Cod Almighty | Diary

Git aht o' my pub

6 December 2018

'Tis officially the season of good cheer now – you can tell as there is a Christmas tree in front of the ticket news on the GTFC website, with a Santa hat hovering over the We Are Town logo, and of course December's entry in the GTFC calendar is staring back at you having already left the club. In the wider world everyone is united in the spirit of love, harmony, and bashing Theresa May's Brexit deal.

As a result it feels like a rather peaceful time at Town. The excitement of a cup draw against a team we used to play regularly in the league during late 1990s and early 2000s has waned somewhat while we await news on what time and day the fixture will actually be scheduled for. That should hopefully be confirmed later today so we can all start planning our travels.

I for one am looking forward to it, and with it being 30 years since Harry (the haddock, not Clifton or Cardwell) was made famous in a cup match against south London opponents, I would love to see another army of inflatables descend on a patch of the capital city. While it is only two games, and the odds would suggest it will likely end with our third game, East End Diary has found the enthusiasm for a cup run thoroughly refreshing. It reminds me of the days under Sir Alan when a cup run boosted our performances, getting the fans onside. The great following at Chesterfield was a joy to behold and I am sure there will be some new fans visiting Selhurst Park.

There may be a hint of frustration that some who don't normally bother with a short trip to Blundell Park will happily pay to go to the famously inexpensive capital and sing passionately about being Grimsby 'til they die, but I think we should look past this. If even a few who don't normally attend become semi-regulars, or semi-regulars become regular attendees, then surely it is all positive. And let's be honest: it seems unlikely that the board have any ideas on how to get more local people going to games beyond building a new ground which will magically increase the number of fans attending, so it will be down to the team on the pitch and ourselves in the stands to draw more people in by making it an occasion.       

The main news emanating from Blundell Park is that JJ Hooper is going to be on loan at Bromley for the next month, a move which seems to suit both parties. While his effort was rarely lacking, Ben Pringle and Charles Vernam are offering a much greater threat in the wide positions, and we don't seem to have lost out defensively either. With Ahkeem Rose and Harry Cardwell also moving into first-team contention, Hooper's opportunities seem reduced, and considering almost half of his Town goals came in one game when we were already safe from relegation, his absence won't blunt our goal threat.

Hopefully Hooper can pick up some goals and confidence from the spell – and meanwhile we can continue with the improvements in form that Thunderdiary pointed to yesterday.