Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 11 February 2003

11 February 2003

Rumours are afoot that Town are preparing a bid to bring Welsh international winger John Oster to Blundell Park once more. As everybody reading this will know full well, little Johnny passed a spectacularly brilliant loan spell with the Mariners in November and December, scoring lots of goals, only to be recalled to Sunderland because they were doing rubbish and then dropped again by manager Howard Wilkinson, presumably for being any good. The player is out of contract with the Black Cats at the end of this season - and Town boss Paul Groves may be attempting to secure Oster's release to join Town on a similarly short-term deal.

Speaking of Welsh internationals, Town's taffy twosome Darren Barnard and Danny Coyne are Cardiff-bound as we speak. Wales take on Bosnia in a friendly at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow night, and places on the bench are beckoning for the pair on 'em.

The Diary is fascinated to learn that our old mate Mark Lever was sent off at the weekend - while playing for our old mates Ilkeston Town. The former Town defender recently left Mansfield after the Nottinghamshire club became the only side in the four divisions to have conceded more goals this season than the Mariners, and has since become the latest of many men to journey betwixt the two Towns. Ilkeston were managed at one point by Keith Alexander, who once played the Livvo role up front for Town and as current boss of Lincoln is putting Alan Buckley's previous efforts at Sincil Bank to shame. And who could forget the, erm, distinctive goalkeeping of Andy Love? Lever was dismissed 20 minutes into a home game with Welling that ended in a 6-1 defeat for Ilkeston, sending them to the foot of the Dr Martens League Premier Division. Hecky thump!