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Diary - Wednesday 26 March 2003

26 March 2003

The Grimsby Telegraph today ends its indecision on the John Oster transfer saga, claiming that GTFC won't stump up to keep the lad at Town despite his now being available on a free transfer. To make matters worse, Stoke and Cardiff are said to be sniffing around, though there is no word yet of a move for the player by Sheffield United. "Relegation will cost Town £1 million," says the paper, clearly in the mood for some shit-stirring, "but the club are refusing to cough up the minimal cash to keep their star man." Determined to ensure the infuriation of the Mariners faithful, the report adds that this "will infuriate the Mariners' faithful". Elsewhere in the Telegraph, fans are variously instructed that they will be "dismayed" and "incandescent with rage" at the news. Yeah, whatever.

Paul Groves' tenacious hunt for a midfielder or two continues as tomorrow's transfer deadline looms - the manager is "looking to bring in players tin his week", according to BBC Humber Sport - but in the meantime the Diary warmly welcomes Kevin George back to Cleethorpes. The Middlesbrough defender played some games on trial a bit ago, and Paul Wilkinson liked him, so he's come back for another go. Why we let him go back to Middlesbrough in the meantime if he's so amazing is uncertain, but hey. Kev is set to line up for the reserves in this afternoon's visit to Mansfield.

Phil Jevons - you may remember him from such freakish incidents as the last-gasp 30-yard winner at Anfield last year - could be set for a permanent move to big-time third division club Hull City, where he has been on loan nearly all season to very little effect. The Tigers' former England manager Peter Taylor has realised that Jevons is actually there, and thrown his support unambiguously behind a bid to keep him, saying: "Next season, who knows?" With the lazy-arse striker's former club Everton due appearance money and the player on a fair whack wodge-wise, cash-strapped Town will be glad to see the back of last season's cup hero.

A word now from the pharmaceuticals industry, and that means email from Diary reader Mark Wilson, who has weighed in with another entirely plausible contribution to this week's heated debate. "Hospice is the liquid waste expelled by larger members of the equine family," says Mark's email, just as I fixed myself a glass of lemon barley water.