Cod Almighty | Diary

In transition?

25 September 2017

Open Diary writes: How did you vote in the EU referendum? Being straight about it, I voted to leave. And as I recall, it was supposed to be a straight in or out decision. If the majority voted out then it was going to be a bit like getting promoted. On the first day of next season, after the requisite end-of-season break, you were up and away and knocking on the door of the next league up.

However, it hasn't worked out like that. First of all, there was a nine-month delay while the manager paid the price and a new team was put together and now, suddenly, we have a transitional period. There is a notion that this will be for two years but some say that it will be for as long as is necessary. Sounds open-ended to me. Will it ever happen?

Confused? Well, I sure am. Back in the day, everyone was quite clear about wanting one simple thing – we wanted to be in the Football League. Preferably doing what we had seen others like Bristol Rovers do, which was to clear the fourth division hurdle in one bound and then kick on at the next level. Only we haven't.

Two leaders later and we're still in the twilight zone of mid-table. Some of those we counted as friends have not come to our aid, although Pádraig Amond did the decent thing by not celebrating his inevitable goal on Saturday. And lots of people seek endless clarification. What exactly is the plan, Russell? Exactly how is it all supposed to work to get to the other side?

So is this what being in transition feels like? If so then it's not such a good place to be. It's like playing semi-Conference-style football on a stage where it only comes off occasionally against sides like Yeovil and Crewe, who seem to be equally off the pace of things.

Admittedly three of the key players in the mix – McAllister, Asante and Jamey Osborne – aren't available to be called on, which hasn't helped. And we've stopped collecting one red card per game, which is a step forward. But when you watch the highlights it seems we just can't do the basics. If you have a set of experienced defenders you'd expect us to be able to defend properly, but the goal we conceded on Saturday wasn't much different to the one we gave away at Wembley when Ollie Palmer missed the clearance. You'd have thought people would know that if you let the ball drop to Podge in the middle of the goal area he'll competently toe-poke it away, which is just what he did.

I can see someone going back to the last diary I wrote and reminding me that I pointed to the next four matches and said that we had to win at least two. In fact, we won three. You see – there's no pleasing some people is there? Just like Brexit, if you voted leave then eventually, some day, one day, it will happen. Only not just yet and not as soon as you might have expected.

In the same way, the unacceptable performances will come to an end and we can approach Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evening with optimism. Only not just yet. Maybe not before Christmas. Just don't tell me that it will continue for as long as necessary. Living in the south-east, the next date in my diary is 25 November at Barnet, unless we get an away draw in the FA Cup.

Just give us more clarification.