Cod Almighty | Diary

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12 December 2022

Miss Guest Diary writes: I felt a little guilty when England lost to France on Saturday evening. Why, you may wonder.

We've all done it, haven't we? You know, pondered which of two outcomes you'd choose if you could control the universe. The choice Mr Butcher and I pondered on Saturday morning on the way to Blundell Park was: if you knew you couldn't have both and were given the choice, would you opt for a Town victory or an England victory. Town won that contest hands down, and also their game. Hence my guilt.

I know it's all nonsense. But football sometimes has the ability to rob us of rational thought. Take, for example, my assertion after the Tranmere game that I didn't mind Town's hatful of missed chances because spending the last quarter of the game hanging on perilously to a one goal lead made it more exciting than if they'd won 6-0. What was I thinking? To suggest this even after I'd witnessed Town's inability to hang on to a one goal lead at bottom-of-the-table Hartlepool two months ago. It must have been the cold addling my brain.

And it was exceptionally cold, wasn't it, but I was toasty warm. Thirty-plus years of attending matches has taught me how to dress properly for all eventualities. Except that apocalyptic rainstorm back in August 2019, but no-one saw that coming.

The extreme cold meant that half a dozen games in our division were called off on Saturday, so full marks to the ground staff for getting Town’s game on. With the postponed games against Crawley and Crewe still to be rearranged, we really didn't need to lose another game. It also means that we have 'caught up' with a few teams in terms of games played, so the table more accurately reflects where we are – comfortably middling. Thirteen points above the relegation zone and six points off the play-offs.

I'd happily settle for that, unlike John McAtee who, according to his interview in Saturday's programme, believes that Town can "turn things around and push for the play-offs." Who would have the temerity to disagree with him? From his all-out performance on Saturday, he's certainly going to do his best to make it happen. It was also lovely to read that last season made him "fall in love with the club, the town, everything". And the feeling for many Town fans is mutual. There's going to be some heartbreak when he leaves us next May.

Before football came into my life, Boxing Day meant lounging around eating mince pies and leftover turkey and reading/watching/playing with whatever Santa had brought me. My first venture to a post-Christmas match came in my very first season of supporting Town – 26 December 1990. A 2-0 defeat at Reading on a day of heavy rain, most of which we avoided by sitting under cover, unlike the poor souls on the open terrace who were mercifully allowed to join us in the second half. With the last two years being Covid-affected, the most recent Boxing Day trip was to Macclesfield in 2019 – dismal in nearly every way at the time, but reflecting on the diverging fortunes of our two clubs since then has given it a different perspective.

Ticket buying being one of my responsibilities, I set my alarm this morning and braved the icy cold of the heating-not-yet-on house so that I could log on at 7am to buy Harrogate tickets. Sadly, I was unsuccessful; then I had to break the news to Mr Butcher when I took up his morning coffee. Not a good start to the week.

Oh well, back to the mince pies and leftover turkey this year. UTM