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Diary - Tuesday 10 June 2003

10 June 2003

As you are probably aware by now, Town's new signing is 20-year-old Tony Crane, a centre-half released by Sheffield Wednesday after 24 league starts and four goals. He is a right big bugger, apparently, and can also play in midfield or as a long ball recipient up front. Wednesday fans appear not to have rated him too highly, with the exception of one excitable supporter who last season contributed his name to a BBC Sport Online debate about possible future England players. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the signing is the three-year duration of Crane's contract, which seems a tad extravagant these days. Less unexpected is the rash of dodgy headlines reporting the transfer, with Crane takes flight from Owls (BBC Humber Sport) not quite as lame as Now that's a big Crane (Grimsby Telegraph) nor as clumsy as Town Get Crane In For A Lift (GTFC official site). The Humbersite, incidentally, reckons two more new arrivals could be joining young Tony by the end of the week. "I don't think we'll get beaten in the air very often! I'm strong and aggressive and that's Continued on page 35," Town's new signing seems to have told the Telegraph.

Speaking of our chums from Hillsborough, Wednesday chairman Dave Allen is apparently suggesting that his club replace 'Wimbledon' in Division One next season if the latter are forced to withdraw from the league - just to "keep things simple". "Simple would be gaining enough points from 46 games in a season to not get relegated," opines Simon Wilson in an email to the Diary with the subject line "Up, down, turn around", which has very agreeably got The Vaselines playing on my mental jukebox. "Carrying on the Wimbledon connection", continues Si, "the Diary is right about two teams merging - the newly formed team takes the place of the lower of the two teams. However, I do remember franchises not being allowed a few years ago until some suit decided it was in the interests of the game for Wimbledon to decamp to Milton Keynes. So if they can make one precedent for The Franchise, who's betting they won't make another?" I'm sure you were wearing a suit at Andy's wedding though Si.

More emails have flooded in to correct yesterday's story about Steph Coldicott smuggling cake out of the Big Brother house. It appears that the chocolatey confection was in fact smuggled to Mrs Stacy by somebody called Tania. I can only apologise. Well, I can blame my source as well; in this instance the story did not originate with the Diary's usual BB correspondent Cath Martin, who wishes it to be known, incidentally, that she can do Araucaria's crosswords in the Guardian - the sign of a truly intimidating intellect - and "also watches really clever stuff on the telly". Hang on a minute though - why did Tania have to smuggle cake to Steph? Has Steph already been evicted or something, or was she just not invited to the cake party? I want answers, damn it.