Cod Almighty | Diary
Ask me another
4 August 2016
Devon Diary writes: Last Thursday evening I was out in Exeter having a quiet pint (ahem) with a few lads from work. Our last stop of the evening was the excellent City Gate Hotel. As we stumbled through the door we caught the last few answers for the evening's quiz being read out. No word of a lie – we walked in to hear "and the Football League club's badge was of course Grimsby Town".
After bellowing "I'd have got that one!" it dawned on me that we're back in the League, we're back on terrestrial telly (Channel 5, Saturday, 10pm), but we're also back in pub quizzes.
So, what else do you need to know?
Which League ground is the lowest? Yep, it's Blundell Park, at just two feet above sea level. While we were out of the League it was Southampton's St Mary's ground at three feet. Our friends across the water, Hull, are two places behind us at six feet. Pfft.
Which League club's ground has the oldest stand? Why, that'll be Blundell Park again and the magnificent Main Stand, which is now 115 years old. Bramall Lane is an older ground but all of their stands have been rebuilt or replaced relatively recently.
There's a chance of a convoluted question about us and Cleethorpes Town playing in each other's towns, I guess. But there's one question for which the answer changed last year: which League club has been promoted and relegated the most?
By my reckoning, our promotion last season edged us ahead on this one. Town have changed divisions a massive 29 times, including 13 promotions. Just behind us are Birmingham, who've gone up and down 14 times each, and Notts County who have been promoted 13 times and relegated 15. The only way we can make certain of retaining this one is if we get ourselves promoted again. Neither Notts County nor Birmingham look likely to go up, but can we rely on them to stay rooted in their respective leagues? No. We need to seize control of our destiny and get that 14th promotion.
Are there any other questions? Is Blundell Park the nearest to the sea? (Stick to England, or we definitely lose out to Arbroath's Gayfield stadium.)
Another ground close to the sea is Pompey's Fratton Park, where supporters have announced their plan to deal with the farcical Football League Trophy this season. Firmly against B teams, but not wanting to impact financially on their club (which voted against the changes at the Portugal AGM), SOS Pompey's members voted to attend the games and walk out just after the game kicks off.
Class. A novel twist on the #BTeamBoycott campaign – but will Shaun Harvey see the gate numbers and announce the inclusion of non-teams in the competition a success? A lot will depend on the media and the coverage that the protests attract. If this turns out badly then next summer our representatives could be in a hotel being asked to vote on similar changes to the Football League.
Make sure you check in tomorrow for Retro Diary's fanfare for the new season. If you're able to get to the Morecambe game then I'm utterly jealous of each and every one of you who'll be packing the park come three o'clock Saturday. I'll be watching my daughter gig rowing in the sea off Brixham, but I'll be glued to whatever coverage I can find. Have a good one and of course, up the Mariners!