Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 12 June 2007

12 June 2007

What have today's Diary and the Standells' 1965-66 classic single 'Dirty Water' got in common? They are both concerned with Boston, although the latter deals with the "frustrated women/Have to be in by 12 o'clock" of the Massachusetts city of that name, while our focus here today is upon Sir John McDermott's attempts to get a job in the southern Lincolnshire version. The good news for Town's retired hero, who has applied for the job of Boston United team manager, is a wildly enthusiastic reference from the man who made him what he is - Sir Alan Buckley Himself. "I think he would make a good coach," gushes the Mariners boss in today's Grimsby Telegraph. "He spoke to me about it and I told him he should apply." Al goes on to muse upon the nature of management ("You have to be your own person and develop your own style") and the assistance of Stuart Watkiss ("he has been first class") but the Diary's thoughts remain with Macca - especially as his competition for the Pilgrims hotseat may be a little less stiff now that United have been relegated to the Conference North. Though the slate may not have been wiped completely clean for the cheats down the road - Jim Rodwell, of course, remains chairman at York Street - Town fans may soon find themselves having to quickly reallocate some goodwill if Sir Mac lands the post.

Today's only other GTFC news being that Gary Montgomery will sign his one-year contract with the club today, this seems as good a time as any to catch up on some of the email that built up in the Diary's inbox during my lengthy recent absence from duty. Ben Gresswell asked: "Was Miss Guest Diary referring to Wayne Burnett when she said 'there's only one person on my wish list and it begins with a W...'? This is troubling me, so please set my mind at ease and tell me it is not so?" Afraid your mind will have to continue at unease, Ben, as Miss GD is renowned among the Cod Almighty team for her long-standing infatuation with Town's golden goalscoring playmaker of the late 1990s. I think it's a hair thing.

Wayne and his Wembley heroics perhaps reminded Ben about this website's recent poll to find Town's greatest goal of the past generation, which seems to have become stalled at number 8. Ben was not alone in asking what's happening with the series, as Eve Barnard enquired: "When are we going to find out the last 7 in the 'greatest Town goal' top 10? The suspense is killing me." Well, the delay is partly down to series editor Simon Wilson having just become a dad for the second time, although the labour wasn't quite as long as you might surmise from the last instalment having been published on 13 April. It does look like the next part is almost ready to roll though, so we may see it within the week if Si can tear himself away from shitty nappies for long enough to scan some photos in.

Steven Young also emailed with a question about the website, asking "what happened to that squad number competition you launched last summer. During your update a few months ago I was the projected winner. It would be nice to know the result because I'm going on holiday next week and one of your T-shirts would look well classy on the beaches of Slovakia." This was on 7 June, almost a month after competition maestro Andy Holt revealed that the winner was Grant Johnson. Do keep up, Steven! Looks like you weren't far off first place - but I'm sure the Valkov beach volleyball is more than making up for the disappointment.

There's just about time for one more today, and we go out the way we came in - with Boston United. Our final email this Tuesday is a poignant goodbye, posted not long after the season ended, by impsTALK - not just the finest Pilgrims site on the web but one of the best football sites there is...

So farewell, Cod Almighty, farewell.

Farewell Diary. Farewell Tony Butcher and Factfile and Postbag - it's been a crazy five years, but for us Pilgrims there is still no end in sight yet.

So when, next season, you're slugging it out with Bradford and Chesterfield and Dagenham, and we're either getting the shit kicked out of us by knuckle-dragging nutcases at York, or sat at home twiddling our thumbs while weeds slowly consume the York Street pitch, please spare a thought for those Boston fans who never wanted this, but who have been screwed quite spectacularly for the last decade.

Here's hoping we may one day meet as equals again - but with our heads held high.

Although, I suppose we won't get stuffed by Peter Bore next season. If there is one...

Farewell, impsTALK, and thanks for the good times. We won't miss Evans and Rodwell but we'll miss you. Go easy on Macca for us if he gets the job.