Cod Almighty | Diary

Business, business, business. Numbers. Is this working?

3 November 2017

Wicklow Diary writes: The manager formerly known as Shorty has been linked with the Sunderland job. Isn't that an odd way to refer to it? Like there was only one job in Sunderland. A Hursty move would bring us closer to the inevitability that is Toto scoring an own goal at Old Trafford in the Premier League with the accompanying chorus from GY of 'I told you he was an accident waiting to happen'. Anyway, I'm treating it all as pure speculation until we get official confirmation in the form of Chris Doig denying all knowledge of it. 

Oi, Almightys, quit it with the Hurst obsession. Before we do, Steve Evison has sent us this picture a shaven-headed Hurst filling in for Curt Smith on the upcoming Tears for Fears tour. Is there anything He can't do? Thanks for the email Steve and for proving we're not the only ones that are haunted by Hursty.

Back to the present it is then. We've had years of hearing that Blundell Park is "not fit for purpose" from sources like the trust, Philip Day and John Fenty. So it was a great relief to hear from our non-chairman this week that the old gal was back in the pink and indeed "fit for purpose". How can we explain this recovery and return to fitness? Did Slades send it on loan to Matlock Town for three months without us noticing?

Mr Fenty's comments came with the release of the club accounts, as referenced by original/regular diary on Wednesday. Don't rememeber? It was the aroused triceratops diary. Now you remember. Even without Omar's transfer fee, the accounts showed a nice profit. How can this be, isn't Blundell Park killing us softly? Also raising eyebrows was the repayment of £200,000 director loans. It makes sense that we have a long term strategy to pay off its debts. The in and out cash flow rules should apply to everyone though.

The trust had their AGM during the week and they also shared some interesting numbers. They donated £62,000 to the club last year. Donated, not loaned or used to buy shares. It was mentioned a few diaries ago that Crawley had a fan on the board for £4,000 a season. If you include Operation Promotion, a back of the ciggies packet calculation would put the trust donations to the club at over £250,000 since the trust joined the GTFC board in 2013. That's without even considering the likelihood that without OP, there'd have been no Omar and perhaps no promotion.

This unconditional cash to go with the old chestnut of the gifted 200,000 club shares would give me a warm and fuzzy feeling if the love was returned. It isn't though and there's always a recent example to hand: exhibit A, we're still waiting for the club statement on the Football League's Stevenage whitewash. As the AGM detailed, the trust work hard to raise this cash. Shouldn't this be reflected in the use of the money and the means of its transfer to the club? 

Back to the pitch. I'm fed up with our rubbish cup record. The draws haven't been kind but the knockouts have become almost routine over the past few years. If the current squad want to feel love like the Disley All-Stars, a cup run is as good as any way to achieve it. Happily, Russ sounds like he sees the same opportunity. Don't miss Pat Bell's ace article on the 1988-89 heroes to get you in the mood for the long trip to Plymouth tomorrow. UTM.