Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 20 April 2006

20 April 2006

While the Mariners' first team has been busy chasing promotion, their second has been chasing an achievement of a different kind altogether, and fans have looked on with morbid fascination as GTFC reserves have struggled unsuccessfully to record a win for the entirety of the 2005-06 season. The players would have been sighing a huge sigh of relief as, with their game against Scarborough approaching its end, they led 3-0 - only to follow it up with a huge sigh of resignation as their opponents contrived to score three times in the last five minutes. A similar sighing pattern would have ensued yesterday afternoon at Hartlepool, where Grezza Rodgo's battlers - you can guess where this is leading, can't you - led 2-0 and 3-1 - stop me if you think you've heard this one before - only to draw three-all. Conceding two penalties wouldn't have helped, though in fairness one of the two red cards came after the final whistle. In further mitigation the Diary is compelled to point out that some of the same players have achieved much in the youth team this year, but the conclusion many will draw from the stiffs' incredible winless season must surely be: God help the first team if there's ever a massive injury crisis.

What, then, of the first team? They are playing Cheltenham tomorrow night, for reasons best known to - well, I was going to say "themselves", but the Diary remains far from convinced that even the club really know why they agreed to switch this game to a Friday night. Anyway... though it has failed to hit the bullseye consistently so far, Town's Target 6000 campaign has succeeded in raising both attendances and vocal support for the team in recent home fixtures, and the club's official website is predicting home support of "around 5000+" against Chelto. Fans are advised to buy their tickets as early as poss, adds the OS, as GTFC are "forecasting t massive queues at the ticket office". And I thought Grimsby was not in Yorkshire.

That's yer merry lot from me for the week, as this page will be the responsibility of Miss Guest Diary tomorrow. I'll be back on Saturday night to summarise the weekend's emotional trauma and irreparable lifelong damage to all of our hopes and dreams... so until then, ta-ra!