Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 30 June 2009

30 June 2009

What's better than Ryan Bennett signing a new four-year contract with the Mariners? I'll tell you: Ryan Bennett signing a new four-year contract with the Mariners, sacking his agent and denouncing as "corrupt" the parasites who used his name without permission to further their own worthless careers, and chucking in a sideways insult to the mighty O'Peterborough United, who of course exhibited abject underhandedness, nouveau-riche arrogance and and an extraordinary lack of class and dignity throughout their recent failure to sign him. "I never asked the club to leave and never would," says Town's 19-year-old star player and captain. "I saw the chairman a week ago and told him I don't want to leave unless a deal comes in that is right for the club and they accept it. Only then would I have considered looking at it and leaving." And when that time comes Bennett's transfer value should be enhanced by the new deal, which commits him to GTFC - nominally, at least - until 2013. Y'know, there's been precious little to smile about since the Diary began way back in 2002, but the way this summer's chapter of the Ryan Bennett story has ended makes me so happy I could nearly blub.

"Town target Warren Feeney is reportedly set to join Leeds United," is the way Blundell Park's communication and publicity team chose to announce, via the club's superb new official website at something approaching midnight last night, that Town were trying to sign Warren Feeney. If nothing else, the revelation at least demonstrates both the Mariners' ambitiousness in the transfer market this summer and just how close to his chest Mr Re-Newell is capable of playing those cards.

FORMER Grimsby Town midfielder Paul Bolland has signed a one-year contract with Macclesfield Town, meanwhile. The likeable and professional but knack-prone Yorkshireman left BP at the end of last season when his contract expired and the Mariners quite understandably declined to offer him a new one until he could prove his ability to stand up straight for more than three minutes without incurring major internal injuries. Good luck, Bolly, and thanks again for 2005-06! At least you didn't have to join Chester after all. Or indeed Gainsborough, for that matter.