Cod Almighty | Postbag

Letters, pray?

11 January 2016

Responses to Andy Freeman's magnificent tale of the Main Stand filled our last postbag and you're still telling us what you thought of it. Keep it coming! We've also had a few responses to Middle Aged Diary's request for suggestions of good and bad January transfer window business and Steve Bierley's transcription of an early draft of Fenty's new year's message proved controversial.

Super

Super article which brings back to me many memories of sitting in the Directors' box in the fifties, courtesy of my father being the club doctor for thirty odd years. The coats of the directors' wives would have done Davy Crockett proud for all the dead stoles around their necks.

Names that spring to mind included George Harborn who sported a bowler and chewed tobacco throughout the match. This was disconcerting enough but worse was when he spat it out onto the ledge and beyond. Seasoned stand-goers know to avoid that spot so that invariably there was a semi-circle of space beneath. I remember some innocent taking up an early option of a 'good spot' until rained upon by tobacco spittle.

Another name was Charles Butler, the Chief Constable, who built a team up of retired or crocked Mariners for his Grimsby Borough National Police champions. He too had a be-furred wife.

Being a young lad in such daunting and powdered company was difficult, and I envied the freedom of the Boys' Stand across the way, and my occasional unrestrained diatribes at anyone who dare foul Johnny Scott, Ron Rafferty et al drew disapproving glares. I was glad to be free of its constraints when eventually my dad retired from the post, and I could be 'normal', and stand in the open corner.

from Malcolm Carson

Letters Ed responds: Thanks Malcolm, it was an evocative piece of writing, that's for sure. Your memories are just the sort of thing we hoped to hear about - a great time to be a young Town fan too!

Palmer, Hannah, Super Clive and Barry Conlon

Ollie Palmer joining us in January 2015 was a great bit of business. He was a player I'd like to have seen stay on for this year. Another player who I would like to have stayed is Ross Hannah who I think first joined us in the January 2013 window. Super Clive joined in January 1992 and I guess that turned out okay too.

Bad? I was tempted to say that Barry Conlon's  loan signing in January 2009 was bad but he played a big part in keeping us in the league. His permanent signing later in the year turned out less well of course.

from Rich Mills

Barry FUCKING Conlon

Mike Newell signed Barry Conlon on loan and I thought, "Yeah, he looks good". Then we gave him a contract and he turned into Barry FUCKING Conlon.

from Sibbo

Letters Ed responds: He's a marmite player, Sibbo. Nobody likes Marmite, right? 

Lyons

Not exactly January transfers back in the days of Mick Lyons but him buying Scott McGarvey and Mick Halsall to "get us out of this league" (Division 2) worked a treat. We went from the top six to being relegated. A stunningly brilliant piece of work from the manager who played himself up front instead of Gary Lund.

from Dave Holmes

Letters Ed responds: It's good to be reminded of this kind of thing Dave, it keeps us grounded when we're all buzzing about results right now. Hold on, what league were we in?

Juddering

Firstly congratulations to Steve Bierley on his creativity. Finding yet another way to say largely the same thing must, if nothing else, make his days fly by. Contrastingly mine come to a juddering halt whenever his name appears in your otherwise august journal.

He seems to have a problem distinguishing between one man whose tenure has seen Town on a seemingly relentless slide, and another who I would argue has put a stop to that slide. Steve himself has previously highlighted Stockport County, a club of similar size to our own, whose plight might at least make him pause for thought.

I think that the recent resurgence of spirit around the club is partly due to the current manager's choice of players. By and large they seem to care and that's been picked up upon by the supporters. Admittedly gaining promotion is the only way that Paul Hurst will secure his tenure, but either way I won't forget the part that he's played in stopping the rot.

from Lee Johnson

Letters Ed responds: Supporting a team isn't always black and white (pun kind of difficult to avoid) and of course much of what you read on Cod Almighty is only one writer's opinion. We offered Steve the chance to respond to Lee's email: "Oh, I have no difficulty whatsoever distinguishing between Mr Fenty and Mr Hurst, Lee. I hope all the optimism is well founded and the 'resurgence' sees us promoted. Should I be pleased we have not fallen as far as Stockport? No, I think I should be angry (or at the very least, continue to question) why at least a dozen clubs, with a much a smaller following, manage to preserve their League status while Fenty seems to regard defeat in three play-offs as some sort of success. We used to punch above our weight, which was fun. Now we just get punched. Perhaps it is all about to change. I hope so."

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