Cod Almighty | Diary

Playing the Moldovans at football

3 October 2019

Pat Glover, who scored 180 goals in 227 appearances between 1929 and 1939, may or may not be Town's greatest player. With seven Wales caps, he is certainly our most successful international. In 1936-37, he scored in each of Wales' wins against England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as they won the home nations. Then, Glover was widely considered the best centre-forward in the United Kingdom.

So Harry Clifton, who has been called up for Wales under-21s match against Moldova a week tomorrow, is following in giant footsteps. But he has already emulated Glover in at least one respect: Clifton's Town appearances have been limited since he was injured early in the season.

The Grimbarian journalist and commentator Charles Ekberg once wrote that Glover too was picked for Wales even when he couldn't get in the Town side. That's stretching it: earlier in the 1930s he had faced strong competition from Aston Villa's Dai Astley. But it is true that Glover's last Wales cap came in 1939, after an injury had almost finished his career and when Fred Howe had taken his place at Blundell Park. 

That the link between football and mental health is generally positive is strange at first sight. When you remember the times you have woken up on a Sunday morning still sulking because Town lost what you thought was a banker, or when you couldn't sleep for worrying how the next round of matches in a relegation dogfight will pan out. But for those of us who struggle to talk about our feelings, football is, as Football League chief executive Debbie Jevans says, a conversation starter. And football builds communities, safe spaces where people feel they belong, can build relationships and open up.

As part of the Goals Worth Talking About campaign, launched to coincide with World Mental Health Day, fans of selected clubs have been asked to nominate their favourite Football League goals, to be incorporated into street art in city centres. Town aren't among those clubs, but it is hard to begrudge Leyton Orient their place, especially if the street art associated with one of the most modest of London clubs can be placed either at Piccadilly Circus or in some place where West Ham United trespassers can't help but be exposed to it.

And it does encourage the conversation: what is our favourite Grimsby Football League goal? That restriction rules out such obvious candidates as Nathan Arnold or Wayne Burnett at Wembley (though Kevin Donovan may be allowable) and Phil Jevons at Anfield. Middle-Aged Diary's first thought is Jim Dobbin at Newcastle, although I'd like a goal scored at Blundell Park for preference. I dare say John Cockerill, one way or another, will feature large in our thoughts. What do you think?