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Diary - Thursday 1 December 2005

1 December 2005

Work longer or save more? Work longer or save more? If you're anything like the Diary then you're fed up of hearing politicians and the mass media present these two options as the only possible solutions to the UK's pensions crisis, when the most obvious and moral course of action available is clearly to tax the rich until they bleed. Unless the revolution goes ahead before the end of the football season, though, John McDermott looks like he's decided to work longer. Town's prehistoric right-back announced at the beginning of August his intention to end his playing career in May 2006, but halfway through a season in which his form on the pitch has again defied the sad ravages of time the player is having second thoughts. "All the lads have been telling me to play for another year," Sir John has told a website somewhere, "and I'm enjoying it so much I'm seriously considering it." Marinersbet is already offering attractive odds on Macca holding out for the newly revamped state pension and playing on until the age of 68.

Well, Dereham Town trialist Danny Wright got his run-out for the reserves, and Rob Jones came through 75 minutes of football to place him firmly in contention for next Tuesday's big one against Rochdale, but the Mariners' reserves were stuffed 4-0 by Doncaster at Blundell Park yesterday afternoon - despite the presence of further first-team players in Martin Gritton and Tom Newey. Oh, and Glen Downey was sent off. It's difficult to keep track of their results, but off the top of the Diary's head Town's second string have lost every game they've played all season apart from one recent goalless draw: a run of form so dismal that Town's official website has been unable to bring itself to update the team's results page since the first week of October.

Not that it really concerns us, but Town's game at home to Lincoln on 28 December (the closest thing we get to a local derby on a bank holiday these days) has been made all-ticket for the visitors, who will be allocated 1,800 seats - about 300 more than they shifted for the corresponding fixture last season. Well, it stops us thinking about the result.

Thanks for reading for another week, and stay tooned tomorrow for your regular Friday feast of substitute diarist fun - brought to you this week by the original and inimitable Guest Diary. Toodles!