Cod Almighty | Diary

No Lou Reed quotes here

15 August 2022

Middle-Aged Diary writes: Well that was rather lovely.

It began, as so often, with some drinks before travelling on from Manchester to Rochdale. Two of the three of us had never met but we had the shared history that comes from a lifetime of following the Mariners. At Rochdale station, we shared a taxi with a Dutchman, an ex-Feyenoord season ticket holder who now enjoys the flexibility of being able to watch Town when the chance comes along.

All the conversations are lubricated by a shared love of Town, of football. The coldest you've ever been at a football ground is a standard; Saturday surely provides the answer for the hottest, at least for a competitive fixture. It is easy to take for granted the players' resolve to chase victory even into injury time when they must have been longing for the shade and a long, cold drink.

Rochdale were fine hosts, from the friendly staff at the social club, through the 68th minute of applause for one of their recently departed fans, and then an invitation to the local cricket club. Thus it was that the second innings of a Lancashire league match was watched by a surprising number of people in Town shirts, drinks in hand as the sun still warmed the evening sky. There are worse ways to wind down from a win.

We are Town, the book Cod Almighty compiled on behalf of the Mariners Trust in 2015, was a theme running through the day. Two of the featured authors I'd never met before Saturday. I'd exchanged emails with one but the other had not known the book existed, still less that he was in it until I was able to give him my last spare copy. That meant I had to disappoint the Dutch fan, and the trust have confirmed that there are no more in stock.

Now I think you should treat We are Town rather as some might holy scripture, but if by some chance you have finished with your copy, perhaps you could let us know. We'll put you in touch with someone who hasn't had the chance to read it yet, and together you'll be able to agree a price fairer to both of you than if an online platform is involved.

See you again soon.