Cod Almighty | Diary

But now I’ve seen that something, just out of reach glowing, Very Holy Grail

30 November 2023

Your Guest Diarist, fresh in from the frozen fens where he skelled himsen arse over tit on a slape corsey and ended up spreadeagled in front of a fast approaching e-scooter. Not a pretty sight but the Lithuanian commuter was very solicitous although he politely refused my request to have a go on it. Old man falls, however caused, make you realise that life is short and getting shorter. So I was musing about what had been a constant throughout my life in my nearly three score years and ten. Ignoring the obvious the immediate list was fairly short. Grimsby Town, The Beatles, Coronation Street, Bobby Charlton. Corrie came to mind mainly because I have made the conscious decision to dump it after 60 years. It used to be funny and reflect real life but the latest storylines and characters are not what you'd call entertainment. Bobby has gone, the Beatles should stick with their back catalogue, but the Mariners go on forever - constantly renewing but still somehow more or less the same.

It was a good game on Tuesday night. There were sporadic pearls of the vintage Town passing game. Both sides playing good football with end-to-end goal menace. Conteh and Hunt impressed, Clifton was back to his old bright-eyed bushy-tailed self. I still think Conteh always appears to be playing in third gear, which is great when he effortlessly mops up potential defensive calamities but not so great when our attacks start. He is a bit of a jogger (we had one of those once before). it will be interesting to see if his playing style changes under the new manager over the rest of the season.

As for Mr Artell. Well I have to confess my instinct, as a forever contrary bugger, is to say it Artle rather than Artell. But either way it still scans. So what will constitute a successful tenureship for our new Head Coaching team? Football League survival? Well given the state of the club on arrival that should be an absolute given and will not earn brownie points. Promotion would come at the other end of the scale. A good cup run? Well we just had one of those and they tend to be once in a generation things. How about say four academy players in the first team squad within three years? If they got us even within striking distance of promotion and did that they would do for me. Let's wish David and Shaun all the best, be brave comrades, we are all behind you.

Before I sign off to get some germolene on me knee, I just wondered if any data-driven readers could tell me whether Town do better with bearded managers over bald ones. Surely the baldies have it at the minute but maybe our new bearded wonder can even up the score. See yer.