Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Tuesday 12 December 2006
12 December 2006
So, as Columbo would say, lemme get this straight: the reserves' visit to York this afternoon was switched to Blundell Park yesterday but has now been postponed? A page on Town's official website reported yesterday that the fixture had been moved to Cleethorpes because of a waterlogged pitch at the Minstermen's Stadium of Chocolate. Fair enough - but when the game was called off because of similarly wet conditions at Blundell Park, the site administrators couldn't be arsed to set up a new page and just pinned a note to the top of the existing one, resulting in a boggy quagmire of confusion and contradiction. "Entrance is free for supporters into the Main Stand," insists the site in the same breath as it reports the postponement. I should hope it is, if there's no match being played; better wear a long brown raincoat just in case.
Another week, another Curtis Woodhouse story in the national media. Still interested? Then presumably you remember that he was recently found guilty of sticking one on a copper. Well, he can't box again until the boxing FA have told him off as well, which, as Curt himself points out, seems a bit harsh given that he wasn't even a boxer at the time - well, not professionally - but a footballer, registered to Grimsby Town FC. So that's why he's playing for Rushden: just to earn a bit of money until he can start fighting again. Sound familiar?
Ace centre-half Nick Fenton has been named in the Football League's team of the week thing for the third time in about eight minutes following his commanding performance against Shrewsbury at the weekend. This time he is joined on the honour roll by everyone's current object of desire, Martin Paterson - the duration of whose loan term at Blundell Park has helpfully been clarified by the Grimsby Telegraph, which is useful, because the club hasn't bothered telling us and nobody here was too sure whether Town's goalscoring superstar hero was due to head back to Stoke on 1 January (which is when the transfer window reopens), 24 December (one calendar month after he arrived) or 22 December (one lunar month after he arrived). If the Telegraph's David Pye is right then we were all wrong, because he says it's 6 January. Nobody says why though.
Speaking of Nick Fenton, which we were, before that heartbreaking interruption, a key contributor to Cod Almighty has emailed the Diary to speculate upon who will replace him in the back four while he is suspended for this weekend's visit to Lincoln. "When asked about Whittle's partner for Lincoln," writes Tony Butcher, "Mr Alan Buckley said Gary Croft would never play centre-back whilst he was Grimsby Town manager - he'd never play Croft and Handyside together. So what are the odds on Peter Perfect doing a Futcher for Saturday?" Slightly shorter than the odds on Town managing to bring back Simon Ramsden from Rochdale next month, I expect.
Such is the esteem in which the Diary holds Fenton, in fact, that I will be taking a leaf out of his book and having the rest of the week off - so until after the Sincil showdown all your black and white needs will be fulfilled by CA's team of guest diarists. Before I go, though, there's an email to contend with from John Pakey (whose account of watching Town v Spurs on telly last season the Diary very much enjoyed). "Hi boys, just started a new job," writes JP. "Great news is it means I've finally moved closer to the Mighty Mariners and there will be chance to watch more games. Bad news it's in Lincoln. Any suggestions on how not to get lynched? The chap opposite me is a big Imps fan on all accounts." If we lose, John, compliment the performance of Lee Frecklington. If we win, compliment the performance of Lee Frecklington and change the subject to all the lovely stalls at Lincoln Christmas Market.