Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Wednesday 28 November 2012

28 November 2012

Buxton manager Martin McIntosh says tonight's FA Trophy first round replay is going to be "totally different" to the game on Saturday. If "totally different" means anything other than a pitiful, goalless bore-fest then I think we can raise a toast to that.

Had the original tie been at Buxton last Saturday, your West Yorkshire Diary would have made an effort to go on the principle that it would have been a new ground experience. The experience is still there to be had, of course, since the Mariners couldn't be arsed to put a proper shift in at the weekend. But today is Wednesday, I have to work on Wednesdays and my bank account is currently haemorrhaging after my car failed its MOT test. A bit of sick came up into my mouth when the mechanic told me the final cost. Let's just say friends and family will be getting home-made presents this Christmas.

There will be no live commentary of tonight's game because the Gremlins have chewed through the cables or something, so if you're now thinking of going (nothing like a late decision to make a match) then the NSNOS has compiled this handy travel guide for your convenience.

Frankie Artus and Joe Colbeck are out, while Nathan Pond and Scott Neilson will be rested, reports the Telegraph. My dad has a long-standing theory where you can tell if a team isn't playing its strongest side by how a reporter will announce that the team in question has fielded "a strong side".

Take an occasion like Manu playing Colchester in the League Cup second round. "Sir Alex has fielded a strong side," they'll say, when only three names are actually recognisable to the average football fan. Grimsby playing Buxton is the same thing, if you think about it.

So, using my dad's logic, and interpreting the team news, it looks like Town will play 'a strong side' tonight. Somehow I don't think Buxton will be resting many players. The very utterance of the word 'rested' carries with it a considerable weight of disrespect, in my opinion. I don't remember Paul Groves, Kevin Donovan or John McDermott being 'rested' for what seemed like pointless early-round games in a competition sponsored by a windscreen repair company back in the late 90s. But maybe football has changed since then and I haven't.

Finally today the Telegraph has uploaded a video from last night's fans' forum for you to watch, which is nice of them. I must admit, I didn't attend the event, I haven't watched the video and I haven't even read the messageboards, so that makes me a pretty rubbish person to update you on what was discussed.

Good luck to the Town fans making the trek to Derbyshire tonight. I can only hope the game is worth your while.