Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 27 April 2007

27 April 2007

Well, it would seem that the emergence of Ryan Bennett as a genuine first team prospect at either centre-half or right-back has not done a lot for the football careers of Gary Croft, Matt Bloomer and Simon Grand. Lord Buckley has revealed to all and sundry in the last 24 hours that these three defenders will not be playing for Grimsby next season. And with the retirement of Sir John of McDermott, and the dumping also of Robert Murray, who has remained tantalisingly small for a modern goalkeeper, it starts to look like a bit of a defensive clearout. Lord AB also drove the final nail into the Reddy coffin, but admitted that talks are continuing with Lumpaldinho's agent. Your Guest Diarist never really did fathom these fangled contract options and what they really mean, but I hope it ends up with an amicable extension for the big man.

In much more disconcerting news, Town's glorious manager revealed that central midfield dynamo and all-round good egg Paul Bolland "felt a sharp pain in his buttock towards the end of training on Thursday". Buckley then pronounced him very doubtful for Saturday's match at home to Lincoln. The Mariners World interviewer diplomatically avoided asking whether Lord Buckley ever felt the same sensation when in close proximity to the wayward but dangerously straight teenage starlet Peter Bore - him being a bit of a pain in the arse I hasten to add. No light was cast on how Town's midfield would be reshaped without Bolland, but given the paucity of central midfielders at the club, compared to the vast number of wide players hanging around, perhaps this might be the time to try Toner and Boshell in the centre? But then again, perhaps not, as horrible Toner gaffes from yore start to pop up in ever increasing numbers in my fevered brain.

Lincoln City, it must be said, have had a bit of a crap run since Christmas. And this time we won't have to endure the pain of watching Gary Jones trying to play centre-half, which was a bit like watching a seven-year-old boy trying to have a kickabout on the A1. Those square balls across his own box were scary stuff indeed. But this is one of those impossible-to-predict matches and Bolland's absence might be a big factor given the Imps' excellent midfield. Don't forget it's a one of the clock kick-off, by the way, and the crowd will be 6,000-plus, we hope. Bring your clapping gloves because they will get warmed up with a full minute celebrating the death of World Cup hero and totally crap manager Alan Ball. A man who auctioned off his World Cup medal. That's like Lisa Dingle throwing Zak's Tull albums out of the bedroom window, isn't it? Sacrilege. Thick as a bleedin' brick. See yer.