Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 13 May 2004

13 May 2004

If you're not miserable enough already this week, the Diary has a tale to tell which will likely plunge you into such paroxysms of despair as would make Leonard Cohen sound like Kris Akabusi exhaling nitrous oxide. Cast your mind back, reader, to 28 April, when Town were still a second division football club, and to a reserves fixture against Doncaster, which saw a young trialist on the Mariners' left wing: one Simon Hackney, who has bagged 17 goals for Woodley Sports this season in the North West Counties League and attracted the interest of several league clubs. On his arrival in the BP changing room, the player - a graduate of Liverpool's youth academy - had got chatting to a small young central defender on Town's books, who was also turning out for the stiffs that afternoon. "Where are you from?" asks small young central defender. Simon explains that his residence is in the Greater Manchester area. "What the fucking hell are you doing coming all this way to a shithole club like this then?" demands small young central defender. Hackney was also due to turn out for Town's reserves against Boston last Wednesday and in tonight's Lincolnshire Cup final against Scunthorpe, but did not play at York Street and will not now be appearing tonight - having secured a trial with another club.

Also taking no part in tonight's match is Paul Groves, whose short-term contract with the Iron is not being renewed. The GTFC legend joined Scunny as a player in February after his dismissal as Town manager and netted three times in thirteen appearances but is not among the names on Brian Laws' retained list, which was announced yesterday. Probably for the best; had he been named to turn out against the Mariners this evening, Groves would inevitably have had the game of his life.

One man who will be among the 22 on duty at Glanford Park this evening, however, is Aidan Davison. The fading custodian has been out of action with muscle rip since the win over Luton in February but returns to duty tonight; a good job, too, with Alan Fettis having gone back to Hull and Andy Pettinger still suffering finger crack.

Given the number of times they are cited as knowing something blindingly obvious, all the tribes in the heart of the Peruvian jungle must surely now have been discovered. Either way, even they have emailed the Diary to say Nicky Law won't be kept on as Grimsby manager, and the rumours they are a-flyin' as to the identity of Law's replacement. Peter bleedin' Shirtliffe? Do me a lemon. Town's official website is all "Meeting? What meeting?" and so there's not a lot further we can go with that right now. Mr Furneaux? Telephone call from Mr Buckley...