Cod Almighty | Diary

Save your anger for a cause that is worthy of it

11 November 2014

Mists, squalls, falling leaves, and young players on short contracts being loaned out to clubs lower down the league pyramid. It is autumn, and Caine Winfarrah and Ellis Humble are off to Matlock Town of the Northern Premier League for an undisclosed length of time.

In one sense, this is good news. It means that Paul Hurst is confident of the form and fitness of his squad. It means that Winfarrah and Humble will get some first-team action and a chance to prove themselves. (But don't make the mistake of thinking it will 'toughen them up'. Middle-Aged Diary watches quite a lot of Northern Premier League football and you don't see much 'kick and rush' and 'rough them up'.)

It may be part of the making of them. All too often, though, it is the start of a slow departure, with potential untapped. Last year, it was Dayle Southwell going down that road. If you haven't read them yet, read Peter Anderson's reflections on Southwell's brief Town career, and on a time when young players were given longer to prove themselves.

Untapped potential brings us neatly enough to our current Theme Team. The 'Could have been a contender' XI is filling out quite nicely, but as it stands we might be forced to field Tom Newey at left-back. The Theme Team editor has, as it happens, been wandering about Cod Almighty Towers muttering about how no-one has suggested two young defenders who broke into the first team in the early 90s and represented their country at under-21 level. Some might say they never quite had the careers their talents warranted? You still have a few days to get your nominations in.

The difficulty for Winfarrah and Humble even making the bench at Blundell Park at the moment is confirmed by the news that Harry Pell, Scott Brown and Carl Magnay are all available for tonight's home game against Halifax. Paul Hurst is clearly in a down-to-earth mood: "There were no red cards – it was a local derby and you're kind of hoping for that in a way!" Interesting, too, the comment that he'll pick the best team for Grimsby and worry about how Halifax line up later. Not something he might have said a couple of months ago.

It is Armistice Day. The club is clearly determined to honour the occasion tonight. It is an occasion apt to put a lot of things we take far too seriously into a proper perspective. Cod Almighty's featured archive piece could not be more timely. Read it and reflect that one way we can commemorate those who have lost their life is to go on living. Remember, grieve, and then enjoy the game.