Cod Almighty | Diary

Next year is shorter

15 April 2024

Miss Guest Diary writes: Are we there yet? Where? Safety, of course. Well, that depends. According to many of the Town Twitter users the answer seems to be yes. Older, and possibly wiser, heads are a little more cautious, insisting Town need another point. Included in these older heads is Tony Butcher, CA's match reporter, and David Artell, the Town manager. Neither, it seems, is in the business of counting sheep. Maybe it's a dour Yorkie thing – after all Mr A was born in Rotherham and Mr B (whisper it) is from Yorkshire stock. So adamant was Artell, in his post-match interview he repeatedly contradicted the interviewer, who seemed very keen to put out the bunting.

I would like to take a teeny bit of credit for the glorious 3-0 victory on Saturday, which I achieved remotely from the cricket at Trent Bridge. How so? Well, I've been to Crewe three times in my Town-supporting career and never seen them win. The last time was the 5-0 loss in 2017, just after Artell had taken over as their manager, where we managed to concede four in the first half hour, on top of which I felt ill for most of that day. This had me vowing never to go there again, so I did not witness last year's 3-0 victory; the first time Town had beaten Crewe at their own ground this century. Much as I hate superstition and magical thinking, if my not going on Saturday could tip the scales of fate even a little bit in Town's favour I was willing to stay away. And it worked!

My only regret is that I once again missed Toby Mullarkey scoring a goal. Having sponsored his shirt this year, it's a little galling that his only two goals have come in games in the north west which I haven't been at. Maybe he can put that right in one of the remaining games of the season, especially having mastered the trick of getting on the end of Duck Farm's long throw.

Does looking at who might be our opponents in the fourth division next season qualify as counting chickens? If so, then I'm guilty. We have already lost Stockport and Wrexham, both promoted at the weekend, and most likely gained Carlisle and Fleetwood from the division above. Not quite a like-for-like swap in terms of travelling, but heading that way. Mansfield are probably going too but will be replaced in the midlands by already-promoted Chesterfield. The other arrivals and departures are still in the balance, but may also achieve some symmetry. Replacing Forest Green with Cheltenham, Sutton or Colchester with Barnet or Bromley, and the team who shall neither be mentioned nor visited with Burton or Port Vale would suit me fine.

But that is all pie in the sky until Town get that crucial extra point. On to Colchester tomorrow.

UTFM!