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Diary - Thursday 19 February 2004

19 February 2004

Grimsby supporters watching in envy as the likes of Manchester Telegenic rack up billions of dollars from selling duvet covers to the Japanese, while most Grimbarians have never even heard of Blundell Park, are quick to bemoan the low media profile of their club. "We never get any coverage!" they will cry, like distressed crows at a key party when the really minging crow reaches for the bowl. But today the club's search for a manager has penetrated deeper into the global consciousness than they could ever have dreamed possible, as the mighty Chobham News & Mail has scooped an exclusive Glenn Cockerill interview in which the Woking manager declares: "There's been no interest as far as I know and I've not spoken to anybody at Grimsby Town Football Club." The greatest locally born footballer never to play for the Mariners was linked with the Blundell Park vacancy by the Grimsby Telegraph last week, when they were bored one day, and is flattered by the 'interest' but insists: "I want to see this job off first." So that's that sorted out, then.

\\zzzzzzzzz. Sorry - a small piece of cheese was lodged between two keys.

Just as deflections are always "wicked" and poor clearances are always "only as far as" the other team's best striker, so Town are always "rocked" by an injury crisis. It's been a while since they had one, actually, so we shouldn't be too surprised. "Stacy Coldicott, Darren Barnard, Lee Thorpe and Jason Crowe are all major doubts," reports today's Grimsby Telegraph, "while Simon Ford and Iain Anderson are struggling." Hmmm. That's quite bad actually - although it could at least mean Mike Edwards back in the side in Ford's place and another chance for the excellent Graham Hockless. Goodness only knows what we'll do for full backs, though. Anyway, I'm not going to cut and paste a list of what the injuries actually are, because I still don't even know what a hamstring is.

Rachael Pullen, if you're still reading, the 'Groves to Scunny' thing has taken another twist or two. Probably as a result of the subject being examined in yesterday's Diary, Town's previous manager has spoken out on the issue in today's Grimsby Telegraph, describing talk of a move to Glanford Park as "pure speculation." It's not the sort of thing you'd shout about, really, though, is it. And interestingly, while the GT headlines its piece GROVES PLAYS DOWN IRON LINK, its little brother paper the Scunthorpe Telegraph is running one entitled GROVES DEAL ON CARDS?, which begins by stating: "Former Grimsby Town boss Paul Groves could be a Scunthorpe United player within the next 24 hours." As ever, the Diary is inclined to believe what comes out of Riby Square, where they have at least squeezed a quote from Grovesie. "Someone has put two and two together and made five," explains yer man, undoubtedly casting a glance towards the GTFC accounts department.