The Diary

Cod Almighty | Diary

Cod not haddock? Maybe...

9 June 2016

Devon Diary writes: The summer, or post-season, pre-season, or maybe time for some cricket. Call it what you will, these few months sans football are an odd time for supporters. We're still hungry for news but there's not too much happening and that's why football writers at all levels, from your humble Cod Almighty scribes to the tabloid hacks, will be hoovering up any scrap of news.

Last Thursday when I wrote the diary I waited and waited before submitting in the hope that some real news might come out of Blundell Park and at the last minute came the announcement that James McKeown had signed a new two-year contract. Yesterday Wicklow's diary appeared just before the news of a signing and therefore it's down to me to document our latest arrival.

Danny Andrew has signed for us on a one year deal and I think I can say that he is the sort of player we were hoping for in January when Conor Townsend left for the bright lights of Glanford Park. Gregor Robertson was struggling with injuries at the time but was never really the type of full-back to replace young Conor; we needed someone to push up in the same way as Taity on the right to give us a bit of balance. Evan Horwood put in some decent performances but those Townsend boots were at times a little too big to fill.

Danny is younger, faster and has an eye for goal – as all Town fans know. He's reasonably local to Blundell Park and saying all the right things, and as with most successful Paul Hurst signings we didn't really see this one coming. Best of all is that our friends at the World of Smile are taking the piss, as though his time there counts him as one of their rejects. Get stuck in Danny – and score a couple of goals, including one against the Robins – and we in return promise not to pluralise your surname.

Yesterday's announcement coincided with a rumour that we were in the running for Andrew's former teammate at Fleetwood, Jamille Matt, along with Colchester, Blackpool and Plymouth where Matt spent the back end of last season. A few days ago Crawley and Wycombe were also linked with him, which makes me wonder if there's anything more to this than his agent trying to get the player a new contract. The Pilgrims (Devon not Lincolnshire) would seem to be favourites for his signature, but if we do manage to tempt him to NE Lincs that would be a splendid bit of business by the gaffer. 

It was interesting too that both Andrew and Matt are former Fleetwood players; do we need to be reconsidering our 'haddock not cod (army)' stance?

While we're talking about Richard Tait (third paragraph, keep up!) it was interesting to see an interview with him appear yesterday on the SNOS. This and the fact that he's referred to as "Taity" throughout must be a hint that he's about to re-sign for us, no? Fingers crossed on that one. 

Tait's interview was about Euro 2016, which of course starts this week. Yesterday I drew Albania in the office sweepstake, which led to much sniggering as I had declared "anyone but Albania" immediately beforehand. In one of those strange coincidences that always seem to occur, the only Albanian footballer I can name – Andi Thanoj, of course – has just today signed for Harrogate Town where he will join former Mariners Jon-Paul Pittman, Joe Colbeck and Sir John McDermott.

Another former Town player finding a club is Jack Mackreth, who signed for his former club Macclesfield earlier in the week. All the best to both Jack and Andi.

In other news #BicGate is over as comedian, goalkeeper, commentator, podcaster and now pen connoisseur Lloyd Griffith has dealt with the issue of the ever-present cheapo Bic pen used in Town's signing photos. He even sent it special delivery so it will be available for the club's next signing, probably ten minutes after this diary goes live.


Town have also announced another pre-season game, this time against Rotherham United on 20 July. Have a read about it here and get those dates in your dairy.

Last but not least, have a gander at this excellent article on Ken Meech which is in the news again as the campaign Football Fans Not Criminals is launched. We all know the story but have a read through it again and see how many of those football-specific offences you've committed recently. Ridiculous, isn't it? 

Right, back to work watching Twitter for the news of our next signing. Up the Mariners!