Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 2 June 2003

2 June 2003

Michael Keane has said no to a permanent switch to Blundell Park - but Paul Groves isn't taking it for an answer. The tattooed midfield livewire is some way down the pecking order back at Preston but wants to fight for a first-team spot and has told Town he's going nowhere. "At this moment in time the deal is not happening," Groves admits to the Grimsby Telegraph, "but we shall be trying to resurrect our bid to sign him permanently." The Diary admires the manager's determination but can't help wondering what else Keane could be offered to make him change his mind. A more relaxed training regime? A house on Seaview Street? A highly sensual back massage? Good luck there, Paul.

Great news for Adam Buckley! The former GTFC winger, who briefly fulfilled official fan scapegoat duties during his term at Blundell Park, was recently arrested on suspicion of theft from his employer, Lincoln City FC, who promptly released him on a free - but his dad's appointment as Rochdale manager yesterday virtually guarantees Adam another two years in the professional game. In an appointment that looks good for both parties, Mr Alan Buckley introduces Spotland to the virtues of passing and movement after a year out of the game following his dismissal by the Imps last summer. Speculation has already begun among fans as to which of his former charges will be the first to join up with Al in his new post, with his newly unemployed offspring surely among the hot favourites. Tony Ford and John Cockerill are among the names mentioned as potential assistant managers, with John McDermott a reasonable tip among the outsiders.

The first name among Town's out-of-contract army to sign a new deal is Greg Young, the, er, young central defender who made his debut in last season's penultimate fixture at Reading, which "did show that there is a big step up from the reserves for him to make," says Paul Groves, euphemistically. The term of the player's new deal is not known, but given that he turned 21 last season one would expect Young to be making that step fairly soon or not at all.

Did you realise what a significant milestone has almost crept up unnoticed? Miles Moss did. "September 20 this year (that's '9/20' to Americans)," he writes, "will be the 125th anniversary of the formation of GTFC by the pissed-up members of Worsley Cricket Club." Praise my soul! That also makes it 25 years since the Diary became a Town fan. "I wonder if the club has any plans to mark this occasion," continues Miles. "Perhaps Cod Almighty readers might like to suggest appropriate celebrations." What a fine idea; and since this is clearly an issue of broader significance than befits the parochial little Diary, I would urge you all to pass us your suggestions using the CA-wide feedback form. I have dutifully trawled the murky waters of my mind for ideas but most of them so far seem to involve Carrie-Anne Moss in a PVC catsuit, which is more pleasant than it is relevant.

Orva to the Big Brotha hoose now for a brief update on Steph Coldicott's progress. The estranged wife of Town's occasional midfield destroyer appears to have kept a low profile so far, but the Diary's source - hand-picked for their high boredom threshold - informs us that after Steph's team won a tug of war, "their prize was to go into this secret room and have a disco. Steph stood at the side for a while, but was then seen to strut her funky stuff. Her dancing is a little wedding-esque." Younger readers may be intrigued to learn that Channel 4 was once known as a risk-taking, cutting-edge broadcaster.