Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 23 December 2011

23 December 2011

Your Guest Diarist didn't watch the sports personality programme thing last night. But on reading the paper this morning I'm disappointed that Steve Redgrave's epic victory in the 1996 Celebrity Gladiators was not cited among the reasons for him being presented with a lifetime achievement award. But who should be awarded a lifetime achievement award for services to Grimsby Town?

To an instant list comprising John McDermott, Alan Buckley and, umm, David Boylen, I can soon add more names. Names like John Tondeur, Dave Moore and my own personal favourite, Steve Livingstone - a man who couldn't really play centre-half but did so for two seasons without complaint. A man who couldn't score many either, but gave his heart for the club for 9.999 recurring seasons without getting a testimonial. Sorry folks, this was just an excuse to conduct my annual personal homage to my favourite ever Grimsby Town player. Indulge me. But by all means write in with your own nominations.

I hope Councillor Boylen reprises his Billy Cotton-inspired pre-match fan-rousing at the Lincoln home game. It's time we had an airing of the little man's almost unique talent, not seen lately, to provoke a heady mixture of wry laughter and reactive applause. As a player Boylen was half decent, and in his careers as player and then warm-up act he's never lacked in the passion and effort departments for a second.

Steve Wraith has told the superb new official website that Lincoln fans have only bought about 300 tickets so far for the return match on New Year's Day. But equally only about 2,500 home tickets have gone. Well, he didn't actually say that: he recounted how many tickets are left in each home stand and I've tried half-arsedly to work out what that means. But then I suppose you have to subtract the season tickets. In which case Town haven't sold that many tickets for the return game either.

By the way, here's how the opposition fans see us (apparently):

The Lincolnshire Derby sees Grimsby Town and 1800 Mariners travel to Sincil Bank for the first of two festive duels. Bragging rights aside, huge tests indeed for David Holdsworth's Imps and perhaps even a defining one for our ever decreasing circles Chairman.' Could it be, in a season of sea-change, shambles and shame; that our fishy neighbours hold the mangers straw, perhaps tinsel, that threatens to break the camels back?

It has been a really strange December if not decade for Grimsby. The Mariners looked to have found the answer to Lincolnshire football's perplexing downward path until recently jettisoning club captain Kempson in the process.

Let's just savour that for a moment. Wow.

Anyroad, I hope the first match, which should have a five thousand gate, is a cracker, and persuades the fans who are prepared to trog down the A46 on Boxing Day to come to the home game too. Whatever folk think about tactics, footballing standards and all the rest, there's bound to be a great atmosphere on Boxing Day. So if you are teetering you'd better decide quick, as there's only about a hundred tickets left, Mr Wraith says. Happy Christmas, and however you do it, enjoy the football. Meanwhile I'm off to see Sir Henry at Rawlinson End for a yuletide lobotomy. See yer.