Cod Almighty | Diary

The doctor to the nation's psyche

27 October 2021

Not a great night for Town sides last night. First up, the youth team lost 3-0 to Crewe in the FA Youth Cup at Gresty Road. CA contributor Mike Worden managed to find his way to the game despite Crewe using the daft stadium naming the local plumber has probably paid three bob for. Mike has offered to do a match report, so watch this space.

Further south, the first XI didn't do much better in losing 1-0 to Wealdstone. The result didn't require an update to Michael Hubbert's league ladder but the fixture at Chesterfield saw the Spireites beat the Spitfires and reduced our cushion at the top to a point. Daubney Diary endured the game on the radio and Paul Hurst wasn't much happier as summed up by his 1980s indie-pop song/post match presser, titled "I Can't Hide My Disappointment".

The defeat was easier to stomach having heard my dad, after the weekend win over Yeovil, utter "a few more points should see us safe from relo". This is the earliest in the season I can ever recall hearing his trademark Grimbarian optimism about Town's chances. It's the GY dad equivalent of taking your shirt off and windmilling it like Danny Butterfield in the Jevons goal celebrations at Anfield. It means that whatever the result last night, I've booked time off for the open-top bus parade and have already got Cockers working on a speech for the Town Hall balcony.   

The game last night was one, result aside, I'd like to have attended. I lived in Ruislip, overlooking what is now Wealdstone's ground, in the 1990s. It was my base for 1995-96, the last season before this one I can recall "have they opened the Osmond yet?" being asked on a weekly basis. Memories of watching Ivano's WBA winner one seat away from a restricted view in the Upper and watching us lose to Charlton from the Osmond, when a draw would have put us top of the league. Later in the season, it was my base for cup trips to Chelsea and West Ham.

That season, success and the accompanying excitement was fleeting. Interest diminished quickly and an opportunity was gone. Whatever the result last night or this weekend, even the most pessimistic of Grimbarian dads would believe that we're on a different path this time.