Cod Almighty | Diary

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

17 December 2018

Trentside Diary writes: That was a hard-earned victory. One of those satisfying games where there was little great football and it was all about our determination. Town had it in bucketloads.

Having watched the minute-long highlights on Quest, it looked like a penalty, although from where I sit, you couldn't tell on Saturday. It was one of those evil days weather-wise when the players earned every penny of the probable pittance that Nunty pays them. "Freezing rain", they called it, and it was definitely "big coat" weather. Nasty, although if you were a trawlerman in the North Sea it was just a little shower. A fourth home league win in a row. It's starting to feel a bit like fortress Blundell Park.

We’re heading towards the busy Christmas period in a steadily improving position. Elliot Embleton is due to leave next month and there are rumours that Andrew Fox will also be leaving us soon. I've no idea if that's true or a rumour that has become fact. I'd be sorry to see both of them go, although I do accept that we can't afford the wages Embleton is said to be on at Sunderland. I hadn't realised how young he is: only 19. He will have a really impressive career ahead of him. In the meantime it would be good to see him stay with the Mariners until the end of the season.

There is a suggestion that that Sebastian Ring from Örebro will be coming in as replacement for Fox. Having seen the harum-scarum defending of Örebro, I'm not sure that is a great recommendation, but then I have every faith in Jolley to know best and make wise decisions. He seems to know what he's doing, that man.

Elsewhere in football land there were some worrying photos of stewards handcuffing Preston fans last weekend. What has this world come to? Surely stewards shouldn't be allowed or even want to do this? The police are meant to use handcuffs lawfully, be able to justify using them and be accountable for their actions. While some are great, other stewards are barely competent. Quite a few you see at matches are more interested in watching the match than the crowd, reach chocolate teapot status in the event of things "kicking off", and some you really wouldn't want to have this level of power. That includes a few of those you see at Blundell Park.

Stewards using handcuffs comes under the category, often relied on by the police, of "it's football, we can do what we want". We have all seen some idiots but there aren't many. Is this really something we need?

Let’s kick on to next weekend and put a dint in Notts County's hopes for improving form. UTM.