Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 7 July 2008

7 July 2008

Idle Diary here and feeling a lot of love for Nick Hegarty. He's been with the club with what feels like forever, and he's been on the verge of breaking through to the first team action for what feels like for ever! Last season's 32 starts seemed a just reward for his perseverance during a stop-start career tainted by injury-related absences and nomadic spells, long lonely journeys spent on loan at a number of clubs. [That number being one - ed.] A bit like Doctor Who felt at the end of Saturday's episode, possibly. While it's always gratifying to see people put their prejudices aside so that minorities, like gingers, can have a worthwhile role within society, Heggers has proved a more-than-useful winger: quickish, a variety of deliveries from out wide which a front pairing would devour, and he's outlasted Ciaran Toner at the club.

In timely fashion, with the club's pre-season kicking off at Winterton on Friday night, Heggers reveals his desires to keep fit enough during the summer so he can be in tip-top form ("it isn't easy street doing all the running and fitness work but most players do a bit themselves over the summer") and head off competition for a first-team place: "I expected the gaffer to bring someone into midfield, among other positions, so it wasn't a surprise. Competition for places is good and we have that in a few areas now." And reflecting on the past and the present the lad isn't resting on his laurels either: "I was happy with how things went for me last season - it was the best season of my career so far... Now I want to get even better and even more games next season." Good luck with that, lad!

Incidentally, the competition Heggers talks of, Chris Llewellyn, speaks to the club's superb new official site: "It is nice to be sorted. Obviously Hopey is here and that will help me to settle in and I also know Nick Fenton from playing for Wales." That's it. If you want any more, you just haven't earned yet, baby. You'll have to subscribe to Mariners World. No word on whether Gaz Cohen sorted him, by the way, but maybe Discoid Dale could ask him for us.

With Town's warm-up game at Mansfield Town falling victim to recent events at the Stags, Blundell Park officials have been quick to arrange an alternative to watching The Dark Knight on Friday 25 July. Town will twist again at Farsley Celtic, like they did last summer. You're also warned that the friendly against Oldham kicks off at 1pm.

Time to turn out the Diary postbag onto the table, and just the one scrap of electronic mail has dropped out, from 'Football Scout (green jumper)/Special Agent'. "Just to say I think you Grimsby Town supporters are the Bizz but I am just warning you about Roberto Stockdale. Attacking full-back he is not... well, I never saw him go past anyone last season for Tranmere Rovers. He could be better at centre-half to replace Jason Skittle (legend)... well, in the lower leagues anyway. Back to Roberto: Need to warn you, the boy has a problem. He chops anything down around the edge of the box and in most cases the opposition scores! You have been warned!" Consider us warned! "Keep a record of how many fouls Roberto gives away around the box over the season... scary!" And before you csn say "where's the pointless chart, Idle Diary?" our correspondent finishes off with the sweetest sign-off so far this summer: "Best wishes to you all and you're worth a tenner each way of course to get promoted." You can't beat a bit of love and the promise of a Town-related gamble.

And, finally, since your regular flavoured Diary asked on Thursday, here's the updated season ticket sales chart. Byyeee!