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Diary - Friday 13 July 2007

13 July 2007

D-day dawned wet. As hysterical American teenage girls transfer their allegiance to a frankly sad team with shrieks of "David is awesome!" and "I never bothered going to Galaxy before because they suck", your Guest Diarist was more taken with another radio item: "Boston United will announce their new manager at noon today." It is not clear to me whether Sir John of McDermott made the final six-person shortlist, but if he did then his hooks will be tentered, no doubt, as he waits for the announcement. It is difficult to know what to wish for him, isn't it?

But it is D-day for Town fans too. A chance to see the lads turn out at Brigg tonight with the added bonus of having a look at two trialists. Especially Stevland Angus, who came over really well in his Mariners World interview. The Diary mentioned the other day that he can play at centre-half or left-back, but Stuart Watkiss says he can play anywhere along the back line, and is as versatile as William Gallas without that gallic stroppiness. OK, he didn't say that last bit, but he seems like a really nice lad who is well in favour of playing in a passing team. Stevland (for I feel like I know him already) was also keen to stress that he likes to keep it simple and that there will be "no Hollywood passes" from him tonight as he bids to impress Lord Buckley and the travelling fans. I don't remember his performance for Torquay last season against us at Blundell Park, but Lord Buckley is said to have liked the cut of his jib. And in the spirit of journalistic hackery let's hope tonight he sets sail in a successful career as a Town player.

Town's deputy to the soon-to-be-recognised tribal warlord Alan Buckley also explained that everyone will get a game tonight and that the sides have already been picked. The other trialist, by the way, is young Barnsley striker Nathan Jarman, about whom, according to the mangled mess that is the official site these days, Stuart Watkiss says: "a talented player who knows where the goal is". Some Town fans will exhibit belligerent discontent when learning that Nathan is a Scunny lad and others are already moaning that "we don't need another inexperienced striker" (Paterson notwithstanding, one assumes) but let's have a look at the lad, eh? Nathan has an entry in Wikipedia which, one can deduce, was written by a rabid Worksop fan (or possibly Nathan's dad). Here is the best bit: "He marked his debut with a stunning overhead kick against Barrow and then added a 30-yard volley that crashed in off the post against Redditch." Nathan had a few games for Worksop, and also a loan spell at Bury last season marked by a debut sending-off and not much else.

Any road, gentle reader, it is quarter past twelve and no news on Macca so I'd better get some work done prior to watching tonight's game. If you are dithering, then go. It is a lovely little ground and although the football won't be great (as legs are bound to be tired at the end of a hard week), the ambience will more than make up for it. See yer.

P.S. Oh, it's Tommy Taylor. Thank God or hard luck Macca (delete as applicable).