Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 19 February 2003

19 February 2003

Following last week's exclusive pondering by the Diary, the virtual hills are alive with the sound of Jack Lester coming back to Grimsby. While Town's official site admits that "Groves...would love Jack to return", the club also points out that the jelly-legged striker has a suspension coming up. "The Mariners have needs here and now," it continues, sounding for all the world like an episode of Trisha.

The Grimsby Telegraph reckons Alan Pouton could be back in contention for this weekend's visit to Ipswich. The inconsistent but influential midfielder made a match-winning return from injury against Stoke the other week only to limp out of training and miss last Saturday's crappy effort at Gillingham. Lincolnshire's leading source of scare stories about crime and asylum seekers then reveals that Paul Groves has enquired after borrowing Matt Jansen, but the brilliant Blackburn striker has become the latest in a long line of players to kick him in the teeth. And Mark Clattenberg didn't book a single one of them.

Town reserves take on York at Blundell Park this afternoon, and among their number will be Ipswich's Robert 'Cheap as chips' Dickinson, and about 35 other trialists. The low pressure area to the south-east will bring a mass of cold continental air over the area; hence the maximum temperature is expected to be five degrees celsius, with a minimum of just two - but with 25mph gusts blowing off the North Sea, the wind chill factor means it will feel considerably colder. The air pollution index, meanwhile, is 4, which probably means another ammonia leak at Birds Eye.

And finally, congratulations are once again in order here at Cod Almighty. Raise your glasses, please, ladies and gentlemen, to young Louis Moss, born at five past nine last night to television star and CA's alliterative puzzle compiler Mr Miles Moss and his lovely better half Cath. There's a battle for this one's soul, though, folks, cos his mum supports Man City...