Cod Almighty | Article

by Mike Worden

26 January 2007

When Nick Fenton was given a two-match ban for trying to unlace the ball during the Stockport game, Alan Buckley turned to a young player he knew from his Rochdale days to plug the defensive gap. Step forward Simon Grand, who initially arrived on loan, but signed a permanent contract a couple of weeks later. A Grand does come for free. 

It seems that young Simon got on well with his former gaffer at Rochdale and is grateful to Buckley for giving him his Football League debut. Unfortunately Buckley didn't hang around Spotland for very long and Simon was given a free transfer to Carlisle in 2004. Sadly, though, the Chorley-born defender started only three league games for the Cumbrian side during the last season and a half and so the call from Buckley must have been welcome. Perhaps Mrs Grand answered the phone and shouted: "Simon, there's some bloke called Buckle on the phone asking if you are doing anything tomorrow night."

The loan deal was done on the night before the Chester home game. Simon drove down from Cumbria on the day of the game and was thrown straight into the deep end, without anybody having the time to ask him if he could swim. "Oh, and one final thing: we're the ones in black and white." 

Given the team performance that night he might have been justified in driving straight back never to return. Still, playing in the most porous defence in the league is better than playing for Carlisle reserves, isn't it? Early indications suggest that he is a better central defender than previous loanee Andy Butler but not good enough yet to break up the Whittle/Fenton partnership.