Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Friday 8 July 2011
8 July 2011
Cod Almighty's Mardy Diary was the inventor of the Cod Almighty contract tracker thingy. He designed it, he built it and he maintains it lovingly. It is a thing of beauty, he says. And it has its uses - especially today, when your Guest Diarist has noticed that the club's superb new official website has published a terse, kneejerk statement about the contract of Alan Connell.
It reads: "Despite reports elsewhere, we would like to make it clear that Alan Connell is contracted with Grimsby Town Football Club until the summer of 2012 - there is no third year option within this contract."
The reports elsewhere? Well, they seem to have started with one John Fenty (Topcon), who said this: "Alan's contracted to this club for two seasons. If we get promoted it automatically triggers a third season." Now, following Mr Fenty's lecture to us all explaining that if comments made by him in the press are enclosed in speech marks then this proves that he actually said those very words, we can all be sure that this is a true fact.
And if more proof is needed, gentle reader, then read the words written when Connell signed for the club here: "Grimsby Town have signed former Bournemouth striker Alan Connell on a two-year deal with the club having an option of a further year." In fact, blow me down with a bloody feather - here is how the superb new official website announced the signing nigh on a year ago: "Neil Woods has got his man after former Bournemouth striker Alan Connell put pen-to-paper on a 2-year plus a one year option deal at the club this morning." **
Fact-checking is in decline these days. And folk are quick to throw the mud, whether they are justified in doing so or not. We've had emails that say stuff like "it's fucking shit that tracker - why don't you get your facts right" when a small delay has occurred in updating it due to Mardy being caught short on the lavvy for five minutes or summat. But the fact that the official publicity organ of the club is so reactive to messageboard rumours and postulation that it jerks its 'professional' salaried knee in such a pathetic and inaccurate way, publishing 'facts' which directly contradict other 'facts' issued to the media by themselves - and separately to the BBC by their chairman - just shows what a pathetic chaotic regime Mr Fenty presides over. Now this screen refuting Connell's third year might well be removed. But don't worry folks - we've got a screen grab of it. The dog won't eat this homework.
And while the club is resolved to not keep paying players off, perhaps today is the day for the SNOS to bury further bad news and admit that Josh Fuller has been paid off. Or deny that rumour with proof. The public are sick of lying, cheating journalists who get 'stories' by illegal means. The fans of Grimsby Town are sick of half-truths, downright lies and blustering behaviour provoked by messageboard nesbits who have realised they can influence a weak chairman by shouting and stamping their feet. For Christ's sake get a grip Mr Fenty. Or pass the baton to one who can. See yer.
** Post script 09:30 - Well, what a surprise the SNOS page announcing Connells contract from July 2010 has mysteriously disappeared. Fenty vainly trying to airbrush the truth just like I predicted.