Hopefully the deal bringing Alan Connell to Swindon Town will be completed later today and he can make his Town debut at Supermarine tomorrow night, so I’ve asked Grimsby Town fanzine Cod Almighty for a view on Alan’s year at Blundell Park and whether a move to Swindon is the right move for him?

Does Alan have any particular strengths or weaknesses in his technical ability or mentality?

Good first touch. Aware of other players. And bloody good from long range. It’s accuracy and lobbing rather than power: his spider sense tingles when a keeper drifts too far off his line. There aren’t a lot of players at this level who can take shots from 25 yards and regularly work the keeper instead of smashing the floodlights. A good free kick taker too.

Negatives? He seemed to freewheel towards the arse end of last season – but then so did most of our team, so don’t read too much into that. There are times he shoots and misses when a pass would be better. But if you’re not a bit greedy now and then, you’re not going to score 29 goals in a season, are you?

Was Alan involved in any memorable games or goals in his season at Grimsby?

Did we have any memorable games? I can’t remember. Oh wait – we beat Mansfield 7-2 on New Year’s Day. He scored two that day. Both free kicks, which was nice. Have a look at our goal of the season contenders – it’s basically Connell’s Greatest Hits.

After 25 goals in 46 Conference National games can you see Alan replicating this form in League Two?

Other than the top and bottom half-dozen clubs, the fourth division is barely any better than the Conference. So I can’t see why not. He didn’t set the world alight at Bournemouth, but they played him out of position at left-midfielder. The daft sods.

Now that Swindon Town are Alan’s 6th club in as many seasons, he’s not the most loyal player is he…?

Not to us, no. Right up to the end he said he loved being at Grimsby, and then he slapped in a transfer request 14 seconds after you lot came in for him. True, Bournemouth released him just before he came here. But if he starts doing well for you, and attracts attention from bigger clubs, don’t be too reassured when he tells you how much he cherishes big roundabouts and the temperate climate of north-east Wiltshire.

After being linked with numerous clubs since the end of the campaign (AFC Wimbledon, Gillingham, Luton, Scunthorpe and Stevenage), is a transfer to Swindon the right move for him?

Well, there’d have been no point him going to Luton or wherever. He’s too good for the Conference. Wimbledon were interested and we all love Wimbledon, don’t we. If he had to go, we’d have sooner seen him go there. But no, Swindon’s a good move; you’re a decent club. Where have you suddenly got 150,000 quid from anyway, by the way? Is that the Charlie Austin money? (In all likelihood yes)

How will Alan be remembered at Blundell Park?

He’s like the one good track on the second Stone Roses album. The one good pub in Birmingham. The one decent programme on ITV. A good  footballer at Grimsby Town after 2003 is a rare and precious thing. For that Alan Connell will be remembered with enormous affection here, and a little bitterness that he buggered off so quickly.

That’s Coronation Street, obviously.

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Thanks to Pete at Cod Almighty. You can find Cod Almighty fanzine on Twitter @codalmighty

Header photo from grimsby-townfc.co.uk