Cod Almighty | Writers
A Perfect Saturday at the Death of August 2024
6 September 2024
Saturday, what a day. Big Al, the Pontoon's poet in residence savours the moments while we can.
Dear Jason Stockwood
18 May 2024
Fed up with the trickle of tosh on the internet of imbecility, the Pontoon's Poet Laureate gives the club a public hug from us all
Sonnet 2023/24: Winter Love
8 May 2024
The Pontoon’s very own poet laureate lightly lacerates last season’s losers with some vaguely vicious verse
We're Beautiful South
6 May 2023
Our resident poet, Al Wilkinson, marks the coronation of King Harry with an ode to Town's joyous cup romp
Knowing us, knowing Alistair Wilkinson
27 March 2022
Poems! Poems, laddie! It's time for Al, the Bard of Blundell Park, telling tales of drunkenness and the cruelty of being a Town fan.
If I were King of Blundell Park
28 October 2021
Dreams of a perfect club, a perfect match, and a perfect Grimbarian day. Al Wilkinson imagines...
My time, my money
5 May 2021
Imagine being inside the head of John Fenty this cold May. That's what Al Wilkinson does in his latest poem
28th December 2020: a new Town
31 December 2020
This week's events could define a new era for Grimsby Town. They stirred Al Wilkinson to pen a new poem.
Something good
25 February 2019
Michael Jolley and his team are putting to bed a lot of bad memories, and Al Wilkinson is enjoying the ride
April and May 1998
19 April 2018
On the 20th anniversary of Town's first visit to Wembley, Al Wilkinson asks how long will the memories live
Footprint in the snow
19 March 2018
"A sad poem for a sad weekend". Al Wilkinson laments
There's a corpse on the floor while the Chairboys score
6 March 2017
Four thousand witnesses saw Town Gunned down last Saturday. Al reflects in verse
Of mice and monkeys
9 February 2017
With players, formations and tactics all in flux, Al Wilkinson turns to rhyme to try and make sense of the transformation
A rough guide to... Colchester United
1 August 2016
Like Town, Colchester can be likened to a vaquita. Let Al Wilkinson tell you why
Stuck
23 September 2013
The Bard of Blundell Park, Alistair Wilkinson, has seen enough of the "yellow-booted amateurs" who personify Town's decline
Something's back
3 January 2012
An excited Al Wilkinson celebrates his return to the football... and football's apparent return to Grimsby
I'll miss the winner but I can make a cracking dinner
11 October 2011
The bard of Blundell Park, Al Wilkinson, muses on his absence from the football this season
No more honeymoons
31 March 2011
Just two games into their reign, Hurst and Scott already look short on goodwill from the dwindling crowds at BP. Al Wilkinson is at the end of his tether
What can we expect?
14 March 2011
With the directors continuing to disgrace the club, Al Wilkinson looks back at Woods's sacking and forward with a heavy heart
A very happy New Year indeed
6 January 2011
After Town's spectacular start to 2011 Al Wilkinson considers whether there's now a realistic chance of promotion
We're not all in this together
5 December 2010
John Fenty says he feels our pain but Al Wilkinson feels patronised and belittled by the chairman's efforts at slumming it
All that glitters
4 November 2010
Cup competitions: a chance for glory or an excuse to miss a game? Al Wilkinson keeps his 15 quid in his pocket
Mardy
19 October 2010
Al Wilkinson manages to miss the Southport game and doesn't feel optimistic about the FA Cup
Frustration or enigma?
5 October 2010
Town's whole season could turn on the form of Peter Bore, says Al Wilkinson, who reckons the lad should stay at right-back
Almost away
7 September 2010
It's Al Wilkinson again, on two home wins with two contrasting performances against Histon and Luton
What did you expect?
7 September 2010
Fans are downgrading their hopes and dreams after some woeful home performances. Al Wilkinson joins them in a rueful mood
Fans, fantasies and febrile frustrations
30 August 2010
A philosophical look at Town's mixed start to the season from that man Al Wilkinson
The one that almost got away
23 August 2010
A cruel twist of fate saw Al Wilkinson consigned to a 16th year as a season ticket holder. And he thought his luck had changed
Rough Guide to... Kidderminster Harriers
1 July 2010
2010-11 Rough Guide to Kidderminster Harriers
Player profile: Peter Bore
1 July 2010
2010-11 player profile: Peter Bore
Stick or twist?
4 May 2010
Al Wilkinson looks at the pros and cons of sticking with Neil Woods
Not Man and Boy: True blood
21 January 2010
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
Player profile: Rob Atkinson
5 January 2010
2009-10 player profile: Rob Atkinson
Not Man and Boy: You couldn't make it up
11 August 2009
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
Not Man and Boy: Blundell Park is better than the telly
5 August 2008
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
Dying to survive
26 June 2008
Alistair Wilkinson returns with more verse
Not Man and Boy: Why
21 April 2008
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
A cold Tuesday night
28 March 2008
Alistair Wilkinson on Burnley
What we do will never do
15 February 2008
Alistair Wilkinson with more poetry
Autumn in two movements
18 October 2007
Double verse from Alistair Wilkinson
Not Man and Boy: Listening to Villa
18 September 2007
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
We get our kicks throwing sticks
30 August 2007
Alistair Wilkinson gives us some verse
Rough guide to... Rotherham United
12 July 2007
2007-08 rough guide to... Rotherham United
Apocalypse Now made the Doors sound good
15 June 2007
Poetic verse by Alistair Wilkinson
Not Man and Boy: Kick!
17 May 2007
Al Wilkinson tries in vain to get his children interested in football
Who laughs last?
13 March 2007
A lot of time has passed since the 'Bonetti incident', but it's Brian Laws who's done best out of those involved, argues Al Wilkinson
Six appeal
12 March 2007
More poetry from Al Wilkinson
What future for my children?
30 January 2007
Al Wilkinson brings the verse
The lodger's gone
20 November 2006
More poetry from Mr Wilkinson
A broken toaster on a crap roller coaster
2 October 2006
Alistair Wilkinson returns with more poetry
M + M = Crewe boo and Buried
4 September 2006
More verse from Alistair Wilkinson
Three games, three points; 43 to go...
16 August 2006
Alistair Wilkinson in verse
Rough guide to... Darlington
1 August 2006
2006-07 rough guide to... Darlington
Player profiles: Isaiah Rankin
30 July 2006
2006-07 player profiles: Isaiah Rankin
Rough guide to... Hereford United
18 July 2006
2006-07 rough guide to... Hereford United
London calling
31 August 2004
What's not to like about Charlton Athletic, argues Al Wilkinson
Ships that pass in the night
27 September 2003
Al Wilkinson reflects on the goalless draw away to Sheffield Wednesday
Feline groovy
16 September 2003
Town's role in the naming of Al Wilkinson's cat
Player profile: Aidan Davison
8 September 2003
2003-04 Player profile: Aidan Davison
Player profile: Tony Crane
8 September 2003
2003-04 player profile: Tony Crane
Player profile: Paul Groves
8 September 2003
2003-04 player profile: Paul Groves
A Grimsby disease
23 May 2003
Al Wilkinson on living in a town where most people don't support the Mariners: Grimsby