Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Friday 24 March 2006
24 March 2006
Hi guys! Durham Diary here, procrastinating my way gently through the Easter hols. Take it easy everyone, it's a Friday! [You certainly have, DD. It was nearly half past bloody three when you sent me this - stressed ed.]
One man certainly not taking it easy enough for my liking is Mr Diary himself, who despite having the day off has brought to my attention a page on the BBC Sport website detailing the fortunes of a certain Mr M Boulding. Mikey Boy has apparently joined Rotherham until the end of the season, having played already three times for the Millers' reserve team. Perhaps Mr B should have had a word with Saint John Mclegendmott, or indeed Tommy 'Always Bloody Scores Against Us' Mooney before rashly deciding to give up his regular Saturday routine seven months ago in an evidently foolhardy attempt to recover his professional tennis ranking. In an almost sort of related bit, I'd like to add a personal congratulation to all the Rotherham fans who have raised a significant amount of money and seem to have saved their club from administration, at least for the meantime.
Looking ahead to tomorrow's rather ridiculously nicknamed 'Sincil Showdown' (© Grimsby Telecontinued on page 33), Lincoln have signed former Mariner Jamie Forrester on a one-month loan from Bristol Rovers. I don't really remember much of JF to be honest, except that Leeds turned down a bid of £200,000 from us for him before promptly letting us have him on a free transfer the following month. Oh, and he scored in that cup win against West Ham that set up that oh-so-close match in the next round against Chelski. With the appearance of S Ramsden on the scoresheet against Town earlier in the week (having never scored a professional goal previously), let me say Forrester will absolutely, definitely, unquestionably score against his former club tomorrow, in the rather illogical hope that by writing it here I'll be proved wrong. Oh, and Messrs Toner and Futcher will not score against their former clubs. Or something. All this reverse-fateology is messing with my brain, man.
In other news, Town are "looking at" Birmingham City keeper Andy Bagnall, according to the OS. "Bagnall is a second-year scholar with the Premiership outfit and is described as a 'good shot stopper'" is what the OS has to offer, which makes it sound suspiciously like he's bad at kicking or coming for crosses or something. This makes me feel like I actually know something about something about someone for once, since I played cricket at district level with 'Baggy'. He, like the aforementioned Jamie Forrester, is a product of the Leeds United youth system, and lives locally. I must admit I thought there was legislation in place primarily to prevent Premiership clubs snapping up youngsters living nowhere near them for their youth team, but this is certainly not something I know something about, so I won't go on too much. My final little nugget is that Bagnall played, if he does not still play, for Grimsby Town cricket team, which might provide quite an interesting and possibly unique Grimsby Town double.
The Telegraph is reeling out its predictable drivel about tomorrow's big match, mostly along the lines of saying lots of people haven't been able to train for the Mariners ahead of the game, for varying reasons. On the other hand, Simon Yeo looks set to miss the rest of the season, let alone the match tomorrow, so Lincoln's preparations haven't been ideal either. The OS isn't running a piece 'bigging up' their marketing skills in having managed to shift all of the tickets for the game, which I will presume is an indication that all their levels of eligibility to buy tickets have proved useless since supply was greater than demand. Maybe I'm wrong.
Which leaves me to do the Justin Whittle thing at the end of the match, walking round and clapping in the general direction of each of you in thanks for your continuing support. Still, at least he bothers. If you have got one of those not very hot-cake-like Lincoln tickets then I'll see you there. Town are still within a good professional footballer's spitting distance away from top spot, and if we get more points tomorrow than Carlisle do against Boston we'll be sitting pretty. If you don't have one, well, enjoy your day wishing you did have, I suppose!
Apparently the consumption of alcohol on trains when travelling to attend a football match is illegal, while the consumption of alcohol on trains when not travelling to attend a football match isn't. Day return to Lincoln for the shops and cathedral, anyone?