Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 10 July 2006

10 July 2006

Natives of the North East Lincolnshire region are born with a genetic predisposition for concern over three key issues: the price of fish, the roadworks on the A16, A46 or A180, and the groin condition of Luton's Michael Reddy. The Hatters forward struggled for fitness and consequently form as Town's promotion bid dramatically faltered towards the end of last season, and as his injury recurred last week the player was sent home early from the team's pre-season global thermonuclear war training camp. "We have tried to ease Michael back in, but he started to feel it and we didn't want to push it any further," team manager Grahams Rodgerses has told the club's official website for an article which ends with a photo caption but doesn't have a photo.

But when one door closes, as we say in these parts, four more flap open in the stiff breeze off the Humber estuary - and a quartet of new trialists are accordingly ready to strut their stuff at Blundell Park this week as Town shift their attentions from lethal biological weaponry to football. The OS lists them as: 23-year-old Sheffield Wednesday winger Richard Evans; Nigerian-born midfielder Chibuzor Chilaka, recently released by Notts County; "local lad" Will Clifford, a forward who has turned out for Louth United and North Ferriby; and Tony Stewart, who is "said to have been on the books" at Wolves. The latter seems a somewhat alarmingly cautious turn of phrase, and one is reminded of Southampton legend Ali Dia, who was "said to have been" a Senegalese international and cousin of George Weah. At least Evans should be who he says he is, as the player turned up for another trial at BP back in November but - like so many other trialists before and after him - didn't get to play a reserve game (in his case, it was a goalless draw at Scunthorpe) due to GTFC's failure to secure clearance from the FA because some mushy peas were stuck in the fax machine.

No further mention seems to have been made of Danny Boshell, the midfield hopeful who travelled to RAF Nuclear Apocalypse with the Town squad. For what it's worth, the Diary received mixed reports at the end of last week. Boshell's career began with Oldham, where one fan has recalled that he was "nicknamed Bambi" and added: "Looks like a ballboy could cut him in two. Occasionally plays well, is a creative midfielder. Only ever saw him have one good game: a 3-3 draw down at Blundell Park on Boxing Day about four years ago. He's crap." A fan of the player's last club Stockport, however, has told a member of the CA team: "Actually I liked Danny Boshell. I don't think he'll be a 'complete lemon', as you said - strong in the tackle, has a good shot. I was quite upset when he was released as I think he had a lot to offer us." And speaking of creative midfielders whose departures are viewed with dismay, Thomas Pinault is having a trial with Brentford, who just missed out on promotion to the second division last season. CA contributor Mat Hare has emailed to point out that the account of this news given on Town's official website "says he left the club at the end of the 2006/2006 season, which was so short I can't even remember any of the games."

Lastly today, GTFC have declared that their pre-season fixture programme will culminate on Monday 31 July with a home game against second division Leeds. No announcement has yet been made on whether Ken Bates will insist upon travelling back to West Yorkshire afterwards with half the gate receipts in his wallet.