Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 11 April 2003

11 April 2003

Hello readers, it's Miles here again, cropping up like the proverbial bad penny. That's ‘bad penny' as in the coin, by the way, not some kinky pseudonym you might find on a card in a phone box.

Well, it may not have escaped your notice that it's Friday, and Paul Groves will no doubt be getting that usual Friday feeling. But no chocolate and honeycomb-related elation for him, no. Mr G's pre-weekend mood is hamstring and ankle-bone-related despondency. Convoluted intro over, let's have a look at the team news for tomorrow: Expeditious Michael has not been training this week, in a hopefully-not-vain effort to get that ankle of his ready for tomorrow's match in which, the local rag muses, he might start up front with young Master Mansaram. Stu Campbell (ankle) has also taken a knock to the region surrounding his talus, and joins Santos (hamstring and groin) and Hughes (thigh, keyboards and backing vocals) on the fifty-fifty list. And, in fact… (he said, sticking a forefinger in his ear, news reporter-stylee) …I'm just hearing that our resident Gaul has joined the 0-100 list, and will be replaced tomorrow by Steve Chettle, whose back we hope will last the ninety.

The visitors, meanwhile, are sure to save a seat on the coach for good old fans' favourite Daniel Butterfield, who will no doubt get rapturous applause from all sides of Blundell Park. Well, if he scores an own-goal hat-trick, anyway. In his interview on the official site, gaffer boss chief Grovesie acknowledges that Danny is "good and versatile", but that he will have "no friends on the pitch" which sounds a little ominous to me. I'd stay on the coach if I were him.

If the team selection migraine is getting too much for Paul, he could do no better than spend a few minutes in the company of the last of the loan-hicans, Michael Keane, who has plaudits aplenty for his temporary boss. "Paul Groves reminds me of David Moyes when I first went to Preston. I'm sure he'll be the next David Moyes and go on to do well. I've been very impressed.". In the same article (which the Diary has inadvertently lost the url for - sorry!) the aptly-named Keane also exalts the club, the players, and all the backroom staff. If Michael's footballing career doesn't take off as it should, he'd make a great team psychologist.

Well, that's about it. Remember to scream at the top of your lungs tomorrow between 3pm and 4.45 - even if you're in Sainsbury's or your local library. It still might help.