Cod Almighty | Diary

Carpe Diem

7 August 2023

Miss Guest Diary writes: This year I was more excited than I can ever remember being for the start of the season. Pondering why, I decided that it's simply another sign of ageing – like thinking everything was better in the "old days" and that all modern music is rubbish. It's my twenty-sixth year of having a season ticket and who knows how many more I will have. You never know when it's the last time you'll do something – a cheesy motivational saying which occasionally pops up on my Instagram feed – but it's true. For quite a few years a lovely elderly couple have occupied the seats in front of me, but on Saturday those seats were empty because they are no longer able to get to games. I'm going to miss them, and I'm going to make the most of my time at Blundell Park.

Another, more prosaic, reason for welcoming back the football is that there is more of substance to include in this diary. Or there should be, but Saturday's game turned out to be nothing much to write home about. The predicted torrential rain failed to materialise and, apart from a brief shower at half time, the conditions were ideal. The crowd was lively and noisy on occasions, but silent and brooding at others. Some of the new players shone, some of them didn't. Some of last year's players coped well, others not so much. Wimbledon were a little irksome with their pushing and tripping of Town players and the referee was annoying for giving them too much leeway.

The game itself burst into life a few times, with Town having good attacking spells in both halves which could have resulted in a couple of goals had the Wombles' keeper not been on good form. Wimbledon were big and physical and fast on the break, but Town mostly coped, apart from the breakaway which resulted in the penalty. Eastwood did well to save the penalty but, let's face it, it was a bit of a weedy shot – picking up the rebound was more impressive. The 0-0 result felt like a decent and pretty fair start to the season.

To be honest the most fun I had was in checking my phone to count the goals going in at the Wrexham and Notts County games. Both teams have been tipped by most pundits to be promoted again this season, so for both of them to concede five goals was hilarious. My newspaper of choice has Stockport as favourites for automatic promotion with Wrexham – whose retention of keeper Ben Foster is described as a "major coup" – and Notts County close behind, and Salford and Bradford bringing up the rear. Town were an afterthought in the play-off hopefuls category with the throwaway comment that "lots of player turnover at Grimsby may work to Paul Hurst's advantage." It was amusing to see that five of the six 'fancied' teams lost on Saturday. So much for pundits.

A mention for Arthur Gnahoua who signed a one-year deal on Saturday. He made a 20-minute cameo appearance replacing Vernam on the wing, but that's nowhere near long enough to form much of an impression. I do know his name is going to challenge Tanoy announcers around the grounds.

Arthur would have had a very much shorter cameo had there not been nine minutes of stoppage time that stretched to twelve. I know there have been rule changes this year designed to counteract time-wasting, but those at the game were mystified as to where all the extra time came from. If it's going to become the norm, those folk who walk down to the front of the Pontoon – or even leave the ground – with five minutes to go may need to have a rethink. They are going to look like lemons standing there for over quarter of an hour, and the odds of missing a late goal have massively increased. Not to mention messing with Paul Hurst's timetable for bringing on subs. It's going to be an interesting season.

UTM