The Diary

Cod Almighty | Diary

The real reason we need a new ground - the Blundell Park dressing rooms are no longer big enough

5 September 2017

Is a late and hasty diary better than no diary at all? It's a thought that oddly chimes with an idea Middle-Aged Diary has been lulling himself to sleep with lately: those moments when a player you really don't rate suddenly and gloriously proves you wrong.

The earliest example I know of comes from my grandfather, and I only know of it second-hand. Apparently he turned his nose up at Tommy Briggs's goalscoring feats until he himself saw one of his goals, after which Briggs could do no wrong.

Personally, I struggle to get past an instance of Tony Gallimore helping turn a match which I've dwelt upon before. But I was delighted when the chap who was sitting behind me who had been quietly – for the edification of those around him – giving Adrian Forbes stick since kick-off, accepted in good part the chaffing that came his way when Forbes scored.

Any instances of your own?

As I write, the reserves are 3-0 up at home to Hartlepool. Paul Wilkinson's stiffs feature three trialists. If you think the number 8 is being lazy, you are just misreading the new squad number we have been forced to introduce. Bet Chelsea run to infinity+1 before the month is out.