Cod Almighty | Diary

Don't worry, be happy

25 March 2024

Miss Guest Diary writes: You know how sometimes you'll read about a game you've been to, or have a conversation with someone else who was there and you'll end up thinking "Were they at the same game as me?" Well, I had that feeling on Saturday at Blundell Park when I heard over the tannoy that the sponsor's man of the match, as chosen by Wilkin Chapman, was Arthur Gnahoua. Really? Really!!

Now I've got nothing against Arthur and it was a decent goal, but it made no difference to the result. To favour someone who has been on the pitch for half an hour over others who have been playing their full part for the entire game is incomprehensible to me. How could they not see what a valuable role Harry (he's one of our own) Clifton played in running from one end of the pitch to the other, helping out in defence and then getting forward to launch attacks, not to mention actually setting up the goal? Or if they're among those who think that Harry's occasionally wayward passing negates all the other things he does, then what about Toby Mullarkey? He got the better of Paul Mullin on at least three occasions and was the staunchest of the back three. Does that not deserve recognition?

I'm definitely going to think twice about employing Wilkin Chapman the next time I need a solicitor if their judgement is that skewed!

Someone on Twitter has come out with the fact that Town have won only 16 of their last 66 home games in the football league, i.e. roughly one win in four. This season the ratio is not quite as bad with seven wins out of 20 games, making one in three a win. I'm not sure what this is supposed to prove really. How crazy we all are to keep going? A justification for the increasingly poor atmosphere, or for the number of people who leave way before the match ends?

So here's another figure for you – in the last Bananarama season Town won 15 out of 23 games at Blundell Park, thus proving that on a game by game basis it's way more fun being in non-league. I heard someone say on a podcast the other day when talking about teams which yo-yo between divisions – like Town have in recent years – it's much better when you go into games with expectation rather than fear. I second that. Now I'll just sit back and wait for people to tell me I don't know what I'm talking about and explain why Town must stay in the football league.

I'm not saying I want Town to be relegated but these last few months have been quite wearing on the nerves. No matter how much we might tell ourselves that it's ridiculous to be worrying about football in a world where others are worrying about being bombed or where their next meal is coming from, it's impossible to stop. So, whatever the outcome, I will be quite pleased when this season ends in a month's time and we can all have a breather before the worry starts again next season.

UTM