Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 4 January 2010

4 January 2010

On Wednesday 1 January 2020, when you log on to read the Diary using your state-of-the-art neuro-cyberimplant device which allows you to navigate Web 8.0 just by thinking the name of the site you want to visit, and which then renders content directly to your optical nerve, 'displaying' virtual multi-multimedia before your eyes without the need for a monitor, you'll probably be wondering exactly what it is that Town need to do to avoid a 17th successive season in the fourth division and reflecting that maybe Nick Hegarty was actually not that bad after all. If you then go on to ponder the greatest GTFC players of the oneties, as the current decade will have been wittily dubbed at some point between now and then, you will not remember Ben Wright. "Will he play more than about 40 minutes before we send him back and forget he ever existed?" asked the Diary on the day Ben Wright joined the Mariners on loan from Peterborough in November 2009. Answer: yes - he played 67 minutes against Macclesfield and 18 minutes against Port Vale before we sent him back and forgot he ever existed.

But what about Paris Cowan-Hall? Recommended to his old mate Woodses by a Portsmouth coach called Paul Groves, the 19-year-old AM/F RL joined the Mariners on loan just in time to come on as a late substitute in Saturday's disappointing 1-1 draw with Bury, look quite fast and skilful, and make everyone go "ooh" a bit. Sorry about the Football Manager terminology back there: I've just been reading a convincing testimony to PCH's ability from an old school friend. Of his, not mine. As if that's not enough to convince you, Pompey signed the player (from Rushden & Diamonds) amid interest from big clubs Chelsea and Manchester United - but as exciting as all of this sounds, the Diary is still wondering what Jammal Shahin has to do to get a sniff of first-team action again. See you tomorrow.