Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Monday 22 December 2003
22 December 2003
Right... time to compensate for your Diary-free weekend with a bumper Monday edition, I feel. Sorry about that, but I was divided between three cities and had no access to a puter in any of them. Actually, technically, I could have written something yesterday instead of sleeping most of the afternoon, but there wasn't much to say after Saturday's postponement, except possibly: "Darren Ferguson and Chris Armstrong, who would have been suspended had the game gone ahead, will be eligible to play for Wrexham when the fixture is rearranged. Bollocks!"
Meanwhile, that which was waterlogged on Saturday is frozen on Monday, as the old saying goes, and Town's reserve match against Barnsley, which was scheduled to go ahead at Oakwell this afternoon, has been called off and rearranged for 5 January, reports the club's official website. Not that Tony Gallimore will feel the cold.
Town's supporters' trust is inviting fans to step up and take a spot-kick in the Boxing Day clash with Oldham. But Alan Pouton hasn't lost his bottle or anything - it's all part of the trust's Fans' Day activities that will celebrate the role of supporters this Friday and raise much-needed cash for the club. GTST needs five volunteers to try and beat its celebrity goalkeeper, the legendary Nigel Batch, from 12 yards out, and if you fancy your chances then email fansday@gtst.net with a contact phone number, close your eyes, and just welly it.
Speaking of Mr Alan P, the Grimsby Telegraph today leads with the news that the fragile, waif-like midfielder will be forced to play two games in three days over Christmas just a few minutes after recovering from a life-threatening cough. "We were going to change things around," says PG, "but whether we get that luxury now, with the numbers that we have, we'll have to wait and see." Try the sofa in the middle of the room, Paul - the feng shui is loads better. Jason Crowe's various suspensions prevent him from relieving Pouts this week, as it were, though it remains to be seen whether the manager will suddenly remember that Stuart Campbell plays better in central midfield and that Marcel Cas can be one of the best wingers in Division Two.
And speaking of both Marcel Cas and the Grimsby Telegraph, the Diary is compelled to congratulate the latter on the magnificent headline appended to the column of the former last Friday. The Dutchman was pondering his chances of appearing in Saturday's ill-fated meet with Wrexham, and with it the possibility of doing some footballing damage to the north Wales side, inspiring the GT to produce the marvellous headline CAS'LL MAIM POOR WREX. Well, I liked it, anyway.
Back on Town's official site we find the players keeping busy after Saturday's washout with a visit to the absurdly named Diana Princess of Wales Hospital. A selection of photographs shows Mr Groves and his players bringing some festive cheer to staff and patients at the Grimsby infirmary, with one young patient bearing an unsettling resemblance to Cod Almighty's Simon Wilson and an inmate of the children's ward apparently attempting to remind the GTFC boss that Stuart Campbell plays better in central midfield and that Marcel Cas can be one of the best wingers in Division Two.
An email reaches Diaryland from a certain John Garden, who has an observation to make on one of GTFC's latest fund-raising auctions. "I think Town should name one of their gates for Town maestro Joe Waters. Or is that a scandalous thing to suggest? Yes, very poor, I know. I'm sorry." So are we, John... so are we...
Today's final word goes to messenger-help@yahoo-inc.com, who writes: "Your friend has invited you (codalmightydiary@yahoo.co.uk) to sign up for Yahoo! Messenger." Being wholly unaware of having any friends, the Diary finds this not a little mysterious, until the email continues: "Message from : hi its dan here. hope codalmighty has some awards ceremony for the year. The Vines get my vote. and Mike Edwards. yup". I guess this is Dan Humphreys, from whom we've not heard in many a long moon, and it's not a bad idea he has there, although the Diary is less than convinced as to The Vines' adaptability when playing left-back or Edwards' ability to create melodic dynamism with an unexpected chord change. Any readers wishing to nominate Town players, ephemeral rock bands or anything else for a CA awards ceremony - and perhaps to suggest categories and stuff - are invited to email codalmightydiary@yahoo.co.uk at their earliest convenience.