Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 7 June 2013

7 June 2013

Mardy Diary writes: Yet again Too Good To Go Down marches in where the Telewag fears to tread. The Telegraph may feel it doesn't want to ask difficult questions of the club for fear of another Ambulancegate, but it shouldn't just be down to a local blogger to challenge the club when it continues to make odd decisions.

The gist of the article – which you should go and read – is that those who have served football banning orders can only attend Blundell Park if they buy a season ticket. Those found attending with standard match day tickets will be ejected from the ground. The club's actions here are at best misplaced and at worst downright hypocritical.

You can read this two ways. This is either a ridiculously convoluted scheme to over-inflate season ticket sales (for whatever purpose that may serve). Or it's just plain old classic Tory policy: if you have the money then you needn't suffer for your crime.

Let's be clear – I've little sympathy for anyone who was caught causing trouble that day at Burton, regardless of the seriousness of the misdemeanour. However, I do understand that some people, perhaps out of character, make mistakes and if those people are punished appropriately for those mistakes then they deserve another chance. Excuse me while I munch my copy of the Guardian.

We've all made mistakes, though, haven't we? Say you had several points on your driving licence already after 'mistakenly' driving over the speeding limit. Suddenly you were caught going at 93mph on the M180 at Beltoft and received a further five points. The courts, quite rightly, would serve you a at least a six-month ban, perhaps with a fine of £350 (£40 costs).

For someone reliant on a car for, say, I dunno – towing a horse box, this would present quite an imposition for them and their family. My God, they wouldn't even be able to drive home from the court in Scunthorpe afterwards!

So having seen out the six months and paid the fine, would it then be fair to say that they could only continue to drive if the car they drive is a Reliant Robin? Or to ask them to pay 10 years' vehicle excise duty up front? Not really, no. The court has made a judgement, the time has been served, the transgression (if not repeated) should be forgotten.

If that person is caught speeding again, then fine – ban them for life. But until such time, let bygones be bygones and let them tow that horsebox where they please.

Source: Grimsby Telegraph, 8 March 2005, p5