Cod Almighty | Diary

I don't do perms, I don't do Harrogate

11 August 2025

Miss Guest Diary writes: I didn't make it to Saturday's game; there’s just something about me and Harrogate – my only actual visit there was the FA Cup qualifier in the non-league days, which is memorable only for a sighting of the legend that is John McDermott, and some red kites circling in the distance. Since then there has always been a really good reason why I didn't make it to Wetherby Road – Covid 19 lockdown, ticket portal snafu, a game postponed when half way up the A1, hip replacement surgery – until this weekend, that is. I don't really know why I let someone else have my ticket for Saturday. Maybe I simply looked at Town's away record at Harrogate, thought about the amazing performance against Crawley and couldn't face the prospect of a let down.

Would it have been a let down? Well, an injury time equaliser is always going to make a draw feel almost like a win but, judging by what I have read, Town's performance was more akin to what we became used to last season than the dynamic Buckleyesque treat of the opening day. Maybe Town can only mount spectacular performances against lackadaisical teams, and when the opposition put in a strong effort, as Harrogate obviously did on Saturday, we revert to the same old defensive mistakes and missed chances.

Well, there's plenty more games coming up this month for us to find out, starting with Shrewsbury in the League Cup tomorrow. They've yet to score a goal this season, drawing their first game 0-0 at home to Bromley, and losing 4-0 away at Tranmere (though they did have a player sent off). Like Crawley, they came down from League One last season, but I have no idea whether they will be any good tomorrow. What I do know is they have a very experienced manager in Michael Appleton whose previous teams have all played in higher divisions.

I could also start speculating about who might or might not feature for Town – I'm hoping Jamie Walker will get a start as he looks a really good ball player – but it would be just that, speculation. Sometimes I long for the days of small squads and fewer substitutions when you pretty much knew from week to week who would be in the starting line up.

I can tell you the club are running a Fish & Chip Special in McMenemy's before the game – priced at £40 with a match ticket or £20 without. But I'll be in Ocean's down St Peters Avenue – the pre-match fish and chip emporium of choice for my friends and me since Ernie Beckett's went all takeaway a few years ago. Maybe see you there.

UTM