Cod Almighty | Diary

Don't mistake unique for weird

14 June 2024

And just as I was about to publish today’s diary to the world, the Mariners announce our second signing of the summer! Jordan ‘He’s not wrong’ Wright has joined us from our dear neighbours down the A46 on a two-year deal and will likely start the season as our first choice keeper.

Jordan’s name had been circulating on the Fishy’s Official Summer Transfer Rumour thread, which has just wended its merry way into its 130th page. Maths never was my strong suit at school, but that’s currently one signing for every 65 pages of rumours, disagreements, arguments, and someone mentioning Hitler.

Meaningful international football is back on the menu from today, ladies and gentlemen, which just might assuage the cravings of Town’s more pugnacious fans who simply want more news of new players to be injected straight into their veins. England underperforming and/or Southgate underusing his best players in Germany will at least provide David Artell and Town’s crack marketing team with some respite, you’d think — while also giving fans of the other home nations (and, let’s face it, the rest of Europe) a giggle at the team’s impending misfortune.

It's certainly been a busy week at Blundell Park. In addition to Wright signing (on Pip’s Chips’ blackboard), Polly Bancroft officially started her role as club CEO, Alex Hunt officially traded the Mariners for the Minstermen, some additional friendlies were announced, the main stand’s losing its posts, and there was also the kit release.

Now, I sense your West Yorkshire Diary bucks the trend somewhat in not being totally head over heels in love with this season’s effort. But please don’t immediately hate me because I’ve seen the wider reaction to its release, I’ve seen the huge effort that went into designing it, I thought the video was great, and I get that retro is very popular.

So, all in all, it’s a hit. Just not with me. The plain white sleeves make the central body of stripes look like a tank top and the collar doesn’t look like it can be unbuttoned at the front. But hey, it screams Tony Rees and makes me think of a certain Swiss chemical company and my shoegaze collection. It’s a shame only a limited number of shirts will be on sale ahead of Father’s Day. That was a bit of a miss.

Football fans love tradition, clearly, and they love anything that makes them (and their club) unique. Which is why I’m also a little disappointed that the red socks have been ditched in favour of white. It’s not a biggie, of course, but it’s the cumulative effect of retaining these little details, intricacies and, to some degree, eccentricities that will stop us from bleeding into the grey sludge that exists out there. None of those other monochrome clubs thought to wear red socks with their stripes, did they? No. Red socks with a black and white kit belongs to us. So there.

Yesterday’s excellent diary raised many points. It was provocative, but not in a Robbie Savage sort of way. It asked tough questions, which all fans should do of any owners, irrespective of their background or wealth. There is an uneasy dependency on a future that is spoken of but may not ultimately arrive. What then? Good question. However, what I do know about our owners is that they are truly diligent and caring people, and I don’t doubt they have the best interests of the club and the community at heart. I can’t think of better people to be running things for us.

So then, as briefly mentioned earlier, we now have the joy of six pre-season friendlies! Rotherham, which has given us our previous manager and current manager, will be heading to the coast following our games at Boston, Alfreton, York, Cleethorpes and Grimsby Borough. Given the remedial work being carried out on everyone’s favourite wooden stand, it’s likely home matches of any sort are being scheduled as late into the summer as possible to accommodate any potential complications from removing more things that are red and symbolic of the club.

Although getting rid of these is something I’m happy to back (as quirky as they were).

There’s your Friday digest. Now, go and do normal person things before the Euros kick off tonight. UTM!