Cod Almighty | Diary

Football fans: boy, I dunno

9 January 2017

Miss Guest Diary writes: Saturday was my third trip to the Victoria Ground and the first time I could take any pleasure from the experience. The first visit was the notorious 8-1 defeat back in September 2003, which my other half still maintains was a pretty even game despite the scoreline. Make of that what you will.

The second was ten years later to see Town play Gateshead when they were exiled from their own stadium due to the pitch being unplayable. The result that night – a 1-1 draw – is less memorable than the conditions, with much of the play obscured by snow being driven horizontally across the pitch by a biting wind. If that first visit was the worst result I have witnessed, the second was definitely the coldest I have ever been at a match.

When looking back at the records to pinpoint those two games, I noticed that Town had not previously won a league game at the Victoria Ground since February 1972. I was going to say that, had I known that, I would have thought twice about going on Saturday. But that's simply not true: if I only went to games that I thought Town were likely to win, I'd have given up my season ticket a couple of years ago.

The Town support was magnificent again on Saturday, with the exception of the dozen or so morons who felt the need to jeer and shout insults at Pádraig Amond every time he got near the Town goal. You can bet that those self-same individuals were singing his praises eight months ago at Wembley. When the playwright William Congreve suggested that hell had no fury like a woman scorned, he obviously hadn't encountered any football fans whose star player had gone to a rival team.

Which makes what happened after the game all the more puzzling. As the 975 travelling fans were funnelling slowly out of the very small gap in the side of the stand, Carl Magnay could be seen chatting to Disley at the side of the pitch. Cue a huge cheer and a chorus of "there's only one Carl Magnay". Maybe Podge needs to get himself interviewed by the Mini Mariners so that he, like Magnay, can profess his love for all things GTFC-related.

Saturday was my first sight of the new 5-3-2 formation, or should that be 3-5-2? Whatever it was, I was surprised to find that I liked it, and it frustrated the hell out of Hartlepool. Seeing five competent defenders stretched out in front of Henderson felt very comforting and even Podge, our nemesis earlier in the season, couldn't find a way through.

Town also seemed to create sufficient chances to make the game exciting. The midfield of Disley, Comley and Mills gave a nice balance of experience, hardwork and a bit of flair. Plus a second goal for Adi Yussuf in his second game: he certainly looks as capable as Omar on this showing.

Brandon Comley's through pass for the goal was excellent, but the way he applauded the fans after the game makes me fear that his loan spell with us may be ended. When questioned about it, Marcus has suggested it might not have been his last game, and John Tondeur tweeted that Comley himself has said he'd like to stay. But wiser heads than mine suggest that teams in the division above have shown an interest and Comley is more likely to be sold to one of them. As Marcus admitted, it's not within his control, so we'll just have to wait and hope.

At the time of writing, there's still no news on Town's other signing targets of Osborne and Asante, but I can report that Lord John of McDermott has left Harrogate Town to join Cleethorpes Town as director of football. Welcome home.