Time for a confession. I’ve been had, hook, line and sinker.
For weeks, if not months, I’ve completely bought Ian Holloway’s assurances that Grimsby Town weren’t in the market for Omar Bogle.
The reasoning all added up. He’d been playing in the Championship, so his wages would be too high for a club like Town, especially at this time, and his ambitions would surely lie above League Two.
When the rumours began bubbling up again last week, I didn’t take them too seriously, especially given they’d come from the most obscure of sources, and another batting back of the suggestions from the Mariners boss was enough to convince me there was nothing to it.
So, just seven days later, you can imagine my surprise when, midway through talking about how he’d missed out on one of his targets, Holloway casually slipped in the fact that the club had in fact been talking to Bogle. There’s playing your cards close to your chest, and then there’s this.
Still, it would seem that the rumours may finally be able to come to an end, with the Town boss revealing that a potential move had “fallen flat on its face”.
Cue the heartbreak and anguish from the black and white army who, understandably given his history with the club, had been praying a return to the Mariners could be on the cards ever since it was announced he was being released by Cardiff City.
It may well be a tough one to take for the supporters, particularly after finding out they were much closer than anyone had perhaps realised, but that shouldn’t be a cue to give up all hope for this season – rather, it should have the exact opposite effect.
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In targeting Bogle, Holloway and the club have not only shown they’re going after a big name to try and take them to the next level on the pitch, but they’ve shown they know want the fans want.
Given everything that’s gone in the last few months, it’s hard to truly feel much excitement about football at the moment.
Yes, fans may be able to return to stadiums soon, but only in a reduced capacity, and even then the possibility of everything being brought to a grinding halt once again looms over us, with no-one knowing what any given day will bring.
Holloway knew what he was doing when he denied any interest in Bogle. Had it all gone to plan, there would have been euphoria among supporters, and even without being able to watch him in person, suddenly the hunger for Town would be back.
It looks like the move won’t happen now, but even so, Holloway may have achieved the desired effect.
#GTFC lit up once again, and interest in the club was perhaps at its highest for months, even if it wasn’t quite the news fans had been hoping for. Those supporters have been reminded that their club is still there, and there are reasons to get excited about this team.
Furthermore, even though the move apparently no longer having legs, there could still be some hope – Bogle is, after all, a free agent, and the longer he remains that way, the more attractive a return to Town becomes. Holloway has already said he may look at what options are available after the transfer window closes.
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Plus, given his approach so far, who knows whether this is in fact an elaborate double (or should that be triple at this point?) bluff just to add a bit more excitement when the signing is revealed? It’s unlikely, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise if that was the case.
Holloway said he hoped the signing of Bogle would reignite the fans’ interest at a time when it’s perhaps hard to get excited about football – but even in missing out on him, he seems to have done the trick.