The Diary

Cod Almighty | Diary

Something about dirty laundry

3 July 2018

About this time last summer, your Devon Diary was ringing around a few of his similarly exiled mates to see who was planning to go and see the latest iteration of the Mariners taking on (ahem) mighty Bideford and Tavistock as part of Russell Slade's pre-season preparations.

I did wonder what we hoped to gain by playing a few friendlies against tier 11 opposition. I mean, why travel all that way and not play Exeter, Plymouth or Torquay? 

Those who made the trip over Dartmoor were treated to 11 (eleven) goals over the two games and sneaked a peak at a couple of young, thrusting Macca-esque full-backs (Jordan Mustoe and Jamil Roberts) who were on trial with Town. It all came to nought, of course, as Russ ignored their pace, skill and defensive nous and instead signed Paul Dixon. Is he still with us?

Looking back at my notes from those games, not even a handful of the twenty-odd players on that Devon jaunt remain. Collins, McKeown, Cardwell and Mitch Rose, I think, and that's about it. Spare a thought for Town's HR and payroll function – they've been busy over the last year!

One player I do remember looking quite handy on those balmy nights in bandit country was centre-back and social media fluffer Karleigh 'Not Jamey' Osborne, who on Sunday was announced as the head coach of Brentford Women FC. While Karleigh hasn't found a new club yet (at least not officially) I think we can be fairly certain that it'll be one in that London; so bad luck, Boston.

Join us in wishing him all the best in his new career and also kick-starting his current one.

This summer, rather than returning to Devon, Town have headed to Warwick Uni for a training camp. Coach Adam Forrest says: "We are going to have a lot of time together for the week – we will be effectively living together – so it will be a good chance for everyone to get to know each other."

Effectively living together? We'll settle for playing together, effectively.

If I was that way inclined I would have spent my evening poring over the photos from day one at the Warwick sessions and tried to work out who the mystery man is in some of the shots. I watched the Japan game instead but luckily the lads on the Fishy have done some investigating and there are a couple of possible names put forward. There are some absolute howlers, too of course. I'm not going to copy and paste them so go and have a look if you want and maybe chuck in a name or two. The more the merrier.

Elsewhere there's an interview with James McKeown on this podcast. Among the toe-curling jokes (and a particularly odd pronunciation of the word sporadically) is the bombshell that an important change made by Michael Jolley is that the players no longer wash their own kits.

Say what?

It seems that this had been the case since the end of the 2013-14 season when Steve Croudson left us to go and coach the Hull City academy. Croudson had of course been both a goalkeeping coach for us and an occasional reserve keeper despite having retired once due to injury.

I didn't know this, but it turns out that Croudson had also been Town's kitman since 2011, when he replaced Mike Bielby. Coach, keeper and kitman? Is this peak Town? I dunno. Don't forget that in 2005 the club also expected our longest-serving player to continue playing while taking on some coaching duties but also to accept a pay cut. And we call Lincoln tinpot.

As well as allowing players to focus on their playing, Magic Mike has been talking to the Telegraph about the importance of youth. The pedants among us will know that we actually have to name at least one home-grown player on the team sheet when the season starts, but Jolley wants all three of Clifton, (Ahkeem) Rose and Wright to play a big part this season. It's music to the ears of fans who grew up with Town teams featuring the likes of the Moores, Drinkell and Ford – but great too for young Meggies and Grimbarians taking up the game.