Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 14 March 2007

14 March 2007

Luton's Michael Reddy may have taken his last embarrassing dive in a Grimsby Town shirt. A newspaper interview with John Fenty reveals today that talks to extend the knackered player's contract beyond this summer have ended with no sign of imminent resumption, and Reddy could be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer in a couple of months' time. Though not ruling out a new deal for the perma-crocked Hatters frontman should his perennial hip problems be miraculously resolved at some point soonish, Fenty makes clear that Town will no longer pay his wages otherwise. "Michael did turn down some contract offers that were put to him several months ago now," the Mariners chairman has told the Grimsby Telegraph. "They were finally removed from the table when it became very clear about his injury status," Fenty adds, suggesting a thorough reversal of the transfer policy that brought about the 68-minute GTFC career of injured Australian Nicky Rizzo earlier this season.

With Danny North having scored some goals recently and Straight Peter Bore having held down a first-team place for a good few weeks now, all eyes are on the Mariners' youth set-up in the hope of further home-grown gems being unearthed from the agricultural diamond production line. This is how come we actually know that the Myspace Mariners have reached the Football League Youth Alliance League Cup Northern Final, as Town's official website calls it today, and it is also to the OS that we are indebted for the revelations that their opponents in this game will be Stockport, who overcame the youth of Scunthorpe in the other semi-final, and that the winners will face either Colchester or Swansea, who are contesting the southern regional final. Cor, it's just like the Auto Windscreens again. Except without Wembley. Unless the toilets overflow at the England u21 game and they need an extra 'ramp-up' event before the FA Cup final.

Ever feel like football supporters are treated like idiots? Well, that's why websites like Teamtalk can run a story about Graham Rodger being happy to return to his old job as Town's football in the community person, headline it Rodger glad to be back at Magpies, and still expect you to visit all their sponsors and earn them loads of money.

And don't expect anything better from the people who run your game, as the Football League has recently extended its sponsorship deal with the fizzy pop people who are running a competition to emotionally blackmail us "real fans" who watch "real football" into drinking far more of the "real thing" than is good for us. John Ide, meanwhile, has emailed the Diary to warn: "Just seen on the fizzy pop website that the idiot in the middle on Saturday is the delirious, delightful Darren 'The Deadhead' Deadman." Ah, yes - the referee who sent off Paul Bolland at Wrexham for, er, receiving one yellow card; who all but caused a riot against Hartlepool; and who gave up and walked off the pitch last summer because he couldn't even get the substitutions right in a pre-season friendly between Luton and St Albans City. Hold on tight, kids!