Cod Almighty | Diary

More than any other time, this time

1 April 2019

John Shelton Fenty has left the building.

A press release from Blundell Park this morning announced the departure of the major shareholder with immediate effect and confirmed that the new owner is currently speaking to club employees about the future and will then hold a media briefing to update fans. It is rumoured there will be significant new investment, with a commitment to bringing in new players targeted during the summer to strengthen the squad and progression up the leagues being a priority. The press release confirmed the new owner is looking forward to working with Mr Jolley and his team.

OK, so it is 1 April, but I can dream.

Meanwhile, we’re 17th with 49 points, only 13 off the relegation zone. Yes, I know, that’s not happening this season despite some fans worrying that Notts County and Macclesfield are picking up. They’re really not, consistently anyway. County have six to play, Macclesfield seven, and a maximum of 18 and 21 points if they win everything. We’ve reached the point where we're talking about what could happen mathematically, not what is likely to happen.

After the last few years, that’s an improvement. I’d love it if County stayed up, at the expense of Cambridge or Yeovil, but that’s just because it’s my closest match of the season.

We’re also 12 off the playoffs but that’s not happening either: there’s just too much to do. We’ve commented previously on our failure as a club to capitalise on our promotion but until there are some major changes, I can’t see it being any other way.

This time last season we were in 22nd place with 38 points, so yes, this is an improvement, even if it’s not as rapid as we would have hoped. A similar improvement next season would see us flirting with the play-off places. If we could just keep chipping away, maybe we can put the wilderness years behind us once and for all – but there’s not going to be a seismic shift unless there is commitment and investment.

We can moan all we like about formations and our players not being able to play as the manager wants to, or the manager not playing a formation our players can play, but why criticise the manager at this time? Perhaps he’s preparing those players he will keep while working out those who can’t fit in?

Writing this places me in danger of accusations of being a member of the Jolley cult. Apparently, if you’re maintaining your support for the manager and not criticising him on social media then you must be in a cult. Perhaps it’s an age thing. I do criticise, discuss, talk about what I would do differently, but I prefer to talk to family and friends who are also Town fans rather than have a go on social media. Besides, football is a cult and we’re all members. That we would rather have a different figurehead doesn’t detract from us being Town through and through.

I’m happy to see what the summer brings. We didn’t take our chances at Oldham and that’s the story of quite a few matches this season, which is why there’s little left to play for but pride and anticipation of next season. On to Stevenage. UTM!