Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 29 January 2003

29 January 2003

Steve Livingstone's quest for a new contract will not be helped by today's news that he faces a three-match ban after 'referee' Mark Clattenberg refused to review the red card he flashed at the player last weekend. Livvo was sent off, as you probably know by now, for waving his arm in the direction of Bradford's Robert Molenaar, who promptly did a Rivaldo; but the bungling or possibly corrupt match official has told the Mariners: "I am happy with my decision." And Martin Pringle's broken leg, Clattenberg? You still happy about that? What a prick.

GTFC reserves - a.k.a. next month's first team - are hit with yet another postponement, as today's match against Hull has been called off after yet more wet weather in the Humber region. The second string will instead travel to Barnsley tomorrow for a friendly. Coincidentally - or perhaps not - the Yorkshire club's Oakwell stadium is sited on an ancient burial ground for victims of the Black Death, whose restless spirits, it is said, haunt the ground to this day, visiting plague and injury on all those who tread upon their unmarked mass grave. It's true - just ask Kev Donovan.

Town fans buying tickets for the home game with Stoke on 8 February could be kept on their toes by another crafty quiz thing devised to prevent away supporters getting into the Ponny. The Staffordshire club has apparently introduced some daft membership scheme, and only fans who have signed up can purchase tickets for away games. Thousands of Stokies, quite understandably, cannot remotely be arsed and now prefer instead to sit with home fans. The Diary suggests that ticket buyers simply be asked which county Grimsby is in, since it is a scientifically verified fact that everyone in the world who isn't from Grimsby or Cleethorpes believes the answer to be Yorkshire.

West Ham's Grant McCann, who spent some time on trial with the Mariners last close season, has signed for Cheltenham on a two-and-a-half year contract. Paul Groves tried to take the Northern Ireland midfielder on loan following his trial, only to be told that Hammers boss Glenn Roeder didn't want to let him go - only for the player to then go on loan to the Gloucestershire club a week or two later. Still, what more can you expect from a man who let Paulo di Canio limp hopelessly around a pitch for over an hour because he was too scared to sub him off.