Cod Almighty | Diary

Break like the wind

10 February 2023

Frankly any pair of boxer shorts I wear is unlucky by definition.

Did you read Daubney's diary on Wednesday? What a fabulous diary. I feel like a bloke coming onto the stage after Led Zeppelin have performed, trying to win the crowd back by singing an a cappella version of My Way. What is more I have the unenviable task of doing The Diary After the Fans Forum, in which There Are Many Things That Must Be Said. The forum lasted several hours if not days and, due to other commitments, I have so far managed to listen to about half an hour of it, which isn't ideal preparation.

What I did see confirmed what we already know – that the club is now being run by dedicated, intelligent, articulate people. Paul Hurst also revealed that he is funnier than Ian Holloway ever will be, as well as being less of a weasel-faced weasel. The timing of the forum was excellent for the participants, coming as it did after the Stripeys' magnificent dismantling of second tier chumps Luton, which meant the goodwill in the room was palpable.

Who isn't proud to be a Town fan at the moment? Being a Mariner has always had an air of being an unfashionable David poking the mighty Goliaths with sticks bought for 99p from the Value for Money warehouse and enjoying their shocked reactions. This week has been a classic example of that. I just hope we use some of the incoming cup cash to hire another turnstile operator so that fans can get into the ground in time to see the kick off.

There will always be cynics, cynics shouting into the wind in fact, who bring up the fact that we are still pretty much in the same position we were in the league for most of the previous incumbent's reign. But at least we now have the tools to improve that position, in contrast to just having a tool, and optimism abounds. Positivity, momentum and confidence are great forces in football, something Retro Diary and I have always preached against those who believe in consolidation and taking ten years to go up one place in the league and thinking it progress.

When does consolidation become stagnation? Football teams are powered by euphoria, and we must not let it slip. Tomorrow we have Colchester. I'm slightly concerned that, apart from the new lads who will be as fresh as daisies, the rest of the team will be knacked. The effort they put into Tuesday night's game was unbelievable. Still, if my reader has learnt one thing from my diaries over the years, it is that I am wrong about everything. They will probably all be turbo-charged Duracell bunnies. Ask your parents, kids. 

Check out the forum for yourself – it is on that there You Tube, although it is sadly age restricted due to the amount of talk about Paul Hurst's undergarments. Wallow in the coherent sentences, lie back and indulge yourself in the absence of Radio Humberside-related bullying, and of course have a snickery titter at the Paul Hurst Laughter Show. But most of all remember that we have a game tomorrow and we really need to win it. There's no room for complacency in football, Brian. Assuming you are called Brian. I’m sorry, I have a terrible memory for names.

UTM