Cod Almighty | Diary

Where do we even start?

3 April 2017

Irregular Diary writes: Well, where do we even start?

The police assumed it would be a mad derby day, but we were all nonplussed. Donny turned up in numbers, if not voice, and in the second half our players didn't turn up at all.

There were no mass Green Street brawls outside. That was 'all because of the police', of course, not the fact that fans were just being fans. But hey ho. Yes, I know there were a few things going on around the sidelines, but I need to talk to the club about those before I can give my views here.

I really don't know what to make of it all. I'm almost at the stage of wanting the season to end, if I'm honest. It's been hard work this year, in some ways more so than last season. I've missed one game overall, home and away, league and cup (Checkawotsit isn't counted!) and we've not really had that 'click' for any sort of consistent period since August. Even with Hurst in charge, it was just about going OK, but that was it.

The only consistently bloody aceness thing this season? The fans. Come rain, come shine, come the crap performances, we've been there. On average 20 per cent of our home gates travel away, the highest percentage in the league by a distance. Pompey will argue they sell out every away game and their hugely impressive home gates make it impossible for them to achieve a high ratio, but I don't care; we are top of that table, and I'm having it.

As much as those in authority would have others believe beforehand, we have behaved. We have turned up in vocal numbers, and we've splashed the cash into local economies without even a thought. That's what I will take out of this season.

To compound our madness, we've sold over 1,000 tickets for a nothing game in Blackpool at the weekend, when most think we're in for a beating. Most (me included) will be there for the weekend; as with plenty of other away games, the match is but 90 minutes of a whole experience, and I look forward to it. No, seriously, I do.

Cheltenham worries me though. I have a dislike for them, and a dislike for the way they go about things for those who turn up at their gaff wanting to spend some pennies. I hope, beyond any sensible hope, that they treat us like human beings on the day. You never know, it might just work.

From there the season is all but done. There are those querying why season ticket booklets aren't out yet. Would you currently buy one without a second thought? OK, most of you would, because you always have, and we've nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon, sadly. But for those who gave Town a chance now that they are back in the League, will another chance have been earned? To anybody else outside of Lincolnshire, we've done alright and will finish exactly where we thought we'd be. Performances, however, have left a lot to be desired.

Ah well, it's only a game isn't it? A very expensive one at that!

UTM. See you at the west coast Cleethorpes.