Cod Almighty | Diary

Would Gary Croft consider opening an estate agents in Trafford?

23 November 2017

Timing is everything. It is pretty lousy timing that Middle-Aged Diary is writing this while waiting to hear if I have finally sold my house, so apologies if you end this diary feeling short-changed.

The timing of the announcement that Siriki Dembele was the Football League's young player of October is not quite so dissonant as it might have been had he not bagged our equaliser on Tuesday. His three goals against Port Vale and Cheltenham were coming to feel like ancient history. The BBC inevitably play up Dembele's family connections but it's a decent article; better than anything I'm likely to manage today [checks phone again].

Last week, following the long and ominous trek to Devon, then the retreat-from-Moscow-like return after the inevitable 2-0 defeat, I asked for your memories of similarly dispiriting trips. A few of you have obliged in our latest postbag (along with memories of Matt Tees and the 1990s). Oddly, Devon features yet again. Cream teas, Agatha Christie, Dartmoor ponies and frequent wallopings; then Devon Diary asks why don't you live here; honey how come you don't move?

Also new on Cod Almighty is Ron Counte's tale of infecting others with Mariners' Disease. I suspect there's a rich seam there. That I remained on good terms with an ex was confirmed when she told me of the delight she'd taken in taunting a West Ham-supporting antagonist with having seen Town a few times after our win against them in 1996. Why not share your own tales of inveigling others into caring about Town?

That's me done, I'm afraid. Thanks for reading.