Cod Almighty | Diary
No mourning the Sontaran
12 March 2018
Trentside Diary writes: How do you describe that buzz of anticipation before a football match? Like love, it would take a poet to do it justice, but every true football fan could have a go. We all know that feeling. Are we going to do it? Is today the day we set off on a run that transforms our club? Is today the day that condemns us to a lower league? Is today the day we at least leave without desolation or frustration eating at our souls?
The chatter of generations – grandchild, parent, grandparent. Where else other than sport would you get generations of the same family choosing to spend time together regularly? A conversation of equals, a shared passion, a nod to the ghosts of the Barrett and Osmond past. No trouble, just a buzz from those walking to the ground.
Saturday. Game day. A new beginning and for the first time in a long time we approached Blundell Park with, if not expectation, a sense that things might be different. We're not naïve. The rotten core that is the ownership and corporate management of Grimsby Town FC hasn't changed. Fenty is still the man at the helm with the ineffectual diddymen around him.
I prefer to forget the depressing slog of the last 10 months. It was only ever going to end in tears and Fenty seemed to be the only one who didn't expect this. We lament the talent that was moved on by the Sontaran; the team has no confidence and no idea, so what was going to be different? Our perilous position can only be addressed by the players we have to hand.
What was different?
From the little we have gleaned so far, Mr Jolley appears to be very much into the psychology of the game and for his first match in charge our manager was suited and booted. He means business.
The club had done its bit with offers on tickets and, while this doesn't bring cash into the club, the larger crowd generated some atmosphere for the first match in a long time. We went one down and there was that nagging doubt that we were never going to score but Jimmy Mac played the game of his life.
In the second half something strange occurred at Blundell Park. They tried. They played better in the second half than the first. When was the last time that happened? The crowd got behind the team, the team went up a gear. It wasn't pretty but with McKeown keeping us in the game, the celebrations for the injury-time equaliser showed how much we love this club. A point gained which felt like a win, and the fans clapped the players off the pitch.
Maybe this manager can raise these players to do the job we need them to do. If we do avoid relegation, that performance by Macca should not be underestimated. Let's carry this on till the end of the season! We all want the same thing, we need to be there to support the lads!