Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 1 December 2008

1 December 2008

Idle Diary writes... While all associated with Town were enjoying a mid-season Saturday free from supportive activity, your regular Diarist couldn't shake his weekend habit, encouraging Mrs Diary to "get it out! get it out!" as a healthy Diary Jr was pushed into the world at 3:17pm. Mr Diary is now on paternity leave, so Guest Diary and I will be stepping into the breach. Let's crack on.

The long gestating payment of the Mariners' tax debt will have to wait some while longer. The club is to chat to the tax man about restructuring paying back the remaining £100,000 owed. Town are in the final year of their agreement to pay back that £750,000 to HMRC (a figure that is peanuts compared to some clubs). But why the need? "With gate receipts falling due to a combination of the credit crunch and the team's poor results at the end of last season and the start of this, we are now looking to try and reduce the repayments," commented John Fenty. After posting an annual profit last season, albeit funded by the Wembley run, fans now worried about the club losing money this term should listen to the calming positive words of Chairman John: "The commercial revenues go up... despite the indifferent form of the team, we are on track year on year with last season." Fenty broke his recent habit by giving no indication of whether this is short, medium or long term planning though.

It's a quiet news day, otherwise or not. Mickael Buscher is back at Town, Mike Newell liking what he has seen and reckons it's a case of getting the lad fit. Peter Till's got a new place to hang out. Which is it all. Shall we end with a laugh? John Batchelor - the man who was going to rename Mansfield "Harchester United" if he got his grubby hands on it - is linked with a move for Chester. Ha ha ha ha ha!