Cod Almighty | Diary
Coast to coast on the campaign trail
22 January 2021
At last, it's Matchday Eve! I don't know how you are handling whatever tier you're in but Town games are all that Daubney Diary looks forward to. The explanation for the 1pm kick-off tomorrow at Scunny was too boring or stupid for me to remember but it matters not one whit, for it means two hours less to wait for our lockdown raison d'etre.
Yes, praying that your wifi holds up in eager anticipation of watching 91st v 89th is a sign that Things Have Gone Very Wrong. That's before we get to the prospect of the spotty iFollow intern, Billy McSwirly-Graphic, cutting to show a slow motion replay of a throw-in during your team's only attack of the game.
Who's going to be to doing our attacking tomorrow? Paul Hurst added to his midfield options yesterday with Jay Matete following in the footsteps of Nathan Pond and Alan Goodall to join us on loan from Fleetwood. I haven't got the Things Have Gone Very Wrong manual to hand but I'm pretty sure ten years of welcoming loans from Fleetwood has a chapter to itself in there. No disrespect to the likes of Fleetwood, obviously.
And a welcome is what we offer young Jay, as well as an apology for the longest three minutes of his life yesterday. The cauldron of a local derby with no fans in a ground that looks like a B&Q will be a doddle after that. Sort it Ladsons.
As well as Matete and the week's other signing, Rollin Menayese, Hurst may have Filipe Morais and Danny Rose available with both having returned to training. For a team starved of goals or even attacks, the prospect of Morais and a fully-functioning Jim Hanson in the team is something to crave. Ask Bradford fans, for whom the pair were very effective together.
A word for Matt Green here as well. The whole side has obviously looked low on confidence in the past few months and Green has come in for a chunk of criticism online. Hurst has already been questioned for persisiting with him. We have limited options up front but you can see how Green was missed when he went off last week against Southend. We barely crossed halfway and the ball didn't stick at all without him. So don't throw a wobbler when he starts again tomorrow. He's just another in a line of strikers that have struggled to score at Town. Many have thrived elsewhere, indicating that lack of service must be a factor.
What of plucky Scunny? Owner Peter Swann was on the Iron Bru podcast this week and, proving that lockdown has truly got the better of me, I dipped in for a listen. Town fans know a wobbly owner when they hear one and I can confirm that they are in big trouble. They have no contingency in place or contract clauses in the event of relegation. Because 'it's not going to happen' according to Swann. Famously, he said something similar prior to relegation from division three. This type of odd, chip on shoulder behaviour is familiar as well:
Well, very disappointingly, my request to attend tomorrow's derby has been rejected by @SUFCOfficial. I've asked the club for the reason as to why this is the case... #GTFC #IRON
— James Findlater (@JamieFin_) January 22, 2021
Anyway, good luck to them after tomorrow. As long we stay up, I'd always wish to be playing them than Stevenage.
Right, I'll let you get back to Great Grimsby Day. Who knows how it's become a thing but browsing the hashtag will make you proud to be GY and, if an exile like me, make you miss the place like mad. As our contribution, here's a piece from when we asked you lot what made Grimsby great. Enjoy.