Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 3 April 2007

3 April 2007

Wantaway midfielder Ciaran Toner, as the Diary would have to describe him if I were a Sun reporter, may not want away after all, according to a report in today's Grimsby Telegraph. The only Northern Ireland international in Town's current squad has enjoyed an improved run of form of late - even if it hasn't improved quite as much as his recent goals tally suggests - and was strongly rumoured last week to have agreed a transfer to fourth division rivals Notts County when his contract with the Mariners expires this summer. Toner has told the Riby Square Thunderer, though, that rumours of his departure are greatly exaggerated and he'll stay if Town offer him enough money. I suppose we could have guessed as much really, couldn't we? "I believe I've been linked with [County] but I don't know much about it," shrugs the player. "I'd like to stay. Obviously I want the deal to be right for me so I'll just have to wait and see what happens." 'Pies boss Steve Thompson admits that Toner is "one of a number of players we are looking at" and adds curiously: "I took him to Cambridge and I got him to Grimsby", suggesting either a shady double life as a manager/agent or a close enough friendship with the player to justify giving him a lift to Blundell Park to sign his contract in 2005 when Toner's car broke down.

Town's youth team have discovered their opponents for the semi-final of one of the cups they're doing so very well in. Having already reached the northern area final of the... hang on, let me check... Youth Alliance Cup, that was it, in which they will play away at Stockport on 11 April, the Myspace Mariners will also line up at home to Walsall on 16 April in the last four of the... wait a sec... Midlands Floodlit Cup, reports a very short item on the club's official website, with only a wrongly placed apostrophe, a "passed" instead of "past", and a couple of unnecessary initial capital letters to its discredit. Walsall are the side Town beat in the final of the same competition last season, despite their lodging a last-minute bid to have the result overturned on the grounds that they are in the midlands and Grimsby isn't.

"I think it would have been nice to offer a word or two of congratulation to Scunny in yesterday's Diary, given the paucity of Town news," chimes in Guest Diary by email. "Scunny have had a hell of a season and, from what bit I've seen of them on the telly, play good passing football. The new manager has had one hell of a hot streak, hasn't he? I've never hated Scunny, reserving my loathing for 'big' clubs like Wednesday and Hull. So here's to the Scunny fans - enjoy it whilst it lasts!" Have they already secured promotion, then, GD? I didn't realise. If that's the case, then congrats are indeed in order for our cousins down the road, though rumour has it that Radio Humberside will discontinue post-match interviews with Nigel Adkins after several serious accidents on the M180 were recently caused by listeners falling asleep at their steering wheels.

Finally, though, if you've any loathing to reserve, keep it for Bastard Franchise Scum FC - and don't give them your money this weekend. The home 'fans' who go to their games could easily have supported any number of teams that already existed in their area without having to steal a club from another group of supporters, and by visiting their ground you will be giving financial support to a club whose continued existence is both an insult and a threat to the values of community and local dignity that sustain our own beloved GTFC. Course, it's up to you what you do, but I reckon the best way to show your pride in the Mariners this Saturday is by staying away. It sounds crazy, but it's a crazy situation that allows BFSFC to exist. See yers tomorrow.