Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 14 May 2003

14 May 2003

Well, I said, I've never downloaded one that big before! Oh, hello - didn't see you there. Paul Groves is being linked with a move to bring Darren Wrack back to Blundell Park, but if the former Town dummy-thrower thinks he can just waltz back into the club without so much as a by-your-leave, then he's got another think coming. BBC Humber Sport reports that Town have entered the race to snap up the childish Walsall midfielder, but the Diary was among the GTFC support at the Bescot the day Wrack decided to flick the Vs at us and has still got the right hump with him. Groves "has confirmed to that he is interested" in the big kid, says the local Beeb site, but they might just be saying that to add a bit of Humber-flavoured spice to the existing story that Hull are after him.

Town have bagged what the media are increasingly coming to describe as "a glamour friendly", with Middlesbrough booked in for an appointment at Blundell Park with Dr Groves and his team on Friday 1 August. The Premiership underachievers ought to provide a reasonable test of strength for the Mariners' rebuilt squad, with the new season kicking off just eight days later - notwithstanding Boro's immeritorious away form in the season just finished.

The Mariners' official site is rather less forthcoming about the alleged friendly just down the North Sea coast at Boston on Saturday 19 July, which the Diary learned of last week from a reader who had heard it announced on Radio Lincolnshire. The match is reported on Boston's pleasantly quaint official site, but no mention appears to be made in Town's online palace of pleasure. It's really nothing to be embarrassed about, though - playing friendlies against third division clubs is something a lot of people are doing these days. Like plastic surgery, apparently.

Contract talks are ongoing with continental landmass Georges Santos, reports the Grimsby Telegraph. Nothing happened though. "I spoke to Georges yesterday but there are no further developments," says Paul. That was worthwhile, wasn't it. Dilapidated striker Steve Livingstone, meanwhile, says he'll take a big pay cut to stay at Blundell Park and he defied doctors' orders last season, returning to action too early after getting his head bust, such was his determination to fire the Mariners to first division safety, such is his undying love for the club, and please please please give him a new contract, and that was why he was playing rubbish, not because he's past it, oh no, certainly not, no way, and did I mention he really really wants a new contract?

Town's management team began preparing for second division football as soon as the club's demotion was confirmed, reveals assistant boss Graham Rodger in an interview on the official site. Immediately after the Walsall game, when the Mariners' relegation moved from more than bloody likely to mathematically inescapable, Rodger and Groves jumped in their motor and took in some Two in an effort to steal a march on next season's rivals. "It appears that the sides that play the best football have the best chance of promotion," observes Rodge, reassuringly. "But there are also some very physical sides to deal with," he adds, preparing supporters for the possibility of Steve Livingstone being given a new contract.

What is a by-your-leave, anyway?