Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 14 September 2006

14 September 2006

Town's official website has found another way to spell the name of the club's current trialist, who took part, as anticipated, in yesterday's reserve practice match thing at Barnsley. The match was lost 3-1, the Mariners' goal having been scored by Danny North, but was not attended by Graham 'Rodgers' Rodger, who instead relied on an account given by his assistant Stuart Watkiss. "He said Connor did well," the embattled Mariners boss has told the Grimsby Telegraph encouragingly, adding that the former Wolves hopeful of that name played at centre-half but is also capable of filling a full-back role - which alone would seem to make him an appropriate addition to the current squad - and will hang around and train for another few days before Town decide that he isn't quite what they're looking for just now. The rather more minimal account of the match given on the club's OS confirms that Conor/Connor/Conner Rafferty "is said to have had a good run out"; well, if you can't win at football, you might as well try cricket.

Another man who can play at centre-half and full-back, and do so pretty well, is former Townie Matt Bloomer, and GTFC's website has added to its impressive record of misleading headlines in Blooms Back, introducing another minimal news item which tells us, disappointingly, that the player is "training with the Mariners during the week to save travel time to and from Cambridge". (Cambridge are the team he plays for now; it's assumed that you know that.) A cute touch, but unlikely to staunch the tidal wave of opposition goals that currently originate in Town's wide positions.

And that's about it for the week, save for the not-yet-world-altering news that Ben Higgins, who captained Town's youth team to that cup win last season, is off out on loan to Eastwood Town, who also recently had a lend of Alan Lamb and Miles Chamberlain. Neither club has yet confirmed whether Ben intends to visit the birthplace of DH Lawrence while he is in the area.

Before I step aside for tomorrow's guest diarist, then, there is unfinished business in this week's - heh! - burning debate on fire protection. On Tuesday, you may recall, Mark Wilson wondered aloud here whether Dean Brown had been smoking something when he bemoaned John Fenty's reluctance to build fire doors from the wrong kind of wood (it makes sense if you read it again). Dean has hit back, though, and is supported by Richard 'Bedders' Bedwell, who asks: "Not wishing to get into a cyber slanging match, but when was the last time Mark Wilson saw a stone fire door? This website has the British Woodworking Federation's lowdown on fire doors. Guess what they are made with? I suggest he reads The BWF Approved Fire Door Centre Complete Guide to Fire Door Assemblies (price £20 plus postage). Oh and up the Mariners!" In his own defence Dean explains that "wood isn't totally fireproof but certain wood has better fire protecting qualities", before launching into another series of outrageous allegations about Our Great and Infallible Chairman John's approach to health & safety. "Liked your comments on my adopted home city - keep up the good work," he concludes, proving that if all else fails, a cheap shot at Leeds never will. Just ask Sunderland.