Cod Almighty | Diary
Diary - Monday 17 May 2004
17 May 2004
What's the difference between Grimsby Town FC and the DJ at the indie night that the Diary went to on Saturday? Well, if truth be told, their differences are probably many - but the one that concerns us here is that Chris didn't play CSKA Sofia but the Mariners will. Yes, despite the Diary's request, the fourth track from the first Ladytron album was not heard all night; but GTFC have contrived to land a friendly against the 28-times champions of Bulgaria. CSKA visit Blundell Park on Monday 26 July, prompting Town's official website to list "some of the European teams Town have met in the past": Bohemians of Prague, Saarbrucken, Brondby, and of course the Japanese national team. The Japanese national team? "NOT European!" chuckles the OS, bless its little cotton HTML tags.
Confused? A lot of Town fans are, if the polls about their choice of new manager are any indication. The Grimsby Telegraph ought to know that Steve Cotterill has turned down several more attractive management jobs than the Blundell Park one since being turfed out of Sunderland over a year ago; but this doesn't stop the local paper offering Cotterill's name as one of the options in its clicky-votey "who should replace Nicky Law?" thing. The Mariners' official website, meanwhile, has gone one step further still into the realms of the ridiculous, as the name of Gorgeous George Graham has come up in fourth place in its version of democracy. We're just not setting our sights high enough, though, are we? Let's see some ambition here. I reckon they should give it to John Lennon.
In case you missed it, youthful full-back Wes Parker has been released, which is a shame because the Diary always thought he looked OK, but he's been poorly, apparently. Similarly callow attacking midfield type Giovanni Carchedi has been offered a new month-to-month deal as he recovers from the nasty cruciate/patella combo that kept him out of action for almost all of the 2003-04 season. It's an injury, not food poisoning.
The Diary was a little befuddled at the weekend - as, in fact, the Diary is most weekends; but this time it was because football still happened, despite the season being over. Some of this football, it appears, was of a play-off nature, and those who retain an unhealthy interest in the exploits of former Grimsby players will be overjoyed to note the appearance of Danny Butterfield on the scoresheet for Crystal Palace in their 3-2 win over Sunderland. They love him in south London, you know. Iffy Onuora, meanwhile, opened the scoring in Huddersfield's 2-1 win at Lincoln, so if his usefulness hasn't already been put into belated perspective for Town fans by the end-of-season form of Darren Mansaram and Mickael Antoine-Curier then at least he's done his bit to try and ensure four Lincolnshire teams in Division Three next season.