Cod Almighty | Diary

Entertainment guaranteed, but not always in the way that you hoped

4 March 2025

Clubs have grown wise to the ways of the Grimsby Reaper. Tonight's opponents Tranmere Rovers, like Carlisle before them, have pre-emptively parted ways with their manager before the Reaper could finish the job. We thus face a managerless Wirral side tonight, looking nervously over their shoulders at Carlisle, unbeaten in their last three games.

We face the familiar reverse pyramid of supporters' needs. First the fanciful: if we win 6-0 tonight and Crewe lose by the same score we'll be in the play-off places. Then bullish optimism: a three-goal win means we end the night with a positive goal difference. Next the plaintive "Come on Town" as with 20 minutes to play we are still looking for our first score and Tranmere are circling their wagons. Finally, numb desperation as we urge our men to get the ball forward and at least rescue a point. We'll see.

If you are an exile with a few days' leave to take before the end of the financial year, you might do worse than visit Cleethorpes next week. You could see two potential six-pointers against Notts County and Salford City and, on Friday night, take in the latest fans' forum.

Between times, you could ponder your choices for Town's all-time XI. The Grimsby Town Heritage Project has been doing great things, and in asking you to vote on your best ever team they are doing it properly, asking our ages so that they can analyse the results based on the eras we have observed. For they know, as you know, that we could name team after team and all the players featured would be well worth remembering. The results will be announced at the exhibition of Mariners' history they are organising for next month.

Newbegin Diary's suggestion is that you don't wait to vote until the last Saturday night of your holiday, when you are coming to the end of a stimulating night at Message in a Bottle, Willy's, or the Nott. Yes, you may still be buzzing from the Mariners' demolition of Salford, but to name Kieran Green in every position would be a tad unfair on Paul Groves. At least put Steve Croudson in goal.