Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 22 May 2008

22 May 2008

For many people involved in professional football the summer is a fallow period of inactivity. Muscles relax. Fitness dwindles. Waistlines expand. But for others the summer is a time of epic football endeavour beyond the call of duty. Managers seek frantically to strengthen their squads in time for the new season. The game's international stars don the colours of their countries to do battle in the greatest sporting tournaments in the world. And local journalists struggle heroically to cobble together stories when there's precisely chuff all going on. So it is that the Grimsby Telegraph has run a piece about 17-year-old Myspace Mariner Josh Burge going to play college football in the USA, nearly a month after the news went public across the Atlantic. One item of mild intrigue, though, can be found by contrasting the Telegraph's version with the account given by Appalachian State University, since our local rag states plainly that Burge was released, while the player's new college insists that he "rejected professional contract offers to cross the Atlantic". Has somebody been telling porkies?

While Burge looks forward to "a fantastic experience" in America, not everyone shares his delight at this turn of events. In the Telegraph's comments section a reader called "Mat, London" has angrily ejaculated:

Well done Alan, great decision yuo've made there. I mean, it was only 3 months ago, Villa & ManU were wanting to take a look at him? Are you on a one man mission to destroy this club Alan? Someone tell him, Huxford doesn't have anything to do with the board anymore.. quick!

Someone tell him, Burge's trial at Aston Villa took place in January 2007, so 16 months ago, not three; and it was Matthew Bird who was attracting interest from Manchester United, not Josh Burge, so wrong player. Otherwise a useful and well thought-out contribution, Mat. Well done.

Diary readers are showing themselves to be every bit as diligent as the local press in rooting out stories of tenuous relevance to GTFC. Joel Wheatley has emailed to bring our attention to an item about Rushden & Diamonds striker Lee Phillips anticipating his "doggy work" with his fellow Nene Park newbie Daryl Clare. "I think you'll be able to draw several lurid comments," he advises, presumably meaning something about Clare throwing a stick and Phillips running after it to bring it back. Joel continues: "Thanks for making my morning read through the online papers so much more entertaining with the Diary. Oh and finally, the T-shirts are great, I wear them with pride and get asked about them all the time. Any further progress on the Justin Whittle shirt? Keep up the good work, etc, etc." Thanks very much, Joel. The CA member designing the Whittle T-shirt is, worryingly, the same one responsible for the 14-month delay in the Top 50 goals series - but fear not, for the Diary saw some designs yesterday and can confirm that progress is ongoing, and the Cod Almighty team remain hopeful that our new fashion garment will be available in time to wear at the grand opening of the Fentydome.

Lastly today - and lastly from me for this week, before I hand over to good old Guest Diary tomorrow - Paddy Grant has emailed about the widely reported story of former Town loanee Lee Thorpe missing out on Rochdale's play-off campaign after an arm-wrestling contest on the team bus ended in his arm being broken in three places. "Even stuff like this doesn't go on at Grimsby," laments Paddy. "Are we the most boring club in the Football League? On the upside, though, we haven't been quite 34 years in the basement! Still..." Yes - not yet, at any rate. Pass me that Prozac, someone, will you?