The Diary

27 August 2003: The Great Turkey-Shoot That Wasn't

Greetings, again, from a very frustrated GD Towers. Nothing of an intimate nature, I hasten to add, simply that I?ve not long finished watching the United-Dingles game ? and in my opinion, United were lucky to walk away with all three points. Was it me, or did they really play like they?d never clapped eyes on each other before the game? OK, I realise there were some established first-teamers missing from the United line-up for various reasons, but even so, defensively, they looked rather vulnerable ? why give those eejits the amount of space on the edge of the box they did? - and only that double-substitution late-doors put a bit more pazzaz into what they were doing up-front. Even so, the Dingles could still quite easily have nicked a point. One thing, though; they only lasted just under ten minutes before conceding. Last season, when we played them at their place on the opening day, it took a sending-off, and most of the second half before they finally managed to put us away. Anyone else notice something ? that the referee, Graham Poll, seemed to give them more in the way of decisions then we ever had from him? Or am I just too world-weary from watching our lot at similar venues last season?

It?s really looking as though we?ll have one hell of a following at Pride Park on Saturday Having shifted around 3,000 already, Albion have now been sent 1,000 more tickets by a no doubt grateful Derby County, so the noise level from our lot should well and truly blow the Rams? best vocal efforts right over the horizon and, with luck, into nearby Nottinghamshire. Just before I started compiling this piece, someone on the Boing mailing list commented we hadn?t won there in the League since 1919, but also ? and get this ? the one and only time we did lay our grubby mitts on the (old) First Division title was in that season also! The punch line? Simple. The nice shiny trophy that?s currently awarded to the eventual winners of our division is the very same one we lifted then ? so make of that what you will.

Just another thought about our forthcoming game; those of you who plan to park in the technical college grounds, then make your way to the ground via the riverbank, watch out for Japanese soldiers who haven?t been told the war?s over! No, I haven?t totally flipped my lid; its just that when we played Derby in the League Cup about three seasons ago, we left the Dickmobile at the college, then embarked on that 20 minute walk, and to say the path was so overgrown with leafy detritus it resembled a jungle is no exaggeration, especially on our return after dark. In fact, so tickled was I with the thought of several of Hirohito?s mates wreaking surreptitious havoc on stray Albionites in there, I called The Noise?s missus up on our mobile and informed her that the main breadwinner would be late returning from the game because he?d just been accosted by a bunch of ?em! A rotten trick, really, as Jane constantly worries about her other half when he goes a-gallivanting to the footie, but worth it just to hear her gasp in distinctly-panicked tones, ?What? WHAT??????.? at the other end. Just as well she knows me and my warped sense of humour, really.

I noticed that JR was appealing today against being fined a week?s wages for some comments or other made on his website while he recovered from a pre-season groin injury. I don?t know what the outcome was ? Jase and his uncle Cyrille were due to see Jeremy Peace about the matter ? but it strikes me, the best thing we can do in Jason?s case is find him another club ? and quickly. He?s certainly not going to fall back into favour while Megson occupies the managerial seat, so the best thing to do is to cut our losses and give the bloke a chance to make it with another club. It?s a shame, really, as I?m convinced he would have rediscovered his old appetite for goal back in the First ? and, partnering Hughsie up front, who knows how things might have panned out? Right now, all we have is a highly-talented but rapidly-depreciating asset sitting in the stands, which makes no sense, financial or otherwise. It?s also achieving little in the way of disciplinary measures, but festering in the mind of the player a long, slow burn against the club, its manager, and its directors. I can?t help but feel when we finally do say goodbye to the player, we?re going to regret it, one way or another.

And finally?.. Did I really hear the home crowd at Old Trafford sing ?You?re just a town full of Dingles!? at the away supporters tonight? If I?m right, there?s only one place they could have got that term from, so here?s a rare, but richly-deserved ?well done, chaps!? from this normally anti-Manc column.

 - Glynis Wright

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