Deadline day shenanigans - Mark Cooper, Lisa Baldwin, Andy Parkinson, & Antonio Murray

"Nobody has given the bloke a chance since he was appointed 10 games ago and he has had to deal with one fiasco after another. I am of course unhappy that the results have not changed but at the same time I am not ready to throw the towel in as quick as others appear to be."

Anybody who read Darragh McAnthony's hilarious rant on the P*sh website last week would quickly deduce that the Irishman is not a happy man. But his decision to part company with Mark Cooper still represents a remarkable volte face after the above comments. The scummers are now looking for their third manager of the season, and we can only hope Cooper's departure is the catalyst for the return of Barry Fry to the managerial hotseat. Baz oversaw their last relegation from the Championship, so it seems only right that he should once more take the wheel of their rapidly sinking ship.

Not that we have much room to chuckle seeing as we now have Gareth Baldwin in our midst, a man for whom the truth has always been a fluid concept. Witness his denial in the CEN last week that his wife, Lisa, would be the new U's secretary: "But Baldwin denied speculation wife Lisa would reprise her role as Histon secretary at United following Wayne Purser's resignation - if he were to join the club. He said: 'People are putting two and two together and making 27. It's nothing I'm aware of and my understanding is the club are advertising the job."

So today's news that his spouse has been appointed as Wayne Purser's successor must've been a shock to Gareth. Better communication needed in the Baldwin house perhaps. I don't doubt that we've appointed a very capable individual, and probably the best candidate available, but the timing of this decision stinks like a block of vintage roquefort.

Anyway, in terms of player movement it's been quiet as a mouse at the Abbey, with rumours that Lingy was interested in Coventry's legendary keeper Steve Ogrizivic and disgraced Chelsea skipper John Terry proving to be spurilous. We have managed to ship out Andy Parkinson and replace him ex-Histon man Antonio(p) Murray, a deal which, if you believe certain posters on the CUFC messageboard, actually happened in the summer. Very strange that it's taken him so long to arrive, but at least he's here now I suppose.

I don't really have any strong opinions on Murray, other than that his head is a bit of a funny shape, but it's unlikely he can be worse than Parky, who must go down as one of the worst bits of business for CUFC since Ollie Morah (one for the teenagers there): "He [Parkinson] has conducted himself in an exemplary manner during his time here and we all wish him well for his future career" said Lingy, failing to specify what that career might entail. I can't see it involving football myself, but all the best to Parky, who would surely have been an asset to the club were it not for that horrific injury.

From what I've read it doesn't appear that Murray is an out-and-out winger, so his arrival probably signals an intention from Lingy to persist with 4-3-3 for the time being. With so many new players available, tomorrow night's game should be an interesting one.