Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 31 December 2004

31 December 2004

It's 11:54 on New Year's Eve and, so far, Grimsby Town news this morning seems to be as rare as a first-time Sestanovich pass. Your Guest Diarist has suffered a frustrating morning attempting to sign up to a no-limits broadband service. Apparently, although BT has been kind enough to finally upgrade my telephone exchange (which is our second closest neighbour across the road), the likes of Tesco don't support 'that kind' of broadband. So I'll just have to be socially mobile enough to gravitate upwards to Waitrose as my provider. Much more goujons et rosti than fish fingers and chips, and three quid a month dearer. But wait, it's now noon and Town's official site has, just this minute, published team news for the big game at Rochdale tomorrow.

We are told that the virus affecting Terrell Forbes has dissipated sufficiently to allow him to train today, so one would assume that he will be back to replace the injured Justin Whittle. Although the Evening Telegraph is not so sure, telling us that Slade is sweating over the readiness to play of his precious defender. Whittle's ankle ligaments will take some time to heal, we are told.

Meantime, the ever garrulous Mr Rodger has been sharing extracts from his opposition scouting dossier with interweb-enabled Town fans thus: "They've got a lad called Bertos - he's a threat. He can cause you problems if you don't look after him." He has obviously re-read Miles Moss' excellent rough guide to the Spotlanders, which identified Kiwi boy Bertos as a right-wing-based threat alongside 18-goal striker Grant Holt. Always one to have a laugh, Rodger reminds us of the set-piece menace provided by one Tony Gallimore: "He's got a good delivery and is decent from free kicks." The Town player occupying second from left in the wall will be duly issued with a cricket box. If Galli even gets picked, that is - he's been on the bench lately, I see.

Bloody good atmosphere at Sincil Bank the other night, and a further example to strengthen my theory that the best games are often nil-nillers. This wasn't a great game for the purists, but one that was both exciting and intriguing on several levels. It was easy to detect the creeping exasperation in Slade's reactions to the fans' call for Pinault and Reddy during his post-match interview on Humberside. He described Reddy as "a runner", implying that he is only effective when the game opens up in the dying minutes. And his appreciation of the away turnout and vocal support was muted.

Pinault, on the other hand, was reluctant to leave the pitch at the end, preferring to milk the deserved adulation from the away fans. I have to say that his first-time half-volleyed reverse pass down the line was pretty damn fine. I pay to watch skills like that, not to watch the manager pick sides to grind out draws against technically inferior opponents. Slade was right to resist calls earlier in the season for the lad Hockless. But Pinault is a man, and should be strutting the field as the Town playmaker. As for the truculent Sestanovich, I really couldn't give a toss whether he plays or not. Play Pinault and Reddy, and stick Parky on the wing for a change, I reckon. Rochdale are an in-form side, so let's play passing football Mr Slade, and either get revenge, or go down in a blaze of glory. See yer.