Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 11 April 2008

11 April 2008

Your Guest Diarist's biggest weakness is a tendency to feel sorry for opposition fans. A secret empathy with Boston folk, for example. And now Rotherham. A recurring bout of c.difficile administrationitis is the nastiest of afflictions even when it happens to a Yorkie rival. A bug that relegates you one season, you get over it, and then it comes back to completely screw your play-off chances the next, as in the case of the Millers, has got to be tough, eh? And yes, I will now admit that I went to Barnet earlier in the season secretly hoping the poor buggers scored against us and got a point or summat.

That's my trouble; I'm just not one of life's winners - I'll take an exciting 0-1 over a drab 1-0 any day. No doubt scorn will be poured upon me for having the temerity to say that I think Town have had a typically Town season: occasionally really good, often dire, another brief blink in the spotlight of publicity, skint and then saved again to play out the dog days of the season in mid-table obscurity with the overdraft just about under control. I happen to think that's pretty good really, given the paucity of our week-to-week support and consequent financial constraints. We won roughly as many as we lost, and we live to fight another day. Same old same old, and long may it remain that way. Ambition gets you nowhere unless it is plausible and funded. Ask Mr Huxford.

So now we are at home to Rotherham, whom anybody can thrash since they got the admin disease. But Town are on an awful run too, and the injury situation has not improved. Lord Buckley told Mariners World that, at worst, he will be down to his last 16 players from which to choose tomorrow's starting line-up. Bolland (thigh), North (tendonitis) Atkinson (groin), Whittle (old and knackered) and Hunt (Achilles) are all limping about about apparently. Sorry Justin, but I can't seem to find out what is actually wrong with you, mate, but your gaffer says you have a problem. The Lump was sick earlier in the week, but is now better, and Till's hamstring is alright now as well. All of which is good news for young Matty Bird of course, although it would be a baptism of fire against those big rough Rotherham lads I fear.

Young Ryan Bennett, though, has been released by his manager to go and join the England U18s for their match next Tuesday. Buckley admitted, given Town's nothing-left-to-play-for state, that it would be churlish to do otherwise. Amazingly, Rotherham have a player in that squad as well: goalkeeper Mark Oxley. Young Oxley is a bit small, but very very good, I'm reliably told. Ryan Bennett, interviewed by the redoubtable Dale in celebration of the call-up, can't wait to stop talking about this season and get on with things. An enthusiastic, ambitious young man who wants to be bigger, stronger, faster and better. Who is not surprised that the next England shirt he pulls on will not have been bought at the shop. I should be more like him, I really should. Let's hope he gets a game. See yer.