Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Tuesday 4 November 2008
4 November 2008
At just 18 years of age, Ryan Bennett has seen a lot. More than 50 starts for the Mariners' first team and over a dozen more as a sub. A full cap for England under-18s. A fourth division apprentice of the year award. A Dulux Cup final from the Wembley subs' bench. He has already served as Town's youngest ever captain and, remarkably, will now continue in the role while Matt Heywood is absent through 'injury'. "I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that I'm giving the armband to Ryan, to be honest," says GTFC manager Mike Newell, who is known for being honest, "because there are a lot more experienced players on the pitch than Ryan and yet, what I've seen in him in my short time here is that he's the first choice." The young southerner will remain captain until the sooner of two occurrences: Heywood returning from his 'thigh strain' in two weeks' time and reclaiming a place in the first team, or Wolves sending a scout to watch Bennett a couple more times and then offering £150,000 for him.
The Diary has often reflected upon what a shame it is that, although Town have a superb new official website, it's only usually Town fans who get to appreciate just how superb it is. On Monday, though, the sheer level of superbness attained by the Mariners' thoroughly professional internet publication was noted as far afield as Worcestershire when fans of Kidderminster Harriers discovered from the SNOS that their club's forward David McDermott was on trial at Blundell Park. Now, those people who like to criticise the club will doubtless dwell on the fact that this official announcement soon turned out to be completely untrue in every way. As a loyal supporter of the SNOS and all who sail in her, however, the Diary prefers to emphasise that the site went on to change its story in full, so that no visitor could be left in any doubt that the player actually on trial at Blundell Park was not Kidderminster forward David McDermott but ex-Carlisle midfielder Neale McDermott. Got that? No? Happily, the Worcester News has given fully deserved publicity to the SNOS's unparalleled heights of superbness. Pats on the back all round.
Not to be outdone, Kidderminster's own official website notes that David McDermott "was another player to impress boss Mark Yates in the summer of 2998". This is obviously of no concern to us here, because David McDermott is not on trial at Blundell Park, but Neale McDermott is 23 years old and has only started 16 league games for his five clubs so far, so there isn't much to tell you about him other than the fact that he's scored five goals in the process. Town's other new arrival for a trial, meanwhile, is Barnsley's Jacob Butterfield: now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. The player is clearly not the twin of former Mariner Danny Butterfield, however, as the latter will turn 29 later this month while Jacob is just 18 years old and, more significantly, Jacob is able to play both at full-back and in central midfield.
Last up today, an email to the Diary continues the raging debate that's on everyone's lips: whether Town lost at home to Newport County in the 1971-72 season. "No," rages Kirky, "we lost at home to those giants of the time, Crewe and Southport, in successive home games. We beat Newport. My claim to fame is that I once knew a Newport County fan. Not a lot of us can say that." Fair play, Kirky; that's not bad going. You've got a long way to go to match the Diary, though, as I once met somebody who thought central midfield was Danny Butterfield's best position.