Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Tuesday 16 December 2008
16 December 2008
It's the ultimate paradox of the loan signing: if the player does well, the borrowing club might want to make the transfer permanent, but if he does too well, the parent club might want to keep him. Or, as in the cases of Martin Paterson and Steve Kabba, move him on to another club who can actually afford to pay a transfer fee. In the case of Adam Proudlock, however, Town seem to be in a strong position should Darlington decide that their annual doomed promotion bid can proceed without him this season. The lardy loanee has impressed enormously this month with goals in his last two games, and a great partnership with Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro seems in the offing - but, reports today's Grimsby Telegraph, the chances of Proudlock staying beyond 3 January, when his loan expires, may depend on whether Darlo in turn can retain the services of their own borrowed strikers Billy Clarke and Liam Hatch. "He's ready now to be recalled if and when we need him. But, for now, it's important that he plays games," quotes the Telegraph from the Northern Echo from Quakers boss Dave Penney. In the run-up to the busy festive fixture programme, it's reassuring to see overstretched journalists keeping their legs fresh.
When Paul Simpson told the press Shrewsbury deserved to win last Saturday, sympathetic observers assumed he was taking a little poetic licence to restore his players' morale after their embarrassing defeat by lowly Grimsby. Certainly the Shrews manager is not supported by the statistics, which lean in the Mariners' favour by 59 to 41 per cent on possession, 7 to 4 on shots on target, 11 to 7 on shots off target, and 13 to 5 on corners. Bizarrely, though, the one save of any note Phil Barnes was required to make in the entire match has earned him a place in that fourth division team of the week thing. One's first suspicion is that Simpson has nobbled the judging panel - but this is quickly dispelled by the fact that no Shrewsbury players have made the cut. Another statistic in Town's favour, then.
An email from David Elvidge strikes a charming seasonal note. "As readers of the Diary sit around their log fires," he writes, "and sip their Firsty Ferret with the snow gently falling outside, are perhaps the more mature readers drawn back to times gone by? Yes, the memories come flooding back of Christmas fixtures at Blundell Park. We are taken back to the times when we stood packed in the Osmond, the normal scent of Woodbines being replaced by Wills Whiffs on this most festive of occasions. And then the inevitable happened - a stunning goal from Matt Tees. The whole stadium erupted with the joyful sound of Town fans singing their favourite carol. It went like this to the tune of The First Noel:
Matt Tees, Matt Tees,"Best wishes for a Happy Christmas," concludes David. Thanks very much - and the same to you. Would any other readers like to share reminiscences of Christmases past at Blundell Park? Or suggest new festive chants? Email diary@codalmighty.com and let's get this joint glittered up.
Matt Tees, Matt Tees;
Born is the King of Blundell Park