Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 21 January 2003

21 January 2003

Paul Groves is looking for a new loan signing; he's a bit short of midfielders; and Birmingham City midfielder Curtis Woodhouse has a few first division clubs after a lend of him. This is enough for the Grimbly Telegraph to conclude that the former England under-21 man is the object of Paul's attentions, and who are we to argue? Woodhouse joined the violent midlands club from Sheffield United two years ago for £1m plus Peter Ndlovu (so, £1m then) and is believed to be a target for Brighton and Rotherham too, but the Telegraph rather touchingly speculates that Birmingham would prefer him to come to Blundell Park. So maybe they're looking to sell him back where he came from.

Glucose-rich snack food for thought for those - including the Diary - who have concluded recently that Daryl Clare's wild scoring spree for Chester means the former Town forward has found his level in the Conference, as last night he appeared in the Premiership. Or should I say The Premiership, a football programme on pirate television station ITV, which featured young Bungle celebrating his goal against Barnet at the weekend by wolfing down a Mars bar. His act of spontaneous consumption is apparently a riposte to Chester manager Mark Wright, who has recently had a word or two about Daryl's burgeoning waistline. The Diary is relieved, at least, that Wright didn't borrow the parlance of one-time Aston Villa boss John Gregory, who once described his overweight French winger and fashion model David Ginola as "carrying a bit of timber".

The entirely tedious business of whether Stuart Campbell will be credited with the second of Town's goals against 'Wimbledon' the other week appears to have been settled, after the Football League got bored of the whole thing. The goal took a deflection off defender Trond Andersen and was originally recorded as an own goal before a campaign by Town's official site changed their minds. "Yes, all right, for God's sake, he can have it," said a league spokesperson. "Can I go now?"