Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 3 March 2003

3 March 2003

Oldham midfielder and Diary cult hero Wayne Gill may still join the Mariners! After February's avalanche of emails from Diary readers desperate to know what transpired from Wayne's recent trial at Blundell Park, Town's official site has finally capitulated and admitted that the player fell ill and was unable to play - but may return for a second try, according to reserve team coach Paul Wilkinson. Cynical Pontoonites who witnessed the side's most recent excuse for a performance may mutter that Gill's trial is a case of a second division player for a second division team; but we're having none of it. Knock 'em dead, Wayney boy! Half a dozen Diary readers can't be wrong.

The OS also reveals that Leeds striker Michael Ward, presumably not unpleasant enough to make the grade at Elland Road, begins a week's trial with Town today, and may be joined by two young 'uns from Sunderland, who, let's face it, don't know a good thing when they've got one.

In 1998 Lee Ashcroft cost the Mariners half a million quid of gate receipts from the Wembley games; in 2003 he has resorted to non-league football in a bid to get his career back on track while remaining in his native north-west. After unspectacular loan spells with Huddersfield and Port Vale, the former Town forward and supporter of the pastry industry has had his contract with Wigan paid up and is now turning out for Conference side Southport, making his debut in the Sandgrounders' 4-0 home defeat to Doncaster on Saturday. Funny - I thought that was Chelsea's nickname.

A dip into the Diary's postbag now, where we find mournful comment from its stand-in Andy Holt, who very kindly wrote this column last Friday while I was otherwise disposed. "Did you notice that that young guy from Bolton I mentioned Hull had signed on loan on Friday scored two on Saturday?" writes Mr H. "I should have kept my gob shut." Indeed, Andy. As your regular Cod Almighty diarist once discovered to his and Grimsby's cost after dismissing Sheffield United's chances of signing Steve Kabba, the major responsibility of the role is not to tempt fate.

And finally, beloved readers, the Diary seeks your advice. As the weather has turned milder, the spring equinox drawn nearer, and Town's annual survival struggle edged closer to its nerve-shredding denouement, our thoughts have turned to the hazy, crazy, football-free days of summer - and more specifically, to the issue of how the Diary can spend the close season. I don't mean holiday destinations; I mean what to write about. In the summer entire weeks can pass, civilisations rise and fall, without a whisper of news from Blundell Park - so what should the Diary do? Suggestions to codalmightydiary@yahoo.co.uk please, and can we just point out in advance that "get a life" has been done already. Ta!