The Diary

Cod Almighty | Diary

XYZ to ABC

26 April 2023

What an odd division. Huffing and puffing through forty-four games, we find ourselves bobbing about in eleventh. Tied on points with Swindon, Super Mariners outclassers and January promotion shoo-ins. We need answers. How could this be? How could Hartlepools be going down instead of Crawley? Who's going to sell me their Green Town shirt (Evan Khouri not sold separately, indeed hopefully tied down on a long term contract)? 

Last night's pleasant 2-0 win over Crewe featured another showcase of the young midfielder's obvious talent. Not getting carried away or owt but there was a moment last night under the Frozen Horsebeer Stand where a series of Khouri kicks and flicks dizzied the Alex defence and caused Daubney to similarly bamboozle young ears nearby with the words "Woodsian" and "Childslike". 

More reason for cheer came in the form of Aaron Braithwaite's league debut when he came on as a second half sub. Or more accurately a second half bundle of Grimbarian energy that perfectly suited the Green Town theme of the evening. The Healing lad's cameo was brief but he managed to pop up all over the pitch in exactly the same way every one of us would if we'd ever got the chance to wear the stripes.

As two new heroes emerge, it appears that we won't get the chance to wave off the current starman, John McAtee, with a hamstring injury sidelining him for the remaining two games. Put aside his mixed form in what has been a stop-start season. Last term he was a giant, the talisman who delivered thoughout but particularly in the those final two games. Who among us doesn't relive the finish against Solihull on a daily basis, one that continues to spine tingle? JM-D got the winner but the equaliser was key that day and the one that cost me my voice. Go back and listen to our roar again, Solihull never stood a chance after that. The Marvellous McAtee. Thanks John and all the best. 

McAtee's season, perhaps not coincidentally, has parallels with Town's sometimes stuttering form. But that's OK. No damage has been done to either; he's still off to Luton and we're in a stress-free midtable spot. There's a section of Town's fanbase that would make you walk the plank for using the word consolidation but that's how we'll look back on this season (the cup run might get the odd mention too).

Promotion is a fair objective but there have probably been times this season when you question why the staff and players would bother trying to go up. We were promoted last year in the most glorious and exciting fashion imaginable. Heroes not just for a day, but perhaps a lifetime. Yet after a couple of sticky results or performances, the toys go out of the pram and the idols of last season get lined up for the plank as well. 

You can almost hear the whining if we had another soul to sell to Mike Lyons and had repeated last season's promotion. It's October 2023 and we're 20th in division three. The board would be getting hammered for not showing enough ambition in the summer and wasting momentum. Hurst would be accused of being found out. The players who got us promoted would be slated for being shit, like Efete, Crocombe, McAtee and pretty much everyone else have been slated this season.

No one would suggest it's been a perfect league campaign. Home perfomances have been criticised and deservedly so. At times, we don't appear to have any shape or attacking form and there's no dressing it up; the goals' column reflects this and it's been frustrating to watch us at Blundell Park. But the idea that Town have to be a remorseless promotion machine and hearing them judged on this basis is equally frustrating. Enjoy looking up and the journey; the fun stops when we level out in the second tier and we have to grind out 0-0 draws against Wolves in front of four thousand. UTM.