Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Friday 19 November 2010
19 November 2010
Nestled almost stubbornly in ninth place in the table but a tantalising three points from a play off spot. Fresh from four points gained from two tricky away fixtures and at home to a team decimated by sickness, who haven't won away yet, and who have just been plundered by 'moneybags' Luton losing their star striker in an immediate loan-to-signing-in-January deal. Facing a club with two managers, and if their supporters' daily email round-up is to be believed, a club prone to argumentation now and then. In a position where their squad is almost all fit and available with the top scorer in the entire league and a pair of fresh, agile cohorts who should look very dangerous at this level in Ademeno and Coulson. And a winger in goal-scoring mood in Eagles. What, your Guest Diarist muses on this foggy Friday morning, could possibly go wrong gentle reader?
Town manager Neil Woods has given a free Barrow match preview on the club's superb new official site which offers unrivalled coverage of all things Grimsby Town. In it Mr Woods explains that goalkeeper Arthur is as available as he can be given he has two more training sessions and a warm-up to get through without nobbling himself again. And Peter Bore and Lee Peacock have turned up wanting to train with the first team of all things! Woodses also admits that he is not picking Lewis Gobern at the moment because he is a bit sulky and has been a bit shit in the reserve games. What a signing he is turning out to be - he needs Mardy Diary in closed session for five minutes to explain one or two things to him in plain English. If you are reading Lewis, and want a free trial therapy session, come to the back of the Pontoon about five to three tomorrow.
So, having said all that, and taking in to account what Messrs Eagle and Kempson (whose turn it is to tell the Telegraph we've-been-a-bit-shit-lately-but-we'll-get-better-soon, honest) have to say, well what chance of a nice home win tomorrow folks? Eagle rambles on about he is not a winger but actually a cunning new type of winger who cuts inside all the time (due to absence of pace) and works hard defensively and how he would like to score at home one day. To be fair to the lad though he has scored some cracking goals away lately. Whilst Kempson just wants to be a first choice centre half and reminds us that anyone can beat anyone in this division as Barrow proved with their excellent home win against Wimbledon.
It is a home game we really ought to do our damndest to win because with an FA Cup weekend taking place without us thereafter it's ten days of message board whinging if we don't until we take on Kettering at home on Tuesday 30th.
To pile it on a bit more Barrow have midfield player Robin Hulbert suspended tomorrow and their loan keeper Mark Halstead has been recalled by Blackpool a week earlier than they would have liked. But they have a secret weapon in the former player who was shit but is bound to play well against us in Marc Goodfellow.
Sibbo has been on the email saying: "I remember seeing Barrow play at BP in one of my first visits to the ground. I know for sure it was a night match and most probably Tuesday November 17th 1964. If so, the F.A.Cup first round replay saw Town draw 2-2, with Ron Cockerill scoring a penalty. After two draws, Town won the second replay 2-0. To be honest I can't recall the game itself but I did see Ron play on several occasions. Memories are what keeps us all going at the moment. Keep up the good work." Thanks mate - I gather there were a lot of Town luminaries at Ron's funeral including Neil Woods, Ian Fleming and Dave Smith from the club and Graham Taylor, Matt Tees, Dave Worthington, Brian Hill, Jimmy Thompson, Ray Lancaster, Clive Wiggington, Harry Wainman, Alan Buckley, Brian Clifton, George Kerr et al. There's a minutes applause for the big man before kick off tomorrow so turn up early and let's clap to the memory of a legend. See yer.