Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 28 August 2009

28 August 2009

"It just feels like every official is against us this year," said Danny North ruefully in a Dolby digital voice before cracking a widescreen smile on that Mariners Player yesterday. Danny's aim, he tells us, is to score, as well as look fitter and sharper than he has in at least 18 months. He certainly earned a few brownie points from his big idol Conlon with that delightfully weighted little cross last match.

Your Guest Diarist has been thinking about Town strikers this morning, provoked by something a couple of the Cod Almighty folk said about players we maybe didn't appreciate enough at the time. Who would I rather have, I mused - Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro or Darren Mansaram? Are they in fact worth having at all? Both a bit awkward, a bit gangly; both threatening to show pace; neither scoring enough goals (Akpro has been booked more times (four) than he has scored (three)). Players like this come and go: flatter to deceive - it might sound harsh, but Town need strikers who score. For now, given North's revived mobility and his enthusiasm to play off the big man, it's just got to be Conlon and North. Irish brawn and Grimsby enthusiasm; striking in the old-fashioned way where you know what you ought to be getting from them and sometimes, one hopes more often than not, you get it. If not there is always Proudlock.

Notorious Grimsby heterosexual Peter Bore was in manager Newell's thoughts ahead of tomorrow's home game against Aldershot. Newell admitted as much to the Grimsby Telegraph. But it is not to be because Bore has done his hamstring in the midweek reserve game and will be requiring a massage that only Dave Moore is allowed to give. So the injury kink - sorry, jinx - afflicting our wide players continues apace - Jarman, Forbes, Hegggaarty; and now one-time striker, forgotten winger and apprentice full-back Peter Bore. Newell says there is a good chance that Colgan, Hegggaarty and Akpro will be back in contention a week Saturday. For Jarmo, Forbes and Bore we must wait.

Newell also told his subscription channel viewers quite airily that a couple of loan signings would happen. If not before the window closes then when the window re-opens a week later. What, what is the point of that week? And do I believe Town will actually sign someone on a short-term loan? Not really. Newell has the nucleus of an adequate team - he just needs to crack the whip to get/keep them fit, enthuse, motivate and pick the best balanced team every week. Easy, surely? See yer.