Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 12 October 2004

12 October 2004

In the nation beyond Blundell Park, all the talk today is of Britain's 'pensions timebomb': will the Government legislate to make you save up or will they raise taxes? Of course, the whole thing could be solved overnight by making employers contribute directly, but none of the mass media seem to have mentioned that possibility. Another option might be to impose a levy on the excessive profits of sporting organisations: Grimsby Town Football Club, for instance, whose directors are rolling naked on the boardroom floor through head-high mounds of clean, crisp banknotes. This is the image placed in the Diary's mind, at least, by Town's accounts manager Steve Wraith, who is oozing pleasure at the humungous wodges of cash finding their way into the GTFC coffers. The bizarre reality of successive relegations resulting in increased attendances means the club is coining it in, apparently, and this is not to mention the relaunched Harry the Haddock inflatable and the success of the McMenemy's dining facility. Club officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the restaurant surpasses its namesake and lasts longer than two years.

All of which spells good news for Colin 'Lend Us A Fiver' Cramb, whose new monthly terms at Blundell Park should keep the wolves from the door for, well, at least a month. The journeyman striker joined the Mariners last month on non-contract terms, which probably means he's lucky to have got paid at all, but is now in a slightly healthier financial position after the GTFC boss opted to give the player marginally more security with a month-to-month contract. Despite mixed reports from fans of his many previous clubs, Cramb has shown signs, in his reserve outings and two first-team appearances for Town so far, of being able to play the supporting wall role in Mr Russell Slade's adventurous 3-7-12 formation and hold things up - potential that is clearly recognised by his manager, who tells today's Grimsby Telegraph: "We've given Colin a monthly which should help to settle him down." Failing that, Russ, there's always Ritalin.