever missed. This was around 1953, when goalies weren't allowed to move before the ball was struck. A great half-back line of Scotson, MacMillan and Johnston.
from Antony Chapman
Letters Ed responds: You'll find more discussion of Town's penalty takers on Twitter
Walking the dog
I visited my local park the other day whilst taking the dog for its daily walk. Whilst doing so there was a huge crowd of children sat on the grass smoking cigarettes. However what caught my attention was they was talking about football merchandise: namely football kit.
One lad pipes up "I would wear a Liverpool shirt any day but never a Grimsby Town one, even if it was free!" Everyone else screamed and shouted and said "I wouldn't either", then they all started laughing.
After the laughing had ceased, a young girl said "Why wouldn't you wear a Grimsby shirt?" A loud reply was retorted: "Cos they're f............. rubbish."
from Ken Coulbeck Jr
Thanks to Janusz, Keith, Antony and Ken. Send your letters to Cod Almighty through our feedback page. You'll find more CA feedback (including discussions of neglected goals and penalty takers) on our Twitter feed