Cod Almighty | Diary

Jack the lad

15 April 2015

Your London Diary here on a gorgeous day in this smog ball of a city – I sincerely hope you're getting some good weather too. Today's diary is being written with a bit of a thumping head. Last night a few Grimsby Town fans based down in the capital met up to discuss a project I'll tell you all about at a later day. We supped a fair number of ales in the sun, discussing the season and tentatively looking ahead to the play-offs and beyond.

Now, obviously, we (and the boss) need to know which league we'll be playing in next year to decide which players stay and which go. At the moment, we have a goalkeeper sorted for next season, but I'm sure we'll see pens to paper in the next few weeks. I've chosen my dream team already.

Sadly one person who won't be renewing their contract for the next season is a chap called Jack Johnson. Some of you may know Jack, some of you may not, but you will almost definitely know the work that he's done over the last three and a half years.

Jack is the commercial assistant at the club and has pretty much been responsible for turning around the social media/marketing/bright ideas at the club during his time here. Middle-Aged Diary yesterday said: "The decision to 'try something different' for the player of the year awards night is another welcome sign that someone is thinking about the way the club presents itself and asking constructive questions about how they can do it better." That someone is Jack.

All the good stuff you've been talking about over the last three years is down to him. The turnaround in social media interaction, and content on Facebook and Twitter. The brand new (and highly sustainable) matchday programme complete with posters. The sticker book and stickers. All the videos you've watched. Organising a new matchday song by Orphan Boy so we don't have to listen to the Fratellis ever again. And indeed, the end of season awards with added fancy dress theme.

Jack has pretty much single-handedly got the fans back on board and helped link the fans with the players to build this pretty bloody good atmosphere that we've got at the moment. Imagine doing all that and having Fenty as your boss. The man deserves a knighthood.

Jack is moving down south to a different company and I have it on good authority that all the good work will be carried on by someone equally good, so don't fear. But thanks for all the work, Jack – you've put a smile on many a Grimsby Town fan's face.

Speaking of that new song, here it is, with a cobbled-together video of goals from the season. There will be a proper video to accompany it and it might just feature your very own London Diary. I'm not going to talk about Saturday, as I'll only start crying, though at least I can start blaming it on the hay fever now. UTM.