Cod Almighty | Diary

Grimsby till I cry

14 November 2022

Miss Guest Diary writes: 63 minutes. That's the point in Saturday's game when Town conceded the third goal and the point when seats in the Pontoon began to clang as people walked out. Only a couple of dozen then, but the trickle of leavers continued. Sadly, by the time John McAtee scored his comeback goal in the 79th minute there were significant gaps in the crowd.

I have raised the topic of people leaving early on previous occasions and been told that everyone is entitled to leave a football match when they choose. Agreed. But I wouldn't be surprised if some of those leaving early were among the social media posters who like to urge everyone to "get behind the boys" and "pack the Park". And how many of those same 'fans' then went onto social media on Saturday evening to call the team "shit" or claim that it was "the worst performance I've ever seen"?

You know those ads for financial products which have a warning in tiny print about the value of investments going down as well as up. Well, I've got news for some of these wimps who call themselves fans – football teams can lose as well as win. Despite being outplayed by a bigger and better team on Saturday, the Town players kept going until the final whistle. Wouldn't it be nice if all the supporters at the game could make an effort to do the same.

Allegiances at a sporting event can be a funny old business. Watching the final of the T20 World Cup yesterday, I was amused to see many people wearing Indian colours rooting for England to beat Pakistan. People who would obviously have wanted England to lose the previous match against their own team. Then the camera settled upon a couple in Wales colours and the TV commentator speculated that they would be supporting England. Ha ha, I don't think so!

Anyway, well done to the England cricket team. I was particularly pleased at the return of Alex Hales. I have been furious with Owain Morgan's sanctimonious refusal to consider Alex for selection in the last few years, so was really pleased to see him back in the fold and part of the winning team. As a member at Nottinghamshire, I have long followed Alex's career – being born in the same county, Middlesex, I look on him as "one of my own" – and have witnessed many fine batting performances over the years. The best of those was definitely the unbeaten 187 he made at Lords in 2017 to help Nottinghamshire win the 50-over cup final. Six consecutive sixes in a T20 match at Trent Bridge wasn't bad either!

Turning back to footballing matters, in a couple of hours our match reporter Tony Butcher will be heading out of Cod Almighty Towers to attend the presentation evening for The Football Supporters Association annual awards. CA has been shortlisted for the Fan Media award but, as the award is voted for by fans and CA is up against fanzines from Liverpool, Newcastle, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Leeds, we fully expect to come last. Tony won't be wasting the lucky shirt on this event. But sometimes just taking part is enough – and he gets a free meal at a swanky London hotel.

Kristine Green has also been deservedly shortlisted as SLO of the year and, that award being decided by a panel, her prospects of winning are far greater. As Kris cannot be there, Tony has offered to accept the award on her behalf if she wins. Fingers crossed he's called on to do so. Regrettably, there will be no photographic record as he's one of the last people in the Western hemisphere not to own a smartphone.

UTM