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Diary - Thursday 5 October 2006

5 October 2006

If you're looking at Grimsby Town's website and you come across a headline that reads Ranking Hope, what is your first thought? Do you suppose that the item thus headlined might concern a seeding system for a cup tournament which, it is hoped, may in some way benefit the Mariners? No, of course not: you immediately realise that the club's main channel of official communication has glaringly misspelt the name of one of its most important players. Isaiah Rankin, as he was christened, has missed Town's last three games with thigh issues but, according to the OS, may return to contention for this weekend's televisual extravaganza against Hereford. "He should be there or thereabouts on Sunday," says Graham Rodgerses, who is short of personnel up front given the return of James Lawson to Southend and the long-term injuries to Luton's Michael Reddy and Gary Coheng.

Back in the old days, before ITV Digital, when Football League clubs could still dream of competing at the top level and managers light their cigars using rolled-up 50 pound notes, it was possible to for each of them to employ at least two senior goalkeepers, the idea being that one would be able to step in should the other become unavailable for a match at short notice. These days, of course, Town have the wherewithal to keep only Phil Barnes on the books and keep their fingers crossed that if he gets injured there'll be time to bring in another keeper on loan before the next match. If there isn't, that leaves only youth team graduate Rob Murray between the Mariners and an open-goal thrashing of Hartlepool proportions. Well, him and that lad from the north-east who they signed the other week without telling anyone. Anyway, the same page of the OS that told us about Isaiah Rankin's possible return from injury also tells us that Murray has signed a professional contract to the end of this season, having completed his scholarship to the satisfaction of the Mariners' coaching staff. If his minimalist profile on the club's official website is to be believed, Rob is a diminutive five feet and eight inches in height. Still, at a mere 18 years of age there may yet be time for him to grow a bit.

An email to the Diary from James Booth picks up our recent pastry debate with some passion, first citing Wikipedia's claim that "a pasty is a type of pie" and then addressing the spelling issue by demonstrating that a pastie is something altogether different. "Here in Toronto," continues James, "Jamaican patties are very popular (and very nice they are too). They are basically pasty format with yellow pastry and lovely spicy meat or veg filling. If you're visiting try them at the Caribbean Queen of Patties (1279 Bloor Street West). As for best footy pie: chicken balti at Walsall. Not because it's necessarily better than others but on 15 December 2001 I had just flown back to the UK only to sit in the rain watching the Mariners get stuffed 4-0. The pie and cup of tea at half time were the only good things that happened that day, so I remember it fondly." Anyone know what the pies at Hartlepool are like, then?

This is your lot for the week from your regular Diary, as tomorrow's tasty, hot and pastry-encrusted summary of GTFC news will be brought to you by our north-eastern guest correspondent Durham Diary. Before we go, though, there's one more email, taking up the issue of James Lawson's all too brief loan spell at Blundell Park. "Perhaps in Lawson's confusion over where he was," wonders Bedders, "he took a long walk off the short pier?" The Diary is tempted to check the lengths of Cleethorpes and Southend piers on Wikipedia now, but you never know who might be watching when a page about nipple covers unexpectedly pops up. Crikey! See yers next week.