Cod Almighty | Diary
Nothing ventured nothing gained. I said "nothing ventured nothing gained"
2 December 2014
There's no new news, so let's review some old news.
Last week Nicky Walker, a winger comfortable on either flank, joined Grimsby on a month's loan. Middle-Aged Diary's newsfeed cuts the headline on his inevitable Telegraph interview to read that he "can't wait to play for Rotherham", his parent club. A modern professional footballer has to look after his career, of course, but that does seem a bit brusque, given he can scarcely have met his new team-mates yet.
However, the headline continues that he is looking forward to playing for "Rotherham United 'legend' Paul Hurst". Strange but pleasing that even in today's hyper-connected world, perceptions of a person can differ so much in communities less than 70 miles apart. It suggests that below the glitz of modern football coverage and the burnishing of images, the word 'grassroots' retains meaning. In our own necks of the woods, we do still cherish our own heroes. Either that or the word 'legend' is used a bit too casually nowadays.
The list of legendary Grimsby managers is short. Bill Shankly, Lawrie McMenemy and George Kerr make it for reasons not entirely to do with their playing success (or else we could add the more successful but largely forgotten Tim Ward to the list). Their avenues are not open to the estimable but uncharismatic Hurst. He'll have to go down the Alan Buckley road (a short but windy one, apt to check back when in sight of its goal).
On Saturday morning, the club issued a statement about the Ryan Bennett transfer. This makes clear three things.
- We won't be getting any more money from the sale of Bennett to Norwich by Peterborough.
- Our belated attempt to get more money cust the club nothing
- "There will be no further comment on this matter"
As to why the club thought we might be owed money, the statement has been sent upriver to a crack cryptologist. We expect an interpretation about the time the phrase 'Paul Hurst, Grimsby legend' is used without irony.
As London Diary said yesterday, it's going to be a quiet month, so you can help us to help keep you entertained. A couple of you have already written in with your matchday superstitions. We'll be publishing those later this week, so keep them coming.
You can also get your name on or up the Theme Team leaderboard. This month we are compiling a festive XI, so send us your suggestions, whether of puns on players' names, players who had blinders on Boxing Day or players who were blind drunk on new year's day.
Look forward to hearing from you.