Cod Almighty | Diary

So Max is a Swiss/British/Aussie/Kiwi? OK then.....

27 October 2022

Your Glass-Half-Full Diary is sandwiched between yesterday's diary's thoughts on the Barrow(a) defeat and possible Hartlepool(a) preview in tomorrow's diary. Thursday's child, erm diarist, has far to go? A kids' rhyme about what day your child was born doesn't really apply to GTFC though; our fortunes aren't dependent on the day of the week, GTFC can fill your senses or let you down whenever they choose.

Is anyone interested in our loan players' progress? Great. I count five currently. Jamie Bramwell is a regular for Whitby, and they won in the North Riding Senior Cup midweek, with Harvey Tomlinson on the bench. From Twitter, it looked like Bramwell played in midfield this time. Edwin Essel gave a "selfless" performance and Jaz Goundry "continues to impress" as per a Pitchero match report as Grimsby Borough beat Lincoln United. Last but not least, Ollie Battersby is starting games for Illkeston, who in their last game brought Montel Gibson off the bench, and lost 0-2. I'm sure Gaffer Hurst explicitly said in a recent interview that midfielder Aaron Braithwaite is available for loan, so watch this space.

You know what, I'm gonna write a bit about Hartlepool regardless. Friday's diarist can thank me later, and ponder on a topic of their choosing.

A glance at the league table reminds that whilst our Mariners sit sandwiched between the playoff spots and those languishing in the relegation race, Hartlepool are rock bottom. Their sole league win this season came against Doncaster earlier this month. The more pessimistic of us will be fearing this trip already, but not Glass Half Full. True to my diarist label, I will remain positive and hope for team news later today to indicate the return of Messrs Glennon, Amos and Kiernan to the squad, and a well-motivated, free-scoring squad ready to impress. Perhaps the long throw of Jordan Cropper, now back fit, is a weapon for Saturday?

Let's quickly consider the 'curse-of-the-ex' phenomenon. Their keeper Ben Killip backed up James McKeown for a while for the Mariners back in 2017-18. He even played seven games. We can beat that, as we have ex-United players Gavan Holohan and Bryn Morris in our ranks. Each may think they have a point to prove to the opposition; you may remember Morris upon signing for us this summer, and having been on loan to Hartlepool last season, said his departure from there was not well handled at all.  

Also, the added bonus that Bryn was born in Hartlepool, which gains extra points in the Curse of The Ex Aggravating Features Index that I just made up. Perhaps Killip will have the game of his life, but perhaps Holohan and Morris will too.  Admittedly it's a stretch to include locally-born Stephen Wearne and Kieran Green here, both from Stockton-on-Tees, but that's just down the road, and we aren't set to play Middlesbrough anytime soon. So, let's hope lots of our side have relevant local links and family at the game...

Check out all the usual social media channels later to see whether Radio Humberside have raised these points with the gaffer, or even spoken to Gav or Bryn, and for injury news and all the usual cagey responses from Paul Hurst.

Our travelling Mariners have once more sold out their ticket allocation for this tie. Excellent. I have my ticket: see you there!