Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Thursday 14 December 2006
14 December 2006
Get in Monty! Apologies for that opening burst of non-Town, non-football and totally crickety related euphoria from your Early Rising Diary. Although Duncan Fletcher might not agree, sometimes, a reasoned and sensible wave of support can be initially proved thoroughly justified. When and once it's moment arrives of course. Remember, likewise, the clamour for the reappointment of Alan Buckley once Graham Rodgerers' services were relieved on 6 November? Town have seen their league placing improve by six positions in four games. Town fans are phoning Radio Humberside with two eyes on the play-off places. And the man himself seems to be enjoying his third tenure at Blundell Park, even if the football isn't quite up to scratch yet.
But not everyone is happy, nor will they be happy forever. Take Michael Reddy (and, please, someone take him), whose presence hasn't been sorely missed since the arrival of Martin Paterson. Three months since his last appearance for the club has not changed Reddy's mind: he still doesn't want to stay with the Mariners. None of this is a surprise given back at the start of August Reddy made it clear it was a case of "nothing against the club, want to play at a higher level, somebody hear my desperate pleas!" If he wants the move he so cherishes in the upcoming transfer window, Redds needs to really make an impression when he eventually returns to the first team. Lord Buckley has liked what he has seen of Reddy in two days of training, and is remaining pragmatic over the situation: "If he doesn't want to play for the club let's have him on the transfer list and let's have him down the road and get some money for him. Until then let's get the best out of him."
From a man who isn't happy at Grimsby, to a man who is: Anthony Pulis. The loanee from Stoke tells Teamtalk he's thoroughly enjoying his time at Blundell Park. "I've thoroughly enjoyed being here," a sentiment echoed by a number of Town fans over Pulis's tidy and effective approach to midfield play. "I feel I've done well but there is a lot more to come from me. Hopefully I can get on the ball and express myself a bit more. I've got a decent range of passing and need to hurt teams more. I need to affect games and perhaps starting getting a few more goals." The lad isn't sure what will happen when his current loan period expires in six games' time. But, as long as he doesn't do something daft like score four goals in the next three games, we've got to have a good chance of keeping hold of him and keeping him happy well into the new year.
A big bellied fool bumbling his way round your home. No, it's not Tony Crane doing a turn as Bad Santa, but the prospect of a visit from Mighty Mariner in the club's latest desperate attempt to weed money out of its supporters. It's a sigh of relief for all those Town fans living in Brigg, Market Rasen and Mablethorpe who might be tempted by a late night bidding war after a few glasses of brandy, as Mighty's 'reach' is only within 16 miles of Blundell Park. Can someone, please, win this and keep Mighty back in Grimmo during one of the upcoming away games?
If you do have money burning a hole in your pocket and live beyond this mystically worked out border - say, past Louth or in the middle of the North Sea - then don't be too despondent. The commercial department still has a trick for emptying your wallet and emptying their stock room. Behold "the perfect reading accompaniment for those long, cold winter nights": a 'box set' of matchday programmes from all the home games so far this season. When I were a lad it was Chronicle of the 20th Century the kids wanted, not Chronicle of the First Half of a Season's Home Games. Back in the day and all that, eh.
And, finally, first it was McFly announcing they'd be 'doing' the Auditorium. Now it's the Premiership's Mike Riley who is refereeing this weekend's trip to Lincoln (I hate when they say a ref 'takes charge' of a game - the best refs just let the game flow, no?). Not only has this given the Grimmo Telegraph some handy midweek spacing filling for their sport pages, but it's also given them the chance to explain referees are chosen six weeks before a game, "aimed at giving fans of lower league clubs the chance to see the top officials refereeing in the flesh." While Riley may be ranked in the top three English referees, despite what Graham Poll might think, fans turn up to not watch the officials, but the teams. Now, if the Tellywag wants some real investigating to do, maybe they could explain why most league clubs have two home or two away games between Christmas and the New Year?...