Cod Almighty | Diary

Words sometimes have two meanings

22 November 2021

Miss Guest Diary writes: I'm not sure what the official Cod Almighty view on Friday night football is these days. It used to be fervently against: the weekend game should be played on a Saturday afternoon at 3.00pm. Full stop. But there have been changes of personnel in recent years, so we might have collectively lightened up.

I have said before that I am personally all in favour of the occasional Friday night game. It gives an excuse to visit the Ocean Fish Bar for haddock and chips (hold the mushy peas – I've not yet adopted that local custom) before the game. And a 'free' Saturday where you have already played and can sit back after a nice pub lunch and watch your rivals slip up – yes, I do mean you Notts County and Wrexham – feels like a tremendous indulgence. Especially when, as this weekend, Town already had the three points in the bag.

Friday's win against Southend was by no means a triumph, but after losses to strugglers like Wealdstone and Aldershot it felt significant. There were also pleasures to be taken from the game, not least the performance of Shaun Pearson. Despite making only his second start since the beginning of September, there was no indication of him being unfit or off the pace and his defending was as robust as ever. He almost scored too with a thumping header from a corner which hit the crossbar. Wouldn't that have been the cherry on the cake.

Then there was John McAtee's cameo. A reminder of what has been missing during his injury lay-off and a promise of things to come when he is fit enough to start a game. Maybe too soon for tomorrow's trip to Solihull but next Saturday's visit by Boreham Wood – who didn't slip up at the weekend, putting four past Maidenhead – will be something to look forward to. That's something I never anticipated saying.

Those of you who read The Guardian will know that their much-loved former football correspondent David Lacey died last week. Cod Almighty's match reporter was an admirer and has confirmed that his own reporting style was influenced by Lacey. It wouldn't surprise me if there are one or two tips of the hat to Lacey in amongst the pop culture references in this week's match report. I thought I spotted one myself, but it might have been a typo.

The Guardian ran a double page tribute in which they reprinted extracts from Lacey's reports of some of football's bigger moments, such as Maradona's goal in 1986 and the Heysel disaster, plus some one-liners about characters in the game. My favourite is about Paul Gascoigne: Doubts about his fitness persist and only a twisted cynic would say that half an oaf is better than none.

Finally, I must give a mention to this season's lucky shirt. Not mine, obviously, but Mr Butcher's. After last week's debacle at Aldershot I urged him to try a different one, but he kept the faith and it came good on Friday. Don't worry, it's already been laundered for the trip to Solihull tomorrow. See you there!

UTM.