Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 18 June 2003

18 June 2003

If sucking up to Burnley the other week was a coward's way of stating his intentions to walk out on the club that resurrected his career, Danny Coyne has now sent his agent to do his dirty work and tell GTFC straight out that he has no intention of starting next season in Division Two with the Mariners. "Danny actively seems to be seeking a new club," explains Peter Furneaux on BBC Humber Sport, "and therefore his interests do not lie with Town at the moment, and as he obviously wants to move elsewhere we should be looking at another goalkeeper." Not that the club will be sorry to see Danny leave - as we have frequently pointed out here, the player's ITV Digital-era wages are thought to be the highest on the payroll - but the Diary for one is disappointed to see this sort of carry-on from a player so admired by supporters - and who was going nowhere fast before Town gave him a job.

The Grimsby Telegraph gives some good context on the signing of Marcel Cas in a brief but absorbing interview. The player left Notts County for Sheffield United in February after the financially troubled club was forced to drop him rather than pay his appearance money; but Cas was frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities at Bramall Lane. "Sheffield offered me more money to stay," he reveals, "...but this was the chance to play and that is what I want to do." Oooh, unlucky, Neil. "He is a hungry footballer and that is what we want," adds Mr Furneaux. If the top bods from Carlton and Granada ever show their faces around Grimsby then Cas will presumably be giving a whole new meaning to the phrase 'business lunch'.

Coyne's one-time deputy Steve Croudson could be set to take lessons in tirelessness from Lee Nogan at third division York, according to press reports from the minster city. The talented young keeper - amazingly released by the Mariners last month - is one of three stoppers being mulled over by York and is also being sounded out by Lincoln and Boston, apparently. Is it just me, or is this one going to come back to haunt us big time?

"I see you are after people to recommend football reads," writes Dave Chambers, past whom not much gets. "If it's not too late I would put forward My Favourite Year. I have a copy - or used to have a copy until a friend borrowed it three years ago. I see it on his bookshelf every time I go round, sat in the same place on every visit. This suggests to me that despite the immense enthusiasm that saw him begging to borrow the book, he has yet to read it. I see the book in Waterstones every once in a while and if people can get past the front cover flash warning you 'edited by Roddy "The Commitments" Doyle' then they will find some bite-sized pieces from authors recollecting their favourite football season." Thanks for that, Dave; the Diary concurs wholeheartedly, and not just because there's a chapter on my favourite non-league side St Albans City.

"I watched a bit of Sky Sports' 'masters football' last night," writes James Burke, "the fun 7-a-side tournament for old footballers. Dave Smith was playing for Coventry, and Neil Woods for Ipswich. I found myself wondering why the Mariners don't have a team. Then my girlfriend pointed out that it was probably because all the ex-Mariners are playing for someone else. I tell you what though - you could probably put together one hell of a Grimsby team." And the Diary can think of just the man to do it if he weren't otherwise engaged at Spotland.