Cod Almighty | Diary

Labradors, Bobby Ewing and Scotch Eggs

23 November 2021

Trentside Diary writes: So, there we have it. A Grimsby Town announcement and I didn't have a "What has the pillock said/done now?" thought. I can believe it's real and not just a Bobby Ewing in the shower moment. Not that news stories were always bad but I was working on the law of averages.

So where was I? Oh yes. An announcement. We've secured a "Bell Loan Signing". Not like the one at my first school (Welholme Infants) when if you were very, very lucky or teacher's pet, you got to walk around ringing it at the end of playtime. In my day it was called "playtime"; we'd never heard of electric school bells or calculators or the internet. Or John Fenty, so a mixed bag looking back.

Anyway, back to our new Bell. Sam Bell is on loan until January. A funny time scale I thought at first but then it makes sense to suss each other out till the transfer window. Ryley Towler and Alex Hunt's loans expire at the same time. Fingers-crossed they will all be extended.

And again, back to Sam Bell. I must have butterfly brain this morning like a rambunctious labrador rushing from one thing to another. I know, I know: mixing my metaphors, but I know what I mean.

Sam Bell. 19 and signed from second-tier Bristol City. He’s had seven appearances with them and they will be hoping he gets plenty of experience under Hurst. He's travelling to Solihull so maybe we'll see him tonight. Cod Almighty regular Mike Worden's colleague - a season-ticket holder at the Robins - admits he's only seen glimpses of him but "he's very highly rated and they believe he will become a first team regular in the future." If he can score a few for us we'll take him to our hearts.

Sad as I am, I recorded the game against Southend and watched it yesterday, even though I'd been there on the night. My takeaway from that? Erico Sousa gets grief from some for his final ball but when I watched back without the emotion of the night and the tension of needing that win, he delivers many decent crosses and shots. Yes, he mis-kicks some, as do all players at this level, but he's exciting, he pushes forward, he worries the opposition and if they are focussing on containing him it's opening up space for others. A Town tweet commending "a strong showing on either wing from this man" got a couple of supportive comments but the rest were negative. Watch it again, you may be surprised.

My other takeaway for the evening. A very tasty scotch egg. It feels like a different universe when you can get decent grub in the ground. They told you it couldn't be done. Bobby's been in that shower again, hasn't he?

UTM.