Cod Almighty | Diary

You’re the one for me, fatty

20 May 2015

So, although you're reading this on a Wednesday, your London Diary is actually writing this on the Monday. You see, I am upset. Of course I am. So I think I'm going to write the first bit while everything is a bit raw. I loved Sunday. On the Friday and Saturday before the game I had to work in Bristol and so ended up driving on the M4 on the Sunday morning overtaking thousands of Rovers fans. I got a bit teary as I passed Leigh Delamere services and I'm not entirely sure why.

As soon as I was on the tube it all made sense as to why I was teary on the dreary motorway, and it's as soppy as this: I love Grimsby Town FC. I bloody love everything about Grimsby Town FC. The drunks in the Torch before the game. The families walking up the Wembley Way, some for the first time. The chanting in the concourse. The sneers at the overpriced beers and pies, the smell of the crowd, the chanting – oh, the chanting. The unison homophonic chanting of 'fish' which found its renaissance at Wembley and was definitely the takeaway tune of Sunday. All of this I love and would never get bored of.

Wednesday now, and I'm still a little bit down – but the last two days have been a brilliant display of everything that I love about the Town fans. As mentioned by the diary yesterday, there's been no real moaning, no sign of the boo boys. There has been a real rallying of voices over the last few days and it's been brilliant. Much in the same way Labour membership increased by 20,000 since the election the other week, many Town fans have been as positive as ever and joining the Mariners Trust. Lots of people realising that we're in this together. We're supporters, and supporting is what we do. Sure, there is still the big man technically in charge, but collectively as fans and supporters, we're bigger.

If you haven't yet joined the trust, I strongly recommend you do it. It costs £1 a month and you are genuinely making a difference.

I've also been privy to a number of conversations over the last few days about projects that are to be announced in the next week or so. These will help us next season, cementing the fact that Grimsby Town fans are the best in this league. Either when they're in full voice at various stadiums around the country, or back at home, tweeting to the released players notes of thanks and support. You are all brilliant.

So already Hurststs has been having chats with the various players and has made the decision that eight players are to be released. These are Caine Winfarrah, Paul Walker, Ellis Humble, Nick Draper, Ross Hannah, Patrick McLaughlin, Paul Bignot and Hamish Watson. I'm sad to see Walker go, as I think he could have been a cracking defender for the future. But again, I'm not a manager: I'm just a man in my pants. Thanks must go to Ross Hannah for the goals he's scored and for supporting us when we needed him. He's a good lad too.

Parslow, Chapell and Palmer have all gone back to their parent clubs and the rest have been offered new terms. I sincerely hope that we keep them all, as this is the first time where I feel we have a batch of heroes in our midst.

So now it's a waiting game to see who stays and who goes. This was a nice read though, showing that they're all friends and love each other. Gone are the Barry Conlon/Martin Butler days. Fingers crossed and up the Mariners!