Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Tuesday 11 May 2010

11 May 2010

"Never before have I been ashamed of supporting GTFC. Not even during the 25 games without a win. Any criticism I received I would simply shrug and smile. But after watching those idiots chucking the advertising hoardings around at Burton, who have done nothing but play better than us, has presented me with the darkest moment of GTFC supporting I've ever had. Forget the relegation, that happens to everyone, but the conduct of fans... Stupid."

Hello readers. The words above are from Diary reader Matthew Pakes, who emailed after Saturday's defeat at Burton. For at least 95 per cent of Town fans, of course, it goes without saying that Matthew is bang on the money. And the problem we have now, we in that majority, is that we can't put back those advertising boards. We can't uninvade the pitch, or unland the kicks and punches, or unfrighten the decent, friendly folks of Burton-on-Trent. The damage is already done. Neutral fans everywhere have lost their soft spot for Grimsby and deemed our relegation good riddance to bad rubbish.

But before the game a couple of Town supporters apologised to the owner of a gardening shop for the vandalism committed on his stock by some of the Grimbarians who'd just preceded them up the Derby Road. So, I dunno, if we get talking to any other fans - online or in the real world - then maybe we can persuade the wider world that the people who hogged Saturday's limelight no more represent Grimsby than your arse represents your face.

Another thing that has saddened but not surprised your regular Diary is the news that Nathan Jarman is on the first train out of Town, despite having time left on his contract. Here at CA Towers we always thought he could play a bit. And it's a shame all the work Jarman did to get himself in shape has come to nought on the back of an apparent spat with the manager - especially given the rate at which GTFC get through managers these days. Any player who finds himself excluded from the first team is surely best advised just to sit it out for a few weeks, as he'll be guaranteed a fresh start under the new boss who'll be along shortly, as sure as autumn follows summer.

The big news this week, though, hasn't happened yet - and with characteristic perverseness it's mentioned only in passing by Town's superb new official website. Tucked in at the bottom of the page about Jarman is the revelation - and a potentially significant one, you might imagine - that John Fenty (Con) and fellow director Mike Parker will "outline the club's plans for the future" at a press conference tomorrow. In the meantime, the chairman has at least done the decent thing and admitted he's been as good at making the big decisions at GTFC as his political party is at forming governing coalitions with the Liberal Democrats.