Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 28 August 2003

28 August 2003

Stuart Campbell will have to tear that crazy ring of cloth from his arm this Saturday and give it to the nearly recovered John McDermott, as Town's legendary club captain is set to return to the first team following his safe and sound appearance for the reserves against York yesterday. La Macca will return at right-back, speculates BBC Humber, with Jason Crowe reverting to the right midfield berth in place of the banned Marcel Cas. "Macca's really getting to the point where he needs to move to that next level to get that little bit more sharpness and that little bit more fitness from the first team games," says Paulie G. The player has missed Town's first five games of the campaign - and most of pre-season - with sciatica, which the Diary now knows is so painful as to be the sort of thing you wouldn't wish on Brian Laws. More power to your nervous system, Macca.

The reserves, by the by, ran out 3-0 winners, with Chris "Not Adam" Bolder opening the scoring and Liam Nimmo and Mark Newton adding the foam stuffing to a big comfortable armchair of a victory. The general sense of ease, well-being and cuddles was not shared, however, by young Giovanni Carchedi, who was hospitalised after being knocked out by a head shot; but Town's official site reports that the 19-year-old midfielder has now "recovered consciousness and is doing okay", dispelling fears of a Steve Livingstone-type horror scenario.

Staying for a moment with the second string - and why not - yesterday's Diary observed upon the modern tendency for clubs to stage reserve games at alternative 'lesser' venues, and two readers have emailed their suggestions for settings in which Town's lot could get hip and trendy by doing likewise. "Why, Glandford Park, of course!" offers Si Wilson, no doubt hoping to offend his Scunny-supporting brother-in-law, as much with the spelling as the suggestion. A Mr Peter Elham, meanwhile, says: "Town's reserves should play their fixtures in People's Park, the site of the Mariners' original ground. Well, sort of - the Abbey Park ground was half there, and half in what is now Farebrother Street, so I guess they could have one set of jumper-goalposts in the park, and another outside the Spar shop on Farebrother." People's Park was once mentioned on The Archers, as well, you know. One farmer's wife or other said it sounded like something from communist China. And as my mum used to say, if you can't think of a witty comment to make, then don't say anything; so I won't.

Mr Wilson is also moved to compose mail by the Diary's recollection of Paul Crichton chucking the ball into his own net at Watford, as an expression of disgust at Laws' management style. "Didn't the goalie with the wayward goal kick throw the ball into the back of the net in that mighty 5-3 early-season tussle with Forest a fair few years ago?" No, sir: in that match he readied to propel a Paul Futcher backpass into the stratosphere with one of his trademark mighty flykicks, only to miss the ball completely and blacken the record of Sir Futch with an own goal. "And talking of Forest then," adds Si, "where is then-manager Frank Clark these days? And does he still have a moustache?" Dunno, mate, but there's a bloke works down our chip shop swears he's Dave Booth.

And finally, did anyone hear that "Spoony" character on Radio Five Live last night? If so, what did you think?