Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 11 November 2011

11 November 2011

Come on, even you most jaded and cynical of Town fans have to admit that actually getting back in to the FA Cup proper has sparked the tiniest vestige of ridiculous hope. Stumble through a couple of rounds and we could conceivably see a good draw, a few bob earned and comments elicited about plucky Grimsby again.

Fellow CA writer Pat Bell has penned a frankly magnificent and timely reminiscence of Town's epic cup run in 1988-89. And this article, published yesterday, prompted a rapid response from reader Martin Robinson:

"So many memories of this run, as I told my son the other day - Wolves were top and so were Rotherham, both despatched. As an 18-year-old we ventured away in a mate's car and due to our naive excitement set off far too early and were left wandering the streets of Middlesbrough, too scared to go in the grim-looking pubs, making do with a steamy cafe instead. Old-fashioned Ayresome Park, the couple of thousand Town fans crammed in a corner; another mate had come on his 50cc Yamaha! As the two Town goals went in we became a mass of arms and legs as we celebrated; pelted with coins later but safely back to the car. Put Sports Report on and hardly a word about our remarkable win - bloody Sutton beat Coventry at home.

"Reading saw BP packed with over 9,000 and it felt like the good times were coming back. Didn't go to the replay but I remember watching the highlights on the news. Wimbledon and a terrace of haddocks, this scene was brilliantly captured in a photo which used to be on show in the BRSA club in Carr Lane. Does anybody remember the Portaloo cabin at Plough Lane and Town fans watching the match through an open window?"

Now, your Guest Diarist admits that we could go to Port Vale tomorrow and see our leaky defence get punished. And we don't score often enough away from home. This could result in a routine defeat (thumping or otherwise). Or we could do the 'take the lead and then capitulate' routine. Again. But at this stage, ahead of the weekend, and with a new signing with the right sort of experience to play in such a match... come on! You have to hope just a little bit. Hey, the last time we borrowed a midfielder we got a clean sheet and a draw at Newport, as our match preview explains.

Speaking ahead of the match, the shorter manager makes much of the size of Vale's pitch. Ooh, run until you drop, Dave Moore on for cramp, socks rolled down in the November murk: Potteries puddings instead of pies. Come on, Town fans - make the cross-country trek. You never know: you just might see the start of something worth remembering.

Apart from Dayle Southwell (who has a pot on due to breaking a bone in his foot in the Scunny practice match), everyone in the squad is fit and unsuspended. Jamie Green came through 90 minutes unscathed, which will probably put him on the bench. Note to managers: seven substitutes allowed tomorrow, chaps.

If Manny Panther performs well with Craig Disley then the list of playing issues to fix is one item shorter. Fix the defence (especially set pieces and crosses), fix our set piece delivery, get the strikers scoring away from home. Oh, and develop a plan as to how Town will beat their opponents - I still struggle to discern an overall playing strategy, to be honest. And, finally, find that most elusive of qualities - a winning mentality. Maybe that will show up in a cup run: we live to hope, so let's dream that the beginnings of that recovery start in the cup. Like that other time when it did. See yer.