The Postbag

Before the deluge

3 October 2014

Nowadays we have two letters editors, neither of whom ever get around to editing your letters. However, we've had some entertaining correspondence and now we are sharing it.

There's one letter that touches on the Southport game, and we've had several more in response to Steve Bierley's article. We are keeping our powder dry on those for a 'State of the Town' Postbag special which we'll publish later this week. So if you have any thoughts for or against John Fenty and Paul Hurst, and on why we are currently mid-table in the Conference (the first letter below may give you some ideas), please send them to us.

232 is the magic number

I took up London Diary's challenge and have used Wikipedia (sorry) for every season since the one beginning August 2003. I have compiled a spreadsheet of every player that has played for Town during that time. It is staggering the amount of shite/nobody players on there. Whilst doing it I looked up what Wayne Henderson was doing as I liked him and I found he retired in 2009! But he is currently engaged to Liz Locke, the former Apprentice contestant, so I should imagine he's pretty happy with his lot.

Amazingly I have counted 232 (I think) which means in the last 11 seasons we could have had a completely different squad each season. Mental. No wonder we're shit.

from Matt Barker

A plug, but an honest plug

Hi,

I know you lot at Cod Almighty are all a bit Socialist Worker but if any of you have betrayed your principles and got an iPhone or iPad then please have a look at my mate's new game, Conference 2015.

You could even review it / plug it and see if you can improve on the witticisms he has already encountered about 3G pitches, "Is there a HOOF button?", ...

It's a free app so don't worry, nobody is getting rich off this.

Up the Mariners

from Charles Lumley

Letters Ed responds: Socialist Worker? Neo-Trot splitters. We're off to North Korea to find out what living under a mad chairman is like. Except Kim Jong-un is a Supreme Leader, not a chairman, of course.

Postponed and frustrated

I remember going down to Millwall in the FA Cup some time in the early eighties. We couldn't find the ground and were driving around the Old Kent Road for ages, too scared to get out and ask anyone for directions. By the time we found out from the radio that the match was off it was too late to get to another match. Tottenham v Arsenal was on that day.

We ended up driving home without seeing any footie at all and Town won 6-0 in the rescheduled match, which we didn't get to see either.

from Todmorden Mariner

Letters Ed responds: This, I fancy, is in reference to some discussion on abandoned matches a while ago, last picked up in a letter in this Postbag.

Jack Barlow

I seem to remember Steve Redgrave had a scheme a few years ago in which he 'rescued' rejected young footballers with a view to engaging them in different sports, obviously with a view to getting the big strapping lads into rowing.

Since a lot of generally talented young sportsmen are lured into football in the belief they are going to get oodles of dosh and birds, whilst giving up on less glamorous sports at which they probably excelled, it would be an idea for there to be some assessment process to give advice and support to those who fail to make the grade so that their talents can be diverted elsewhere. What better way for the FA and Premier League to exercise their duty of care to their young charges in the manner of Redgrave. But fat chance of it happening.

from Malcolm Carson

Letters Ed responds: Malcolm is picking up on Mardy Diary's thoughts on Jack Barlow. See also this interview with Adam Lyth, who ought to be opening the batting for England some time soon. He rejected Man City at 16, having the nous to realise he was a better cricketer than footballer.

Whatever happened to John Archer

My patience has been rewarded with the appearance of the second part of Neville Butt's excellent series: Grimsby keepers.

The reminder of John Archer, the young 19-year-old who was a surprise debutant goalie for the opening match of 1954-55 caused me to research what happened to Archer when he was released after 4 months and "10 games for Grimsby".

Success was achieved through this article. It is pure nostalgia for we of a certain age with its snippets from the Evening Telegraph and the lamented Saturday 'Football'. It mentions goalies Clarrie Williams and Harry Nicholson (who appear in Neville's article). There is also the incredible fact that a crowd of 10,916 attended a Blundell Park floodlit match against a team composed of old internationals (Jackie Milburn, Wilf Mannion and Tim Ward who later managed Town to promotion to the old Division Two in 1961-62.)

More reminiscences please Neville!

from Rodney Edge

Letters Ed responds: Thanks very much to Rodney for digging out and sharing that link. You will be a fool to yourself, whatever your age, if you do not take the time to read it. We shared the feedback with Neville who noted that floodlit friendlies were a good source of revenue for a short time in the 50s. One match was against Falkirk, managed by Bob Shankly, the brother of Bill. Neville has also told us he is working on his next article.

You can hear the boats go by

The Diary on 1 October asked: "What was the massive ship going down the River Humber circa 20:15?" I can tell you it was the MV Scope bound for Immingham Bulk Terminal with a cargo of iron ore for Tata at Scunny, 289m-long cape. Much more interesting than the match.

Also it cost me £16 last night. Premiership Hull are charging £16 on Saturday for Palace's visit...

from Robbo

Letters Ed responds: Thanks Robbo, and thanks to all of you have written. Sorry it's taken so long for us to publish them.

Robbo's letter is far from the only one we have had in response to Town's shocking performance against Southport, and Steve Bierley's article on our demise. Keep them coming for our 'State of the Town' Postbag special.