Cod Almighty | Diary

The wait has only just begun, so strap in

23 March 2020

Trentside Diary writes: The Euros have been postponed till 2021. I might support a lower league club but love a World Cup or Euros to fill that summer void. But for once football authorities have taken a sensible decision early. I’m impressed.

Our leagues are hanging on and kicking the can further forward to the end of April and it would be good to see the games played but it is looking increasingly unlikely, not least because starting to play the games at the end of April seems aspirational rather than certain. As Town fans we would probably be happy to void this year and head into 2021 with renewed "Ollie" vigour but I can see why others wouldn't. Can you imagine the Liverpool fans? We'd never hear the end of it.

Different clubs have responded in different ways to the COVID-19 crisis. Plymouth have brought forward sponsorship and hospitality packages for next season to ensure they have the cashflow to continue to support their suppliers. A nice touch is that for every £100 they take, they will give a free ticket to an NHS worker for next season. Exeter are putting out reminders about government advice and offering ways to stay entertained such as club kits to download and children to colour in. Town, like other clubs, are having to embrace home-working, with the club shop only taking postal orders.

In the absence of actual football, there are attempts to fill the void. The club has put some highlights from matches up, and there is a nice article from Kirky about about the "Big freeze" of 1963 when no home game was played that year before 9 March. That's before my time but its interesting, and must be special to those around who remember it. I’m also enjoying the 79-80 Champions Book posts on twitter. An amazing season that probably tops 1997-98 for those of who remember it.

Among all the dispiriting tales of people fighting over toilet roll or swamping Skegvegas, Ben Davies has taken it upon himself to deliver food parcels to those self-isolating in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area. Nice one Ben.

UTM. Fenty Out. Day Out.