Cod Almighty | Diary

News stew

3 December 2019

Who was the last Town caretaker to win a game? Daubney Diary needed a good think about this. Devon Diary provided the question and an answer, which I'll share later in the diary. That's after a quick shop around the 17 registered Town hashtags to cook up a news stew. Eat my goaalll.

Take a look at what you could have won. Our conquerors in the Cup, Newport County, face a trip to Millwall in round three. What else is hiding behind Bully's prize board? An Irish journo has got his Casio calculator out and reckons Podge's scoring in eight consecutive rounds has swollen the County coffers by €1.7 million.

By massive coincidence, that's roughly the sum we now owe John Fenty. Price of Football dude, Kieran Maguire, borrowed the Casio to break down the GTFC annual report for 2018/19. As we piddle about the basement in a state of joyless futility, console yourself that the majority shareholder trousered another 250k of your cash last season. Another six seasons of this and we'll be quits! I hope all six remaining fans of the club will party like it's 2026.

It's a damn shame. Rob McIlveen's eagerly awaited Champions book continues to simmer away and yesterday he quoted the mighy Terry Donovan from the build up to the 1979 quarter final with Wolves. "...when the team is doing well the town starts to buzz". I miss that buzz. A nod and a smile at your scarf from the bus driver, a passing "Up the Mariners!" at your shirt on the prom, aunts and uncles all knowing the score as students of the Telegraph back pages. Wistful sigh.  

Is Anthony Limbrick the man to #bringbackthebuzz? He's been speaking to Liam Wood about Little Harry's role in the side. Interesting stuff and an explanation for Hess looking like a man who's decided he fancies scoring a few. Among the many positives from the Cheltenham game were the performances of Harry and Ahkeem and there was more good news on the young 'un front over the weekend. The youth team had a fine win, coming from behind to snatch a late winner against Neil Woods's old charges, Walsall. 

The reserves are in action today at Donny and at the rate I'm going, will probably be in the showers by the time this diary is posted. 

In other club news, presale tickets are available to season ticket holders for our cup final against Scunny later this month. Surprising: our season already peaked with the win at Chelsea, and not even a massive billboard on the A180 of Hursty cupping his ears will get this crowd over 6,000.  

Before the Iron, we host Swindon this weekend and there will be a pre-game collection at the corner of Imperial Avenue for the Rock Foundation Foodbank. Also worthy of praise are Crystal Palace; they've announced that they are again opening an emergency shelter for the homeless. Sad days that these are required but important to note the positive role a club can play in a community on both fronts.

So who was the last caretake manager to win? Devon reckoned the answer was Dave Moore in 2011. Is he right? While I was digging about for proof, I found that Michael Leary was a Town fan as a youngster. What, how? He's a cockernee. Answer that one for us while you are at it.