Cod Almighty | Diary

Five is the magic number

29 August 2024

We’re five games into the new season and the same old discussions have already surfaced. Tuesday night’s League Cup defeat to Wednesday summed us up rather aptly — an encouraging first half that won a few hearts and minds and gave us a brief glimpse into what might be possible, then a sobering second half that threw cold water all over any enthusiasm and brought us back down to earth with a rather rude bump.

Of course, there were mitigating circumstances. Wednesday are two divisions higher and made the sort of changes mid-match that we could never compete with. There was no shame in losing the second half and, had we lost it while being competitive, I think we’d have all gone home quietly. Losing it so badly, though, only encouraged questions and discussion.

It’s amazing; almost a year to the day your West Yorkshire Diary boasted about the rarity of visiting teams scoring five at Blundell Park. Since writing that article, it’s happened four times in eight months.

The previous four spanned 52 years.

Our owners knew this wasn’t going to be an easy ride. They’ve made tremendous investments to improve infrastructure and match day experiences, which we’ve all seen and felt. There’s no doubt we’re a more professional outfit, from top to bottom. This increases our chances of success in the future.

What happens on the pitch was always going to be the last piece in the jigsaw puzzle. As I understand it, Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit have now converted the club’s debt, owed to them, into shares. We couldn’t be in better hands.

It’s a time to be optimistic about our future, more now than ever. This is a long-term project, but what nibbles away at me is the on-field investment delivering four of our worst home defensive performances in half a century, and that shouldn't be something that we gloss over. Any other manager at any other time would have come under scrutiny for such defensive crimes.

If this is the project we’re committing to, we’ll need to see something different this season. Defensive calamities with record season ticket sales isn't a pairing that will last.

Town have already got the better of Saturday's opponents this season, which is handy. What will settle the nerves is a competitive display, while anything loose will probably fuel the discussions further.

If we're finding solace by claiming we'll win when we're able to name a full-strength side, then this is a worry. Most managers know we'll need the full squad over the course of the season. This is the squad we've built. This is the squad we have. It's enough to beat Bradford, but the players have to be at the very top of their game.

Let's hope that's the case. They've got the coaching, the environment, and all the professional support they need to become better players. There is simply nothing to fear in this division.

UTM!