Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 27 December 2006

27 December 2006

Hello out there! It's the day when the last dregs of cold turkey leftovers start becoming the ingredients for a long simmering stock, so excuse the greasy, smelly fingers of your Stand-In Diary.

Think back to yesterday afternoon. Think back through the din of an afternoon on the sofa, eating mince pies, slinging back the sherry, and watching the Disney double bill of Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Freaky Friday. Think back, and you might remember that Town lost 2-0 at Hartlepool. It sounded meek on Radio Humberside and it sounds even more meek through the eyes and mouth of Lord Buckley, reaching for a few leftover rockets from Guy Fawkes' Night: "We sort of died a death without a whimper and that was really disappointing. I don't like losing and don't want to be associated with losing. But if you do lose, you go down fighting and I don't think we did that." A goal apiece from one-time Town loanee Jon Daly and - remarkably given he's returned to Swindon - one-time Town target Andy Monkhouse were enough to push Town back down the table to seventeenth, despite the returns of Justin Whittle (at fault for the first goal) and Paul Bolland (substituted at half-time for 'tactical reasons') in a 4-5-1 formation. Since we don't know anyone who went to the game, you'll just have to rely on a quirky report from the Grimmo Telegraph's David Pye. Although don't read the last line - it's truly, madly awful.

Over at the OS, a month-by-month, and blow-by-blow account of the preceeding year is the make-up of the Chairman's Christmas message, available on the OS's Freeview option rather than the subscription service of Mariners' World. A slightly subdued Positive John talks at length about the first two Town managers of the past 12 months. On the Sladeian era, Fents reckons Town didn't get promoted last season because a) they "succumbed to the manager's request to bring in five key players in [just after Christmas], unfortunately that just didn't quite work"; and b) Michael Reddy wasn't fit for the end of season run-in. Overall "it [not gaining promotion] was a little disappointing."

Despite feeling Graham Rodgeres had earnt the right to takeover from the Lesser Bald Headed One, relieving the Rodge of his managerial duties was "easily the most difficult task I've done at this club." Rodgeres' back was "always against the wall" (contributed to by the late arrivals of Nick Fenton and the brothers Ravenhill, and the then non-arrivals of Georges Santos and Alan Pouton), the good players at the club not being a good team "for whatever reason", and "just thinking about that trapdoor sends a shiver through your spine". And PJ doesn't leave the fans blameless, noting that the supporters' ability to get onto the backs of some players adding to the situation. Not a right lot said about the return of Buckers, but what's all that "ferret down the hole" stuff about?

And for those who enjoy the Blundell Park experience, prepare to be upping sticks. Fenty reckons the "knackering" new stadium plans will get local council support, and draws a smart comparison with the Salford City Reds rugby league side, whose attempts to move from their Willows ground are far from dissimilar. Reward for the chairman's determination and self-belief, but will the move bring the much-needed more supporters through the turnstiles?

But anyhow, let us not leave on a mournful note. Be full of the joys of Christmas! Go and play with your new toys! Until tomorrow, comrades, goodbye.