Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Wednesday 6 September 2006
6 September 2006
Joe Waters, one of Town's best ever captains, is receiving treatment for cancer. The Irish international midfielder joined the Mariners from Leicester in 1976 and was a key figure in the team's ascent from the fourth to the second division in successive seasons from 1978 to 1980. After 65 goals in 357 mightily consistent appearances Waters eventually left for the USA, where he played for Tacoma Stars of Washington state in the Major Indoor Soccer League before taking up a coaching position at the nearby Bellarmine Preparatory School, becoming one of the most respected youth football coaches in the country. Both Town's website and Leicester's are inviting supporters to pass on their best wishes for his recovery.
Two slightly less fondly remembered figures at the Meadow Lane Retirement Home for Former Mariners experienced an all too typical mishap last weekend, the Diary has heard. Not long into their match against a team that should not exist, rookie referee Danny McDermid awarded Notts a penalty. Failed ex-Town forwards Jason Lee and Junior Mendes duly celebrated the decision, only for Lee to catch Mendes a painful poke in the eye. McDarmid - who ending up sending off two players and booking seven - changed his mind about the spot-kick, but could not undo the damage to poor Junior, who was so badly hurt that he had to be subbed off after 20 minutes. One is tempted to reflect that the careers of both players at Blundell Park might have endured a little longer had they exhibited such a deadly touch while wearing the other set of black and white stripes.
Town's new top-of-the-range tin cans have been used to good effect in recording a Mariners World interview with John Fenty this week. The gist is that no, it hasn't been a very good start but we ought to wait a bit and it'll get better, and yes, we did try to sign Alan Pouton and Georges Santos but Pouts couldn't agree a severance fee with Gillingham and Sants got a better offer. In 24 hours' time I'll have to write tomorrow's Diary, you know.
Grimsby Tim has emailed the Diary on the subject of the Grosvenor, pub of this Saturday's GTST open meeting and one-time alleged haunt of Mr A Gallimore, formerly of this parish. "Is this the very same pub whose postal address is in Cleethorpes, but is really in Humberston?" asks Tim. I dunno, mate - isn't Humberston part of Cleethorpes?
Lastly today, John Pakey continues this week's theme of pubs and ale. "I wish to bring to your attention the fine ale that is Mighty Oak brewery's Burntwood," he writes. "A really good beer, best served flat and straight from the cask if possible. It has a nice warm colour to it and is a perfectly poised 4%, making it ideal for session drinking. I'm no doubt going to quaff a bit of it at the Chappel Beer Festival on Friday night - that and proper cider, which is superb, while eating some hog roast in beautiful north Essex scenery, fine way to end the summer. But my main issue is the north/south divide on serving beer with a sparkler, as I knew it in my days of pulling pints in the Hogshead in Lincoln, or flat, as I knew it in my days of pulling pints in the Hogshead in Colchester. How does the Diary like it? Beer served, that is." I do like beer served, yes, but I've had to throw away the free pint voucher that came with my season ticket because it was impossible to get served at the bar under the Pontoon before the end of half time. Probably piss anyway, eh?