Cod Almighty | Diary

A striker, a striker, my kingdom for a striker!

4 August 2022

The eve of the home season is nigh. Forget about Orient, football in July doesn't compute.

Our first season back is morphing into the McAtee Memorial Season. "We'll still get to see John wearing the black and white shirt for a little while longer" said club chair Jason Stockwood, providing some consolation for Glass Half-Full Diary's offspring who hero-worship the Salford-born saviour, their Keegan, their Gazza, their Mendonca, their Bonetti, their Podge or Bogle. It would be typical if we draw Luton in one of the cups.

Meanwhile McAtee's younger brother James has moved to Sheffield United for the season. Maybe it'll be the Blades in the cups. 

Alex Hunt has started the season in Sheffield Wednesday's first team. Coupled with the arrivals of Kieran Green and Bryn Morris that makes unlikely the return to Blundell Park of the diminutive central midfielder. We are left with the lovely memory of the Barnet 4-3 game.

Last week Paul Hurst hinted at chasing a higher division goalkeeper on loan. Cue guesswork. Which division? A third or fourth choice? To compete with Max Crocombe and enable Ollie Battersby to go out on loan? Which clubs have a large set of healthy keepers, perhaps with a previous association to coach Steve Croudson and geographically suited to join one of our car pools? Stockwood says that Paul is working very hard on acquisitions. Watch this space.

More ex-Mariners news. Harrogate Town's Max Wright is out for up to four months with his pre-season ankle injury. And Alfreton's new signing Scott Garner has quit the game presumably after an injury. Let's wish them both well. The footballer's is a short, delicate career, and let's hope our squad enjoys a healthy productive season, with the next leg against the injured Ben Fox's Northampton due in just over 48 hours. Another 4-3 win? Oh yes please.

UTM.