Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 18 February 2003

18 February 2003

Another trialist turns up at Blundell Park with his possessions strewn about his feet and a sign saying WILL PLAY FOR FOOD. Ipswich midfielder Robert Dickinson has been told his contract won't be renewed come the end of this season, and after failing to get fixed up at Rotherham and West Ham has rolled up in North East Lincs. "Robert's got bags of ability but maybe he's one who needs to step down to come back up again," says Ian Smith of Town's youth academy, seemingly unaware that Ipswich and Grimsby are in the same division. Smith goes on to assure fans that Dickinson fits GTFC's honourable tradition of pacifism, pointing out that the player is "a bit on the small side and needs to develop physically as well."

Tricky young striker Darren Mansaram, meanwhile, has gone to Lilleshall for treatment on his damaged ankle - but might just possibly, maybe, perhaps, be back in contention for this weekend's visit to Ipswich, but don't hold your breath.

Flushed with the success of its youth programme - which since Town were diddled out of most of their income by Carlton and Granada has provided indispensible back-up for the first team - the club is appealing for cash to keep the whole set-up ticking along. A new 'donation hotline' allows fans to contribute in multiples of 20 quid towards the search for 'another Jonny Oster or Gary Croft'.

But the spirit of Robin Hood is alive and well this week, and Town could be set for a windfall from elsewhere. Perhaps inspired by the glorious success of the London congestion charge, two Labour MPs have remembered that it is sometimes possible to make things better, and have tabled a motion that would redistribute 10 per cent of Premiership broadcasting income among football's have-nots. An existing agreement sees five per cent of the cash handed to the game's grassroots, but the new measure - proposed by James Purnell and Andy Burnham - would hand Nationwide League clubs the same amount again. "The whole thing smacks of politicians being very good at spending other people's money," spluttered an outraged Richard Scudamore, Premier League chief executive. Better that, though, Mr Scud, than your lot just spending it on Titi Camara and Bruno Cheyrou.