Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 1 May 2007

1 May 2007

Your regular Diarist is otherwise engaged, as are his able replacements (hey! we all have day jobs, y'know), so it is left to the Leeds office to put off w*rk for half an hour and take in the latest Town news. Why don't you do the same, rather than read this and complain about its quality later?

Last season the reserves refused to win a game. This season they've just been pipped to winning the Pontins Holidays League, after Rotherham clinched the title with a 4-0 win earlier in the day. Not to be outdone, Town's second eleven wrapped up their league programme with the same score, tonking Donny's stiffs, and taking time to trial two players: Phillip Starkey (defender, Crystal Palace) Bailey Camfield (right-back, Leeds). Caps off to Stuart Watkiss whose side are reportedly entertaining to watch, a point noted in a Telegraph report that, if it was a cat, would be purring.

The back page of the same paper clarifies that His Lordship Sir Macca did indeed skipper the side on Saturday in his last home game. More surprising, this is the lead-up to an ace interview with Ryan Bennett. The up-and-coming defender reveals he took over Macca's duties when the old-and-going defender left the pitch, despite the presence of more senior pros on the pitch. The act seems symbolic in more ways than one. Bennett reckons "if I can be half the player Macca has been I'll be doing all right." But rather than copy and paste a myriad of, erm, quotable quotes get yonself over to that there Tellygraph website.

The front page of the same paper runs with Refs forced to quit soccer. Sadly not news of the mass resignation of the Football Leage match officials due to their nominal ineptness, but younger local league refs not being able to take some abuse. The youth of today! Can't even take some stick! Dave Young, the town's referees' instructor remarks: "Sadly, only the strongest survive because of the stick they receive from the touchlines." 'Strongest' doesn't mean 'best' either. As we see week in, week out at Football League grounds.

The club wants to remind fans they have 110 tickets left for the game at Shrewsbury, which is all ticket. As well as being Shrewsbury's last league match at the Meadow of Gay, it's Macca's proper last game, so get yourself down there; it's a lovely part of the world. "Make sure you check out the cathedral. It's lovely!" advised my father-in-law at the weekend. "It'd be rude not visit the Three Fish pub!" exclaimed a Cod Almighty contributor last week. And I fancy Grope Lane, but each to their own. Anything else you would recommend?

And, finally, talking of last games, Louth United - a team that this diarist used to see on occasion in his mid to late teens - have played their last game at Park Avenue after their 60 year lease expired. Due to the expense of running the ground the club sold up to - who else? - property developers, and are desperately looking for a ground/pitch near the town. Their replacement pitch at Saltfleetby won't be in adequate condition for Central Midlands Football League games by August, so next term looks like one of "just Lincs League soccer". Unlike Leeds fans facing "just division three footie" next season, Louth's potential 'relegation' certainly would be a shame.