Cod Almighty | Diary

You fill me with inertia

16 February 2026

Miss Guest Diary writes: At the risk of sounding like an ungrateful curmudgeon, can I just say thank goodness that's out of the way. Yesterday's FA Cup game against Wolves has been looming over us for weeks and now it's done. We can forget it; once I have finished writing this diary and later editing the CA match report, I don't expect it to cross my mind again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the camp which says forget the cups and concentrate on getting promotion, but this particular cup campaign has not felt remotely inspiring. Though, let's face it, after the magnificent victory against Manchester United back in August, nothing short of winning at Anfield (again) could have floated our boat.

David Artell is right to say that reaching the fourth round in both cup competitions is a fine achievement and great sign of progress for the team, but he can't gloss over the facts of this FA Cup campaign. When Town went on their magnificent cup run three years ago, culminating in a quarter-final match at Brighton, we played higher league opposition in every round. This year we beat three non-league teams at home to arrive at this weekend's match; and then we drew the team rooted to the bottom of the premiership. Wolves had won only four games this season – two of those wins were against fellow relegation prospects West Ham and one against Shrewsbury, who Town have already beaten twice.

Consequently there was no glamour in the tie, no delicious anticipation of a giant killing, and the atmosphere reflected that. Yes, we turned up in our numbers and gave it a good go for about 20 minutes but the excitement wasn't really there. Around me there was definitely more anxiety about the state of the pitch and would it be playable for Wednesday's game than concern for the result. With Wolves three divisions above Town they were odds on to win; and so it came to pass in the most tedious fashion with each team having just one shot on target. Theirs went in, ours didn't. End of story.

Having rubbished the occasion, I must say that I think our team were magnificent on the day. A particular shout out to the midfield pairing of Turi and Khouri and, of course, the marauding Harvey Rodgers and the ever-reliable McJannet who did really well to cope with man-mountain Tolu Arokadare. Both Khouri and Rodgers are out of contract in June; I really, really hope the club are going to make them offers they can't refuse.

Results at the weekend in our division fell quite kindly for Town who dropped only two places in the table and are still only two points off the play offs. Somewhat hilariously, Wednesday's opponents Walsall seem to be having a bit of a meltdown with their board issuing a statement reminiscent of those bad old days when a different player each week would be put forward to tell the Grimsby Telegraph "Yeah, we know Town have been shit lately but we promise to do better." Apparently Walsall are "chomping at the bit for the Grimsby Town game to come around, which gives us the opportunity to get back on track and attack the final third of the season both positively and aggressively."

Go get 'em Town (assuming the pitch is playable)!