Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Thursday 17 June 2004

17 June 2004

Names we were promised and names we have got. First up, Hull's longest serving player Justin Whittle has signed a one-year deal with the Mariners despite a similar new deal being on the table at the KC; Tahgers websites are incorrectly reporting that the player was tempted ovver the Umber by a two-year contract, possibly in disbelief that any footballer, let alone one so esteemed by HCFC fans, might prefer first-team action at a real football club to sitting on the bench at a council-subsidised one. And esteemed Whittle most certainly is. A 33-year-old Derby-born central defender, he was bought out of the army by Glasgow Celtic in 1994 before moving on to Stoke and then Hull in 1998, where he notched up 219 appearances. The player's strict military discipline is bound to be an asset at Blundell Park after last season's anything-goes defending, when the free-love back four notoriously refused to tackle for fear of damaging their karma.

Meanwhile, Sunderland defender Simon Ramsden is talking cash, perks and bonuses as we speak (presumably with John Fenty). The 23-year-old 23-year-old's first-team playing career at the Stadium of Light is less extensive than Whittle's record at Hull, totalling a grand 90 seconds of football in the former Mackems' FA Cup win over Ipswich in January. It is not known whether 'Ronnie', as the player will doubtless become known should he throw in his lot with the Mariners, actually touched the ball during this outing, but he spent the whole of the 2002-03 season on loan with Notts County, where he made 23 full appearances and 11 with a plastic spoon in his mouth. The Diary awaits despatches from our Nottingham correspondents on Ramsden's progress at Meadow Lane, and in the meantime we can amuse ourselves by browsing his own personal website. Bless.

A third target for Mr Slade - though not one who GTFC appear too keen to acknowledge publicly - appears to be Scarborough midfielder Scott Kerr, another former Hully, who made, ooh, loads of appearances for Russ's Seadogs last season. The Town manager's old club are attempting to fend off interest in the player from Blundell Park by threatening to "report Grimsby Town to the FA". Well, if that's your attitude, you can forget your high-profile pre-season friendly against us, pal!

And as former Notts County forwards go, Gary McSwegan sounds like the Lund to Tony Hackworth's Antoine-Curier, if you follow me. Slade has told the Grimsby Telegraph that the Kilmarnock striker "is certainly one on the long list of players I am interested in" but emphasises that he has not made an approach for the player at this stage. McSwegan has also turned out for Dundee United and Hearts and scored in one of his two appearances for the Scottish national team. Cor!

Finally, no sooner has the Diary just had a nice chat about Paul Groves with the estate agent who came round to value the house than Town's legendary former player and slightly less successful former manager signed for York City. The Conference side has awarded the 38-year-old Mr Groves a one-year deal to appear next season alongside his one-time GTFC teammates Kevin Donovan and Minstermen player-assistant manager Lee Nogan, who has told the York Evening Press that Groves "will also help us in the managerial department because he had a difficult time at Grimsby where they had no finances and, like ourselves, he had to cut the wage bill drastically." Bloody good luck to him, eh?