Cod Almighty | Diary

Did your grandparents really douse your celebrations whenever Town won, because it wasn't in the top flight?

15 December 2015

Nineteen days. Six matches. The nature of Town's season is about to be defined.

Admittedly, the last couple of draws mean we have been prevaricating, forcing a more acute process upon us, but our fate in the FA Cup, with a trip to Cardiff at stake, will be decided tonight. Next Tuesday, we'll travel to Solihull with a visit from either Weston-super-Mare or Wealdstone awaiting the victors. And around those games, the matches against Dover, Guiseley (home and away) and Lincoln will go a long way to determining whether we are really in contention for the Conference title.

Tonight then, we play Shrewsbury. Manager Paul Hurst seems to have put his tinkering days behind him. In team selection as in so much else, he will "keep us shape". Alex Jones has been "recalled" by Birmingham, an odd phrase, somehow suggesting some old buffer had been pottering around St Andrews and suddenly asked "Where's that young chap? You know, Evans, or some name like that. Haven't seen him around for a while." That means that, in descending order of likelihood, Jon-Paul Pittman, Omar Bogle or James Alabi will partner Pádraig Amond.

You read it here first, but Town aren't going to win the FA Cup this season. That is not to say we can't have some fun going as far as possible, as our temporary fans Malcolm and Lorna continue to prove. This is not just a journey, with a single final destination. It is a ride as well, with pleasures to be had along the way. Our lives are too short to wish away a whole season, metaphorically asking to be woken up when or if we are back in the Football League.

At one of my last home games, there was a children's party sat behind me, one of them squeaking out "Maa-ri-ners" every few seconds through the second half. There are fans at Blundell Park now who don't remember watching a League game. Tell them that what they are watching now is only worthwhile if it ends in promotion and you are robbing them of their childhood and us of our future. Town are, generally, good to watch this season, and that is an end in itself. The more chances we get to watch them, the better.

Talking of family, as we nearly were just then, let Middle-Aged Diary draw your attention to Rich Mills' survey of Grimsby's footballing brothers. He gives pride of place to Andy, Dave and Kevin Moore, but his article is far from exhaustive, so you may have some connections to add.

Enjoy the game.