Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 6 January 2012

6 January 2012

Your original/regular Diary is hurriedly penning this during a lunch break from a day of project management training. Expect references to Shorty and Shouty's excellent contingency planning in getting shot of Darran Kempson after his injury, and critical path analysis of Andy Parkinson's route to goal.

In the 24 hours or so since yesterday's diary appeared, the revolving door at GTFC has revolved once again. On his way in, Kiernan Hughes-Mason, described as a striker by Town's superb new officlal website and a winger by the Grimsby Telegraph. Wherever he plays, he impressed on trial for the Mariners last summer, only for Serge Makofo to surprise everyone with a stunning pre-season and get himself withdrawn from the transfer list. The 20-year-old striker/winger went on to join Kettering for the current season, so I'm not quite sure on what basis we've signed him. But hey.

On his way out, Damian/Damien Spencer, a player so far removed from first-team action that Town's superb new official website gave up two or three months ago on telling us whether he was still injured or just not being picked. One is no longer surprised when players' contracts are paid up by the club that says it no longer pays up players' contracts. But it does seem a shock to see the timescale shortening. Spencer was, of course, one of Shorty and Shouty's own signings, having only joined the club last summer. At this rate Kiernan Hughes-Mason can expect to receive his marching orders at some point during the first week of March.

KH-M, as I will call him until someone thinks of a good nickname, is in line to debut in tomorrow's visit to Alfreton. Even better than that: Cap'n Craig Disley is likely to be fit. Or likely to be playing, at least. Doubts had lingered over Town's influential midfielder since he limped out of the New Year's Day victory over Lincoln, but the shorter of the two managers is in today's Telegraph saying, well, yeah, he is sort of injured really, but not that much, so what the hell. Gary Silk looks set to fill in at right-back for the suspended 'all-action' Bradley Wood, while Frankie Artus, Andi Thanoj and Anthony the Banker are all options to replace the gone but not forgotten Manny Panther alongside Disley in the middle.

That's all for today, then, other than to spare a thought for Darlington fans contemplating the extinction of their club. Wish me luck as I project-manage my way hopelessly through a role-play this afternoon, balancing the competing demands of an imaginary but avaricious conference manager and a similarly imaginary and entirely impractical head of theatre studies. I'm off to buy a Twix. Up the bleedin' Mariners.