The Diary

Cod Almighty | Diary

Black and white and red all over

29 September 2016

It is a good time to be a Town fan. We still have the warm glow of Wembley and before that, the memory of a decade and more of decline to make sure we know a good thing when we feel it. Sixth in the fourth flight feels pretty good. Fourth in the fourth flight under Russell Slade did not. Unlike hill-walking, the view is always better when you are climbing.

Even the reserves are going well. Crikey, we are so good that players who can't get in our first team are getting international call-ups. That's a contrast to the days when a good first team inevitably meant the reserves were rubbish. Middle-Aged Diary heard rumours that Slade had to ask the outer fringes of his squad to wear name tags.

Whisper it, but it might just be the start of a good time to be a football fan. Shaun Harvey is on the retreat in his plans to contort the entire Football League to suit the interests of the Premier League. Or rather, not the Premier League but the owners of Premier League clubs. One day soon the distinction might be important. Man United will always be with us. The Glazers might not.

The departure of Sam Allardyce as England manager exposes a weakness. Who could have known that some of his practices might be a little bit shady? Money of course has to play its part in the game, just as it has in life, but it should be an enabler, not an end in itself. We now seem to have a major political party which understands that an economic system that causes misery to millions for the sake of profits for a few is sick.

The idea could be catching. There are ideas you have that seem hopelessly old-fashioned. Matches arranged to suit fans who want to attend, not those who might watch if there's nothing better on the box. Young talent being developed locally and getting the chance to play locally. A competition for champions that only involves champions and doesn't involve TV-fodder group games. They could just, just, come back into fashion.

But not without a fight. You might imagine Richard Keys should have been disqualified from any involvement in sports journalism some years ago. This tweet shows the desperation of the hangers-on to keep the gravy train on the rails.

What seemed common sense even a month or two ago now just seems tawdry. It is a good time to make sure our voices are heard.