Cod Almighty | Diary

We need to talk about Barrow

18 June 2020

As they are all avid readers of Cod Almighty, let Domestic Diary start today with congratulations to Kevin Drinkell, who is 60 today, and to the supporters of Barrow AFC, whose return to the Football League has been confirmed.

If there is any reader who is asking "Kevin who?", please go away and don't come back until you have bought, and read from cover to cover, Champions!, the story of Town's last title-winning team. Then there's that goal he scored against us on his Coventry debut. Goals against us I like to cast into oblivion but for that one, and for the look on Drinkell's face after it, I will make an exception.

Barrow, in my head, are entwined with Hereford, who replaced them in the League in 1973 but who are now having to work their way back up, much as Barrow did. Having briefly had Russell Slade as a manager, the Bulls now have Josh Gowling in post, so there is no problem hoping for the day when both Barrow and Hereford are among the 92.

Which other old club would you most like to have back? Hmm, too many to mention, the moment I think about it: Stockport is handy, Southport was always a friendly place and they were managed by Paul Futcher, Wrexham, Bradford (Park Avenue), Kidderminster's pies have a place in Cod Almighty's affections...

180 degrees opposite from mingling amicably with Southport fans is the spectacle that returned to our TV screens last night. And I bet cats in living rooms up and down the country were pissing themselves when - on the first night of an experiment when a major objection to using technology could be discounted - that technology managed to get it so thoroughly wrong.

Bye.