Cod Almighty | Diary

Leaving on a jet plane

14 July 2026

Miss Guest Diary writes: So the Town team are now in Slovenia for their pre-season training camp. Close scrutiny of the teaser films posted yesterday by the club did not reveal any previously unknown signings, so there's nothing to report there. But the sight of the players boarding a small Cityhopper plane did cause a flashback to a previous lifetime, in a previous marriage, before I even knew the Mariners existed.

As you all probably know, Slovenia used to be part of the Republic of Yugoslovia, and years ago I went there a few times on holiday with my ex. On one of those trips we took an internal flight on a fairly small jet – Zagreb to Split I think, or maybe vice versa. Anyway, the plane was very crowded and it transpired that there was one seat short, and my husband was the one left standing – literally. He was allowed to sit in the flight attendant's seat for takeoff and landing, but for the rest of the 30-minute flight he had to wander around the plane. If the same thing happened on the Town team's flight, who do we think might be the player without a seat?

Judging from today's away kit release film, a couple of the squad might have travelled to Slovenia via Italy. Regular readers will know of my indifference to kits, but the film is beautiful and another triumph for the media team. Did you spot an appearance by the original shirt (provided by CA's own kit supremo) on which the new one is based? You can get your hands on the shirts in the club shop on Friday and online Monday.

Other news coming out of the club is that 1878 Memberships are now on sale at £20 for adults and £10 for juniors, providing a number of ticket benefits and discounts. Tickets for the League Cup game against Blackpool and the first home league game against Exeter have also gone on sale at £20 for adults and £10 for concessions.

The Mariners Trust fundraiser for the new wheelchair stand has now ended and installation is due to commence on 17 August, meaning that the first game for which it will be available is the Fleetwood game on 29 August. Well done to the Mariners Trust and to everyone who contributed.

Having resigned myself to no signing news until Town get back from their travels, my hopes were raised by a rumour on X that Arsenal's third choice keeper, Tommy Stetford, might be heading our way, only to be immediately dashed by wiser heads than mine pooh-poohing the news as an AI hoax. What isn't a hoax is the news from BBC Wiltshire that Ian Hollowman has been shown a red card at a pre-season game against Costa City in Spain after "an altercation with a member of the opposition". That man really is a lunatic.