Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 20 March 2007

20 March 2007

A month after Martin Paterson departed Blundell Park, Town's chairman has urged fans "not to be confused" about the end of the Stoke striker's loan. Fans were not so much confused as annoyed when it emerged in mid-February that Paterson could have stayed longer had the club informed the Football League during the January transfer window of an extension to the player's loan. In today's Grimsby Telegraph, though, John Fenty seems to suggest that the club took a deliberate decision to send Paterson back to the Potteries rather than let him slip away through administrative neglect. "When you have good players, why would you want to try and keep hold of those that you can't keep long term?" is the chairman's rhetorical question. "Because they might be even better than the good players you have, and in the short term they might help you escape relegation from the Football League," is the Diary's equally rhetorical response. In the event, Lord Buckley's faith in Danny North has been fully justified - but does Mr Fenty expect us to believe firstly that North, as well as he has played in the last month, is already every bit as good as Paterson; and secondly that, given the chance, Buckley really wouldn't have wanted to keep Paterson for the rest of the season? We're not meant to be confused, remember.

Many Diary readers will remember seeing Kevin and Dave Moore playing for the Mariners. Some might even have been there when their brother Andy made an appearance. Few will be of such seniority, though, to have been at Blundell Park to watch their uncle Norman Moore, who has died aged 87. The Grimsby Telegraph seems the best place to read more about his time with GTFC during the turbulent years of the early 1940s and to take in the reminiscences of nephew and current Town physio Dave. It might take a lot to unite the peoples of Grimsby and Hull, but it seems that Norman Moore will be mourned by both.

Opinions about Radio Humberside continue to vary wildly. There are those who insist that David Burns is single-mindedly dedicated to a fiendish plan for the total annihilation of Grimsby Town Football Club. And then there are those who aren't certifiably paranoid. Dan Humphrey, for his part, is convinced that the station is unjustifiably neglecting the Mariners in terms of live coverage, emailed Humberside to complain, and then emailed the Diary about the response he received: rather mystifyingly, it seems to be a copy-and-paste job about the recent broadcasting rights dispute between GTFC and the BBC, which I thought ended in about November. "What's the point of complaining if they misunderstand your complaint?" he asks. "Or should I complain about mishandling my complaint via a separate second complaint!??!?" Incontinent punctuation helps nobody's cause, Dan, but regardless of the substance of your original complaint you are quite within your rights to be dissatisfied with the Corporation's response. Mind you, at least we've still got public service broadcasting. Once News International is allowed to buy the BBC, your complaints about the total lack of fourth division football coverage anywhere on the airwaves will be met by a visit from your friendly local Murdoch death squad. That's not paranoid: that's The Truth!

Al Wilkinson got one. David Wilkinson got one. But the Diary was refused one by a girl on the turnstiles with an extraordinarily big mouth. We are talking, lest you dunno, about the vouchers promised to season ticket holders attending last Saturday's Town match, which would save five quid on the price of their next season ticket. "And I didn't need to ask," writes Al. "It was thrust into my hand by a funny-looking fella who has now saved me a fiver." David's was similarly thrust upon him - "after an argument when I tried to give it back. A steward pounced on me as I approached the turnstile and shoved a voucher into my hand. I protested that I didn't have a black and white shirt on and, therefore, was unworthy of the honour. I handed it back - only to have it put firmly into my coat pocket by said steward. She had such an engaging smile that I didn't want to disappoint her by refusing - perhaps she was on some sort of commission? So I accepted. Getting to my seat I remembered it was in my pocket and threw it away and then related the story to another season ticket holder. On being told that it was also a discount voucher for season ticket renewals there followed an undignified sifting of the various detritus at my feet to retrieve the now precious document - found just in time not to disturb the 30-second applause. Phew!"

Well, as long as you lot are happy. And despite Town failing me on their promise of a discount voucher, I am too, because it's a short week for your regular Diary. Now, over to the guest diarists' bench, and I'll see you next Monday. T'ra!