Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 15 November 2007

15 November 2007

Justin Whittle is no ordinary footballer. It is notoriously difficult for a Grimsby Town player to endear himself to the club's fans, and all the more so when he arrives at Blundell Park from hated local rivals King$ton Communication$ FC, but Whittle has managed it in spades. Indeed, the proudest moment experienced by Town fans over the past few years was when Alan Shearer, following his tussle with Whittle in a 2005 League Cup game, next appeared on the BBC with the stitches still clearly visible in his lip. And there can't be many players who were bought out of the armed forces by Glasgow Celtic in 1994. It is fitting, then, that so singular a player looks set to miss the Mariners' next two games because of an unusually acquired injury. No, really, it is. According to Town's superb new official website, Whittle will have to sit out the forthcoming home matches against Morecambe and Carlisle Five "after turning his ankle during the penalty shoot-out win against Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night". And the Diary is buggered if I can think of another player who has managed to turn his ankle during a penalty shoot-out - not that I'd accuse the Sarge of feigning it, of course, and certainly not within his earshot.

Step away from your conspiracy theories! Danny North is back - and without the merest hint of a suggestion of an inkling of him signing for Leeds or anything untoward between Aidan Davison and Wayne Burnett. In Tuesday's draw against Donny the big-hearted young striker was given his first sniff of first-team action since the previous round of the Dulux Cup at Rotherham more than a month earlier, and most observers concur that Danny looked something like the exciting player they saw emerge towards the end of last season. "I knew I had to work hard and work my socks off all game to stay in the manager's thoughts," the player has told the Grimsby Telegraph. Now that Town are just two games away from the tournament's Wembley final, North goes on to reflect on the side's chances of lifting the trophy. "Now it's all League Two teams I think we have a chance," he says, unwinding a spool of twine with an unairworthy kite at the end of it. Things have changed since you were scoring hat-tricks against Barnet, Danny!

An email from Boston-supporting Diary reader Pete Brooksbank is always a welcome sight - and not just as a reminder that there's always someone worse off than yourself. "'Tis my sad duty to report that ex-Grimsby man mountain Tony 'Turning Circle' Crane has been suspended by Boston United today following an as yet undisclosed breach of the club's stringent and meticulously observed internal codes of practice," writes Pete. "Disappointing, since Crane, believe it or not, has been Boston's best player this season, but it's important that the club upholds its fine traditions of punishing those who show a brazen disregard of rules and regulations. I'm sure you agree." Yes - suspended as a prelude to his installation as chief executive, we must assume. "This has (I'd like to say 'co-incidentally', but let's face it, it's Boston) emerged on the same day that the loveable Pilgrims have been hauled before their 1056th FA disciplinary hearing in five years. It seems that ex-Hull utility blokey Tom Matthews apparently forgot to tell Boston that his registration was actually held by the Aussie FA. Strewth mate!" Insert your own Boston/convict jokes here, readers.