Cod Almighty | Diary

If you win a representative semi-professional match in Kiev, does anyone hear?

23 March 2016

We are in the lull.

Starting on Saturday, Town will play ten matches in 36 days. We could then conceivably have three weeks to wildly celebrate our improbable run to the title or mourn our collapse out of the play-offs. Under either eventuality, Middle-Aged Diary fancies Halifax would be a shoo-in for the FA Trophy final. We need to be in the play-offs just to retain our match sharpness. Paul Hurst is rightly saying we have work to do to make the play-offs, but if we don't, it'll be the kind of three weeks that could kill the club for another two seasons.

So from the weekend we get busy, but take a few deep breaths this week, and get your Town/life balance in order. I won't even mind too much if you turn off Cod Almighty, although I do advise you to read the latest update to My Grimsby before you go. Find yourself a quiet corner first; it is not entirely work-safe if you like to keep a stiff upper lip in front of your colleagues.

Craig Clay yesterday made a late substitute appearance for England C in their 2-0 win in Kiev against Ukraine. This was England's first tie in the International Challenge Trophy. That's not a name that gives a lot away. I've found an official website, replete with details of the tournament that ended last year but silent on the current one. Wikipedia is a bit more informative. England used to be quite a force in this Trophy, until the point that Town players started being eligible to play in it. Delving deeper, it looks like the player participation rules need to be re-written along the lines "The competition shall be open to semi-professional players, or professional players who aren't actually terribly successful."

Relative success is a nebulous thing. But if you are still sneering about the FA Trophy, remember it is still a sight better than absolute failure.