Cod Almighty | Diary

Sweet dreams are made of these

29 November 2023

That was a bit of alright, wasn't it? David Artell's Mariners rose above soulless, depraved surroundings last night with a performance that delivered a mere point but plenty of hope. A humungous tally of eighteen shots on goal tells its own story but it was our approach play that caught the eye. Dare we say, some of it Buckleyian in its pace and smarts.

The Eisa brothers, perhaps with one eye on the goal and the other on avoiding an awkward family Christmas dinner, each spurned excellent chances to win the game. The latter miss came with the last meaningful kick of the game and left Daubney, and countless other Town fans no doubt, glad they'd chosen to wear brown trousers for the evening. Defeat would have been a case of "same old Town" so we'll take that late gasp chance screwing wide as an indication that perhaps Artell's xL (expected luck) data reads better than Paul Hurst's.

It's easy to get carried away but why not enjoy the feeling for a day or two with a bit of moderation. With hardly a day in the job and little time for the new coach to make a big impact, the performance does highlight that we've got a squad of capable players. So bear that in mind @RogerMellie1878, who in the summer told us the new signings were the "best fucking business ever" but last week reckoned the entire squad should be sold in January's window to Atletico Knackers Yard for a barrel of glue. With the glue optional. Like most hyperbolic praise and grumbling, the answer probably lies in between.

One position that GTFC will certainly be looking to fill during January is that of Chief Executive. The club announced this morning that Debbie Cook is leaving in February to become the EFL’s new Director of Community, a role responsible for overseeing the management of the their charitable arm, the EFL Trust. Debbie, who had never worked in football prior to joining Town, will have to go some to top the last two-and-a-half years, a transformational period which will surely dominate her CV if she ever has to apply for a job again.

Just as the club was doomed to rot from the head down under the previous regime, we've been destined to flourish under the current owners and Debbie. The new role at the EFL is obvious recognition of her part in our recent successes. All the best and here's hoping we'll look back at the new Head Coach as the best parting present you could have left us.

UTM.