Cod Almighty | Diary

Nothing can go wrong now, can it?

27 July 2015

Miss Guest Diary writes: Those of you who have read some of my musings over the last three years will know that I am not an optimist when it comes to Town. But seven wins out of seven in the pre-season games so far, with 23 goals scored and only four conceded, is making even me feel a little shiver of anticipation for the coming season. Couple that with the amazing spirit and enthusiasm, not to mention the cash – over £110,000 – engendered by Operation Promotion, and even the most curmudgeonly among us can't help but get excited.

Here comes the negativity, which I prefer to call pragmatism – I worry that there is a danger of getting carried away. It is only pre-season and these games count for nothing, something Chris Doig was quick to emphasise after the 6-0 win at Brigg last week. Paul Hurst has echoed these sentiments today when talking to the Telegraph about Saturday's 3-0 victory over Notts County.

It is true that Brigg are several levels below Town in the football pyramid. But that has also been the case in recent years when Town have secured only narrow victories with tentative, half-hearted performances. Last week's team, comprising three senior players, a bunch of youth teamers and the manager himself in a cameo role, put on a sparkling display of energetic attacking football which was a joy to watch. This seems to exemplify a new energy and confidence surrounding the club – which is a fantastic way to go into the season. If Town can continue their unbeaten pre-season form then their confidence should remain high. I've never played much sport myself, but I've watched a hell of a lot over the years and it is apparent that confidence is an important part of achieving success.

But – and here's that note of caution again – for the players this confidence mustn't tip over into complacency, and for the fans it mustn't manifest as impatience if things don't go brilliantly from the off. Confidence can be boosted by positive support but destroyed through criticism. Of course, we all hope that Town hit the ground running with a really good win at Kidderminster but, if that doesn't happen, we shouldn't let it dampen our enthusiasm or dilute our support.

I'm signing off as a diarist for a while and giving someone new a chance to share their thoughts with you. Thanks for reading. UTM.