Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Monday 23 February 2004
23 February 2004
If, like me, you're feeling the teensiest bit paranoid after a weekend where you drank too much booze, then I'd like to reassure you that Cod Almighty has no interest in logging your IP number. What's the worst you're gonna do - use really dirty swear words about me? Insult my mum? You can probably tell that I passed through a rival message board this morning. Christ knows why I bothered.
Anyway the news of the day so far is that Town have signed one of those fangled utility players on loan from the Owls. His name is Craig Armstrong, and Chris Turner has made it plain that he wants rid of him for good. As to why we would want him, I haven't actually got a clue. We are cluttered up with players like that, aren't we? Let me know if I'm wrong, but so far the only reasons I can come up with are Edwards' upcoming suspension, and the fact that all our central midfield players are either injured, or playing crap. Yes, stand up Messrs Daws and Hamilton, I mean you.
Actually, Cod Almighty stalwart Pete Green emailed me over the weekend with the news that Armstrong was coming to Town. But, in true CA style, I couldn't be arsed to tell anyone. Another semi-exclusive missed. Oh well
If anyone is hanging around waiting for Tony Butcher's match report from the Colchester game, I suggest that you put up with this substitute report from the Colchester official site, or read Alistair Wilkinson's epic poem from this site. Both sources will tell you most of what you want to know, or rather most of what you didn't want to know, about the continuation of Town's predictable, painful demise.
I've just received sight of a very long press release from those Grimsby Town Supporters Trust people. I'll look in a minute to see if there's a web link to it, but here are the juiciest bits. The trust claims to have a membership equivalent to 3.75 per cent of the home gate. It has also already raised enough money to pay off approximately 0.125 per cent of the club's debts. That's £2,500 of the £2m the club now says it owes. Hey, real progress, says your ever-sceptical Guest Diarist. The trust and the board are continuing to exchange pleasantries, and Dave Smith has been co-opted on to the trust's board. The club's articles of association don't permit the reciprocal act, so no trust member can become a director of the club as things stand. Cue silent sighs of relief from certain quarters (and yeah, I have to admit it, one of those quarters is mine).
What the Trust should be doing at this stage is not puffing its self important chest out, and demanding to run the club. It should be raising cash. And the press release announces a start in this direction by launching the 'Grab a Goalie' campaign. I know a load of you, like me, have been wondering what will happen during Aidan's upcoming three-match suspension. Rodger went on record, the night he was sent off (for that innocent, nay playful, headbutt), as saying a loan keeper had to be signed. The news via the trust press release is that the fans will have to stump up to pay for one. Errrm, it's Monday now, and we need him when? Saturday you say? Are you sure?
So how come we could afford to sign Armstrong when we have all manner of cover for the positions in which he plays (even if you have to factor in the likes of Parker, Ward, Bolder and Young), when we don't have the ackers to get a loan keeper for a month? I'll be chucking cash into the bucket, don't get me wrong, but I'm a mighty confused guest diarist. As for the Grab a Goalie strapline, it sounds to me like someone thought of that about half eleven last Wednesday night at the Winter Gardens. But more on my past exploits at Grab a Granny night later in the week.
Oh God, and there's more. The official site has announced that a French defender is coming on trial. Here it is in full so I don't have to type the bloody foreign names: French defender Eugene Kangulungu has arrived at Blundell Park for a trial with the club. Kangulungu has previously played for French third division side Louhans-Cuiseaux. Our, ahem, French correspondent, Stu Morton, will report on this tomorrow. Stu, STU! Are yer there?