Cod Almighty | Diary

I like my football on a Saturday - at 3pm

22 December 2014

Miss Guest Diary writes: Don't you just love Carl Magnay? No? Well, I do. I think we all know by now what Lloyd Griffith wants for Christmas but, if I still indulged in that consumerist nightmare of exchanging Christmas gifts, it's Carl I'd want to see sitting under my tree. After that sumptuous pass to set up the first goal against Forest Green on Friday, he is well on the way to replacing Wonderful Wayne as my all-time favourite Town player. Was it as good as Wayne's sexy flick at Wembley, or have I just eaten one too many brandy-soaked mince pies?

Moving on to something more serious: many people, myself included, were surprised that there was no minute's silence before the game for the late Peter Furneaux. I saw a messageboard posting which suggested there may have been some disagreement as to whether the tribute should be silence or applause, but the club is blaming the referee. Having seen his shambolic performance during the game, I'm quite willing to believe it was his fault.

It feels to me, though, that whatever the cause, the delay of the tribute until the Lincoln game next Sunday is somehow serendipitous. There will be a much larger crowd and so much more emotion invested in the outcome, making it a more fitting occasion to remember someone who was not just chair of the club but a true Town fan.

A Christmas present for the club, if not the fans, is the announcement that the home game against Barnet on Saturday 17 January will be televised by BT Sport. I am happy that Town will get the extra money and for the exiled fans who will get to see their team play, but moving the kick-off to 12:45pm makes it rather inconvenient for many of the people actually attending the game.

If you work on a Saturday morning, have a long journey to reach Blundell Park, or both, you may even be unable to get there. Oh well, it doesn't matter, you're only the paying customer: TV must come first. But at least at Town's level it only happens once or twice a season. I read somewhere at the weekend that Southampton won't play another home game on a Saturday until 21 March. That is simply ludicrous.

Over the weekend, Lloyd's little Christmas fantasy has been getting a lot of praise in the national press – and deservedly so. The film is both amusing and touching and, I confess, brought a tear to my eye. It has also made me feel rather proud to be a Town fan, a feeling which has been all too rare in the last ten years. So thank you to everyone involved, and a merry Christmas to one and all.