Cod Almighty | Diary

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay

25 February 2019

Trentside Diary writes: I make no apology for repeating a theme that ran through last week’s diaries after the 'announcement' that the floodlights were to be removed and replaced over the summer. It’s rather sad that without knowing it we’ve seen our last match under the lights and a little bit of Blundell Park history will be lost. The suggestion is that they are probably no longer safe, but what a pity if they can’t be refurbished: a far more sustainable option and one that would please many supporters.

Any replacements will have limited life if they are not reused at the new stadium – but surely investing in new lights now will limit any future design? Perhaps there will be an announcement soon that it’s all go for Freeman Street. [Holds breath...] or maybe not.

It’s not just the floodlights that have been left to decay over the years. There has very occasionally been a coat of paint on railings but that’s about it. We can’t do anything about the age of the stands – that’s part of their charm – but there seems to have been very little maintenance to keep them in good shape. The toilets are grotty and among the worst you’ll see in the league. Many of the seats are grimy. Quite a few areas could do with a lick of paint. For many seasons it has felt like nobody could be bothered to lavish a bit of love because we would have our shiny new ground sometime soon. It’s sad that this has been going on for so long.

Earlier this month Town announced the opening of a new memorial garden. What a lovely idea and I hope they put in the effort to keep this area nice. A few years ago the club advertised the engraved paving blocks that would be laid in front of the Findus stand. I was tempted to buy one in memory of my late husband who was a season ticket holder and who had watched Town for many years. Seeing them now, I’m so glad I didn’t. It makes me quite sad each week when I see how shabby they look. They were either incredibly cheap to start off with or they haven’t been properly looked after. The club should really look to refurbish them.

In years gone by, fans have given up their time to clear snow from the pitch to get a game on. I’ve thought at the start of the last few seasons, seeing that nothing had been done, if the relationship between club and fans had been better we could have had a day sprucing the old place up during the close season, but unfortunately that isn’t the case.

A custodian has responsibility for taking care of something. Unfortunately our custodian has had his head turned by another woman with the promise of greater delights in the future, and so hasn’t done his job properly looking after the old girl. It seems we’re past the tinkering stage now and he’ll need to invest in something more significant. I for one would contribute to 'plastic surgery' to keep the lights on. UTM!