Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Friday 14 December 2012

14 December 2012

Mardy Diary writes: They say no news is good news, but in this case it's more that no news is just plain old no news. The Telewag has a little interview with Nathan Pond where he loosely hypothesises about what he might like to do, but generally admits that he doesn't know what's happening. And the SNOS is trying to push yet another bloody gambling website. Christ.

To the inbox, then, and David Elsey has written in response to Tuesday's diary about derby matches. David suggests that the lack of antipathy of Hull supporters towards Town "is mainly due to the fact that we have only been in the same league as them for three seasons since 1966". True - and I wonder how many of those seasons we've been at least two divisions apart? Personally, although I feel no anger towards them, I've always considered Lincoln to be our true and proper rivals. And certainly if you look at the early history of the two clubs (which set up within seasons of each other), there's plenty of tit-for-tat going on between the two clubs. Some of it quite hilarious.

Pat Bell has written in response to a query from Mike Worden in yesterday's diary about small Town away followings. Pat says: "Mike's query reminds me of a tale about how a very small number of fans turned up for a midweek game, I think at Carlisle, after we had been involved in a big cup game a few days before. The manager, George Kerr, came over to thank them personally, and question their sanity. It was a frequently told anecdote among London Mariners in the late 80s, so no doubt someone will have fuller details." Pat adds: "We had another midweek match at Carlisle after the 1998 [Football League Trophy] final, of course - the one Carlisle refused to rearrange. I wonder how many Town fans made that one?"

I remember losing 4-0 away at Man City on a wet Tuesday night in October in 2001, and while there may have been between 30 and 100 Town fans there, it somehow felt a lot less. We were put in a corner stand that could only be described as 'scaffolding', which seemed to sway as the howling wind blew rain into our faces. We were never in the game and 3-0 down within 25 minutes. No-one said anything. We just sat there quietly in the rain taking our punishment.

After the fourth goal went in a City fan in the stand next to us stood up, turned to face us and shouted: "Fuck you, you fucking fishy fucking fish fuck bastards." I think in response there was just a collective sigh as we turned back to look at the pitch, for what it was worth. It sticks in my memory because I've never known another fan get so wound up by what was always a completely comfortable victory. God help him when his team loses. And those around him.

Our preview for tomorrow's FA Trophy game is up now so if you haven't already, go and have a look now. Have a good weekend.