Cod Almighty | Diary

Cup fever, we know how to show it

13 March 2023

Miss Guest Diary writes: Never mind the quality, just appreciate the three points. I'm definitely not alone in taking that attitude to Town's recent outings at Blundell Park. Of course, there are always those who refuse to see the bigger picture. Like the Twitter troll who keeps moaning about the "value for money" of his season ticket, like a toddler having a tantrum after choosing a flavour of ice cream that turns out not to be as delicious as expected. Grow up!

Here at CA Towers everyone is giddy with excitement about Town being FA Cup Quarter-Finalists, taking every opportunity to remind the world at large of this fact. One of our number is even putting together a guide to all things Grimsby so that new fans who join the party because they love an underdog will know what we're all about. By next Monday we will probably be out of the competition (but then I said that before the Southampton game) so make the most of the anticipation and all the publicity for our team and the town.

An added bonus is the opportunity to display that permanent chip on the Grimsby shoulder. I have seen suggestions that the whole Gary Lineker/Match of the Day debacle is a conspiracy designed to prevent the Mariners from appearing on the Beeb. To be honest I would have preferred the game to be on ITV anyway, opening up the possibility of the commentary dream team of Adam Summerton and Ally McCoist. Adam's exclamation of "They've done it again!" when Town scored the winner at Wrexham last season is a real goosebump moment.

Getting back to Saturday's game, and at the risk of boring readers more than usual with eulogies to my favourite player, I've got just two words: Harry Clifton. His whirlwind energy when he came on transformed a lacklustre game where neither team had looked very likely to score. And his 'assist' for George Lloyd's goal was simply gorgeous.

It is not all that surprising Harry is being rested for some games, he has looked tired in a couple of recent appearances. I fully endorse him being rested again for tomorrow's trip to Sutton (which I will not be making) so that he can be in tip-top form at Brighton. Seeing him score a goal there would make my season, and his too I expect. As someone who was quite often dismissed by fans at the start of this season, he has become a vital part of the team and, if they have any sense, Town would offer him a long contract now to make sure he stays "one of our own".

In his interview after the game Ben Davies mentioned several times that Town have to play 11 games in 36 days. We have already played 45 games this season with (at least) 14 more to come, at the rate of two a week. Great for us fans, but not so great for the management team. On paper, Town have a squad of 32 but with injuries, loans and inexperience, the pool of players from which Hurst can draw is much smaller. A tough job.

Then I console myself with remembering the 1997/8 double-Wembley season in which Town played 68 games, and Paul Groves played every one of them. Think on that.

UTM