Cod Almighty | Diary

Don't be a pillock and don't be an enabler of pillocks

22 May 2014

Farewell, then, Andi Thanoj, who is doing one to try his luck elsewhere in Europe. The Albania under-21 international has turned down a new contract with the Mariners, the club has announced, and is off somewhere else, we dunno where. So yes, Stuart Watkisses, it's great to see three graduates of Town's youth system sign their first professional contracts this week. But now that the club has failed to retain Thanoj and Charlie I'Anson – the two best players, by some distance, to have emerged from the yoof in recent years – perhaps there are questions to be asked.

Now, your original/regular Diary thought it a great shame that Russell Slade didn't return to sort it in 2010. Sure, I wasn't over-keen on his 'direct' style of football first time round. But I was disappointed after the exit of Mike Newell when the Town board meekly caved in – as they generally do – to the fans moaning the most loudly and decided against re-engaging the shiny-pated Francophobe. Instead, of course, they gave Neil Woods the job, and Town were relegated from the Football League. Still, at least we were playing attractive football while it happened.

Slade has gone on to better things two divisions above us. In the run-up to an unlikely third division play-off final at the helm of Leyton Orient, there is much talk of a job two divisions higher still. As much as I'd have had him back at BP in a flash, though, one suspects that Sort It has been "linked with" our old friends West Bromwich Albion of the Premier League in much the same way Liam Hearn was "linked with" Chelsea.

Lastly today, thanks to all of you who have helped Cod Almighty's search for a new nickname for Town keeper James 'Not Macca' McKeown. A recurrent theme has emerged, and it goes something like this... a-one, two, a-one two three four…