Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 7 January 2008

7 January 2008

The Diary begins this week with a shout for Judy and Jim. Hello! Thanks for reading, and I'll maybe see you back in the Rising Sun.

"A number of Town fans had managed to get into Saltergate's equivalent of the Pontoon and came under attack after singing Mariners songs. Black and white followers at the opposite end attempted to run to the aid of their stricken colleagues." No, they didn't - they reached the edge of the pitch and then stopped and waited to get arrested. This disturbingly sympathetic account of the minor outbreak of 'crowd trouble' at Saturday's win at Chesterfield might read like an unusually literate hooligan website, but it is in fact, remarkably, the work of Grimsby Telegraph reporter Matt Westby. Strange that a newspaper normally so keen to emphasise the prevalence of crime should suddenly opt to portray offenders in such a favourable light. To maintain editorial consistency from now on, the Telewag will presumably be urging us to cheer on Grimsby's bravest muggers and most courageous arsonists. And why leave it there? What about a heartfelt tribute to all our favourite local burglars and drug dealers, eh, Matt?

"Agreed with Friday's Diary - Steve Wright is crap," writes Martin Robinson in an email, and as a veteran of the indie wars the Diary can only agree. Martin continues: "Try Danny Baker on BBC Radio London via internet - far, far better. Pity about his and Danny Kelly's podcast though - that was bloody brilliant. May I also recommend Radcliffe and Maconie week nights show on Radio 2 - beats watching the telly." That depends what you're watching, surely. Incidentally, does anyone know whether Gideon Coe still has a show on 6Music, or has the music industry had him killed for playing proper indie which wasn't on the official industry bribe-the-media hypelist?

Richard Bedwell has also emailed in response to Friday's Diary - after following the link posted here to the profile of Chesterfield loanee Michael Barnes on the boring website of boring big club Manchester United. "I thought it amusing that the Man U website needed to point out to its 'fans' where Chorley is." Sure enough, the Glazer Blacksox site deems it necessary to explain: "Michael Barnes is a pacy winger from Chorley, in the North-west of England." Ha! The Mariners' superb new official website might send fans to Lancashire seaside resorts when they want to find their way to friendlies at Gainsborough, but at least it doesn't need to tell us where Louth is.

Here's a question for you then (from the pub before Chesterfield the other day): how many clubs currently in the Premier League and Football League have Town not played against in the last 20 years - just in the league, not counting cup games? And who are they? Answers to the Diary via the feedback page please. See yers tomorrow!