Cod Almighty | Diary

Comrade Fenty’s Five-Year Plan

29 April 2021

Trentside Diary writes: My diary today? Just read BOTB yesterday. Everything has been said really. We all know where the blame lies for all of this. How it is distributed between Fenty, Holloway or Day and their apparatchiks is debatable but what's the point? They are all culpable, however much they delude themselves that they are not. I use "we all" only in the sense that it includes by far the majority of fans. There are still a few of the Fenty Fan club out there but their delusion is complete and they cannot be saved. Pity them.

Post-mortem? Too early for me, but we knew this day was coming when we didn't push on from promotion. The only surprise really is that it's taken five years as we've been flirting with relegation for much of the time since we came up. You see? Without our beloved leader we wouldn't have managed five years. I'm sure that’s what he tells himself. Five-year plan? You fools! Surely you realised this was what was meant. Championship? You must have misunderstood.

I have a problem. For the last five years my ringtone has been John Tondeur: "That's it, That's it, he's sealed it, Grimsby Town are back in the Football League. Just a minute to go and Nathan Arnold makes it 3-1. Look at the scenes behind the goal. Look at the relief. The agony is finally over". It gives me the shivers just listening to it. I can't cope with the emotion of that every time my phone goes off.

Caller: "Hello"
Me: "Mumble, mumble, sniffle"
Caller: "Are you OK? Has something happened?"
Me, in a wobbly voice: "No, sorry, I'm just having a moment."

Any thoughts for appropriate alternatives?

As we left Burton 11 years ago, there were some around us who were loudly in the "That's it, I've had it with them" brigade. The conversation in the car on the way home was: "Let's not give up on them in their time of need, they will need the fans to help get out of this mess."

How prophetic that turned out to be, despite what ex-director Stephen Marley said. Love for the club is deep-rooted but we've all been pushed to the limits of our commitment under this regime. I've often questioned at what point I would break. I will always love the club but what would stop me going to matches and giving them my money?

Another relegation was always the deal-breaker for me until Fenty was gone. I give the club my money and there is no ambition or respect and consideration of the fans. What other area of my life would I put up with that? And by ambition a start would just be to do things well. He's done it, he's taken us down again, but for once the angels of fortune have smiled on us.

Over the hill, capes flying, gallop the cavalry in the form of Jason Stockwood and the consortium; at the moment, Christopher Reeve has challengers for the super-hero role. The Fenty apologists keep shouting "you know nothing about them". True up to a point, but they are ambitious people with a desire to do things well. Round footballs would be a start and there are so many things about the club that should be so much better.

Assuming all goes well next week, I'll be there as soon as we are all allowed to be back in the ground.

UTM! Fenty Out!