Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 20 September 2005

20 September 2005

On the day that NASA has finally announced a planned timetable for returning people to the moon, this is Diary mission control signing in at T minus six hours and forty-eight minutes. T for Tottenham, that is... and the only astronaut who might not pull on a black and white striped spacesuit this evening is shin splint sufferer Tireless Andy Parkinson, who missed the weekend's 3-0 win over Torquay but returned to training yesterday. For the Tottingham Hotspurts, that Rasiak fella is cup-tied after appearing against Town for Derby in the last round - and, of course, doing fuck all - while his fellow striker, Mido the cheeky Egyptian, serves out the last match of a three-game suspension for twatting somebody. Martin Jol, blah blah blah, expected to field strong side, rhubarb rhubarb, chance of UEFA Cup qualification, ya-di-ya-di-ya. We have lift-off.

Well, there's been a veritable whirlwind of media coverage in the run-up to tonight's game, the likes of which Blundell Park has not seen since... er... the likes of which Blundell Park has not seen. Heck, Cod Almighty's Simon Wilson has even managed a preview of his own, and it's not every week you can say that. But perhaps the nicest nugget the Diary has nibbled concerns on-loan Gretna forward Gary Cohen, who has given an interview to the News & Star, local paper to his former loan club Workington. And if you're still thinking it's weird to be signing a non-League player on loan, then just lie back, relax, and try not to lose any more sleep over it, since the player is hoping his season-long spell at BP could slip into something more permanent. "The aim is to do well this season and hopefully make them give me a contract," coos Gaz, with a far-away, dreamy look in his eyes.

Who says there's no loyalty in football any more? Who says the players don't care? On the scarcely believable occasion of his 700th appearance for the Mariners tonight, local legend John McDermott was interviewed on BBC Radio Five Live this morning for an entire 30 seconds. Asked to explain his unparalleled devotion to one club over a career spanning almost 20 years, the veteran right-back said a few words about Town playing good football and having decent managers before explaining that his enduring attachment to GTFC has also been due in large part to the low cost of living in the Grimsby area. Brings a tear to the eye, doesn't it.