Spare a thought for Grimsby Town

claret59 · Post by **claret59** » Tue Apr 27, 2021 11:28 pm

Poor Grimsby Town relegated out of the League tonight. I have a soft spot for them as I watched them periodically when I lived in that part of the country but in particular they were the club where Doug Collins began his career. I was thrilled when Grimsby were drawn against Burnley in the FA Cup and I was able to see the game. Doug Collins gave Burnley the runaround and the clarets signed him soon after. He was instrumental in getting the clarets back into the !st Division under Jimmy Adamson.

COBBLE · Post by **COBBLE** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:00 am

Absolutely share your sadness. Grimsby is like Burnley as a town and an economic unit but its skills were concentrated on fishing.

Fretters · Post by **Fretters** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:40 am

Some big names down the bottom of the football league, clubs we were equal to or worse off than in recent-ish times - Grimsby, Southend, Scunthorpe, Colchester and Wallsall all in the bottom six.

Thank God for Barry Kilby.

Stalbansclaret · Post by **Stalbansclaret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:10 am

Sad to see them relegated. My grandparents lived in Grimsby and I remember, just, going to the FA Cup tie there air 1974 and being in a stand (unusual in those days to be sitting down at a match) behind the goal.
My grandparents had passed away by the time of the infamous 6-5 defeat there in 2002 so I was at least spared that.

Woody9229 · Post by **Woody9229** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:01 am

I also have always had a soft spot for Grimsby on the back of that trip to Grimsby ( a seminal away day for for me as a Burnley fan) was it 2-0 and for giving us Dougie Collins.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:20 am

I'm still getting over our performance there at the tail end of the 2001 season when they spanked us and Steve Davis missed an open goal from all of 4 yard out.

Just a point would have got us into the play offs. Grimsby were relegated.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:47 am

Only been there once and it was an absolute **** show. Gascoigne was on the pitch for the first half, Nik the Greek appeared to have lost the ability to use his hands and we were torn apart by a player who was an ex tennis pro. Michael something springs to mind. All from the luxury seating in a temporary stand to the side of the pitch.

Nice fish and chips close to the ground was the one and only highlight of the day.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:52 am

Ian Holloway manages them I'm sure? How far as he dropped in Football.

bfcjg · Post by **bfcjg** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:53 am

Even in the height of a heatwave coupled with global warming Grimsby iscalways a very cold place to watch football, I'm sure it gets a wind direct from the artic .

Swizzlestick · Post by **Swizzlestick** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:01 am

tim_noone wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:52 am
Ian Holloway manages them I'm sure? How far as he dropped in Football.

Left in acrimonious circumstances just before Christmas. He was both a manager and director and kicked off about lack of investment and changes in the board. Not a favourite with the fans though as he left them when they were 20th in the league and it conspired that the setup he’d built was less than professional with multiple Covid breaches amongst others.

claretonthecoast1882 · Post by **claretonthecoast1882** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:07 am

Been 6 or 7 times to Grimsby, once in the FA Cup we drew 2-2 (we were 2 nil up) all the rest in the league and lost each time including the 6-5 debacle.

Was like visits to Scunthorpe and Lincoln back in the day, the locals always wanted to make a name for themselves. On reflection of never having won there and never enjoying a visit there **** em

Dark Cloud · Post by **Dark Cloud** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:12 am

Yes, as others have said I've watched the Clarets there a number of times, but most often seen us lose and that goes for a whole host of other clubs currently down in the footy basement. It's so weird to think back to those days and remember filing out of grounds like Walsall and Grimsby and Southend and Colchester and York and about 20 others I could name having played crap and lost and if someone in that crowd had said we'd one day be playing PL football and have sustained 5 consecutive years up there, they'd have been carted away as talking utter boll***s!!! It seemed like a whole other world back then.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:19 am

Not being pedantic here but it was after meeting Grimsby in theLeague Cup away, 1-1, 1968.
We beat them 6-0 in the replay but, yes, one of the best BFC signings ever although he did nearly get me and a mate battered away at WHU when he feigned injury to get Ted MacDougall sent off. It was a worse effort than Joey's against Lincoln.

mill hill claret · Post by **mill hill claret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:29 am

Herts Clarets wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:47 am
Only been there once and it was an absolute **** show. Gascoigne was on the pitch for the first half, Nik the Greek appeared to have lost the ability to use his hands and we were torn apart by a player who was an ex tennis pro. Michael something springs to mind. All from the luxury seating in a temporary stand to the side of the pitch.

Nice fish and chips close to the ground was the one and only highlight of the day.

Michael boulding is the player I think your thinking of ....and yes he ripped us to shreds that day

claret59 · Post by **claret59** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:52 am

Thanks for the comments. A nostalgic look back at those times when we were in the lower leagues and playing the likes of Grimsby and Scunthorpe. It is also a reminder ( not that we needed it,) of how close we came to losing our league status and that is why I wouldn't wish it for any club. The Ian Holloway period at Grimsby is something of a mystery. He started off quite well and even had a couple of claret youths on loan. Somewhat strange that the Chairman handed over the full running of the Club to Holloway as a 'thank you' for the improvement in results but it went down hill from there.
I wasn't aware the parting was acrimonious but it looked inevitable.

Ric_C · Post by **Ric_C** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:54 am

They've already been relegated to the National league before haven't they?

claret_in_exile · Post by **claret_in_exile** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:42 pm

YOU ONLY SING WHEN YOU'RE FISHING!

ecc · Post by **ecc** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:58 pm

Knew a lad from Ormskirk (no, not Tony Morley) back in the day who had studied in Grimsby. Whilst a peaceful sort of lad I think he could handle himself if need be. But he told me there were a number of public houses near the docks in which "you just didn't think about going".

Billy Balfour · Post by **Billy Balfour** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:33 pm

I remember going there with my dad when I was around nine or ten years old. We got beat 4-2 . John Francis got those two goals for us and I think it might well have been his debut, though I could be wrong.

elwaclaret · Post by **elwaclaret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:00 pm

Was it not at Grimsby they dropped a skip of half bricks at the end of the road when we came out of the stands. The only way past it was through a load of ginells behind the houses?

Been a few times, a good ground for night matches, but that day was the sort of sh!te we expected from Leeds not a day out in Humberside.

daveyclaret · Post by **daveyclaret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:07 pm

Not being pedantic here but it was after meeting Grimsby in the League Cup away, 1-1, 1968.

Yes, it was the League Cup played at Grimsby, Wednesday, September 04, 1968. I didn't get to the game but went on a day trip to Cleethorpes the day after the game and I still have the the Grimsby Evening Telegraph from that date that has the match report in it. The gate was 8,762 with Hickman scoring for Grimsby in the 77th minute and Lochead equalising in in the 83rd minute.

Doug Collins was outstanding for Grimsby and as quoted from the report -

No one did more to wrest the initiative from the visitors than Collins. The fair haired dynamo had a game that will long be remembered with deft control and swaying body which sent first one challenger and another on the wrong foot and on the floor as he evaded the tackle and spread the ball about intelligently, sometimes overdoing the dribble but more often using it well. Nothing Burnley could do matched one dazzling effort as Collins beat three men and hit a shot from 30 yards which Thomson only just got to and tipped over the bar.

The Report also has a comment on Brian O'Neil:

The disappointment for Burnley must have been the near eclipse of the highly rated Brian O'Neil, so often the dominant player in the side who obviously has yet to capture the form which puts him in the £120,000 class. He tried hard to stamp his obvious class on the proceedings but was never allowed too much scope by the constant attention of Davidson.

TsarBomba · Post by **TsarBomba** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:19 pm

Grimsby really seemed to be a bogey ground for us.

The closest I saw us wining there was Parky lashing in a thunderbolt in the final minutes to make it 2-2 (I think).

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:50 pm

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:33 pm
I remember going there with my dad when I was around nine or ten years old. We got beat 4-2 . John Francis got those two goals for us and I think it might well have been his debut, though I could be wrong.

Definitely his first goals for us but I think it was his second or third game

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:53 pm

TsarBomba wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:19 pm
Grimsby really seemed to be a bogey ground for us.

The closest I saw us wining there was Parky lashing in a thunderbolt in the final minutes to make it 2-2 (I think).

I’ve seen us win there in the cup but we’ve not won a league game there since 1947 although it is only 8 games.

Billy Balfour · Post by **Billy Balfour** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:55 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:50 pm
Definitely his first goals for us but I think it was his second or third game

Cheers. I loved those days out. The atmosphere was something else.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:56 pm

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:55 pm
Cheers. I loved those days out. The atmosphere was something else.

It’s a dump though

Billy Balfour · Post by **Billy Balfour** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:57 pm

Yeah, both the town and the ground.

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:00 pm

I'm still celebrating Gary Parkinson's equalizer !

mill hill claret · Post by **mill hill claret** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:15 pm

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:33 pm
I remember going there with my dad when I was around nine or ten years old. We got beat 4-2 . John Francis got those two goals for us and I think it might well have been his debut, though I could be wrong.

They had a good side that day ..sherwood ..Gilbert..child's and birtles up front

TsarBomba · Post by **TsarBomba** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:28 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:53 pm
I’ve seen us win there in the cup but we’ve not won a league game there since 1947 although it is only 8 games.

Wow. I never knew it had been that long!

Probably wouldn’t have bothered going if I’d known that!

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:34 pm

Every time I have been to Grimsby with Burnley I have said it would be my last.

Been 4 times and never won.

TsarBomba · Post by **TsarBomba** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:37 pm

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:00 pm
I'm still celebrating Gary Parkinson's equalizer !

Back in the day when getting even a point on the road was a minor miracle.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:37 pm

daveyclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:07 pm
Not being pedantic here but it was after meeting Grimsby in the League Cup away, 1-1, 1968.

Yes, it was the League Cup played at Grimsby, Wednesday, September 04, 1968. I didn't get to the game but went on a day trip to Cleethorpes the day after the game and I still have the the Grimsby Evening Telegraph from that date that has the match report in it. The gate was 8,762 with Hickman scoring for Grimsby in the 77th minute and Lochead equalising in in the 83rd minute.

Doug Collins was outstanding for Grimsby and as quoted from the report -

No one did more to wrest the initiative from the visitors than Collins. The fair haired dynamo had a game that will long be remembered with deft control and swaying body which sent first one challenger and another on the wrong foot and on the floor as he evaded the tackle and spread the ball about intelligently, sometimes overdoing the dribble but more often using it well. Nothing Burnley could do matched one dazzling effort as Collins beat three men and hit a shot from 30 yards which Thomson only just got to and tipped over the bar.

The Report also has a comment on Brian O'Neil:

The disappointment for Burnley must have been the near eclipse of the highly rated Brian O'Neil, so often the dominant player in the side who obviously has yet to capture the form which puts him in the £120,000 class. He tried hard to stamp his obvious class on the proceedings but was never allowed too much scope by the constant attention of Davidson.

Think Brian might have answered his critics a couple of weeks later with a last minute thunderbolt winner at home to Man Utd. Always compare that one to Joey Gudjohnsson's goal against Preston in 2008.

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:35 pm

I used to live with a Grimsby fan at Uni in the late 90's, never let me forget some of the results around that time, we didn't do well against them. Just like all my mates at school a few years earlier in Bolton.

Fast forward 20 odd years, how times have changed!

Cirrus_Minor · Post by **Cirrus_Minor** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:50 pm

Certainly remember nicking Doug Collins off them.

Hope they come back next season.

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Wed Apr 28, 2021 11:00 pm

Ric_C wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 28, 2021 9:54 am
They've already been relegated to the National league before haven't they?

Yes back in 2010, and it took them several seasons to return then, the NL is a tough beast to get out of these days.

They are one of the clubs that have never seemed to fully recover from the ITV Digital collapse, and but for good management and prudency in the boardroom during those dark days that could easily have been us now.

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:15 am

I remember a game when Dougie scored direct off a corner. He was a joy to watch in some very dark times for our team

RammyClaret61 · Post by **RammyClaret61** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:54 am

No.... Don’t like Grimsby, their fans were never friendly in my experience.

Quicknick · Post by **Quicknick** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:59 am

RammyClaret61 wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:54 am
No.... Don’t like Grimsby, their fans were never friendly in my experience.

They certainly weren't friendly in the FA Cup in 1973-74. It was the three-day working week, and Burnley was working, so we only took a few kids. I was one of them. Very scary, indeed.

Targetman · Post by **Targetman** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:28 am

Quicknick wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:59 am
They certainly weren't friendly in the FA Cup in 1973-74. It was the three-day working week, and Burnley was working, so we only took a few kids. I was one of them. Very scary, indeed.

I seem to remember us having quite a decent following there that day, including a special train from Burnley.
There was quite a bit of trouble before and also during the game.

gandhisflipflop · Post by **gandhisflipflop** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:45 am

The most depressing place i have ever been to following Burnley has been Hull. That is the only place where i genuinely couldn't wait to get back to Burnley. Grimsby is over that way and i have never been, is it as bad? Or worse?

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 10:34 am

On my one and only visit, we found ourselves seated close to a number of our well known trouble makers - one arrested following the trouble at the Miners club with Sheff Weds and subsequently cleared, one who bit a Police dog under the culvert and some of their hangers on. They also featured on the Danny Dyer programme in the Forresters. They spent a large part of the game on their phones to i presume some Grimsby lads as they were stood up and exchanging hand gestures with people in the home end. They departed the ground with a few minutes to play and as we made our way back to the car, it kicked off on the car park by McDonalds with the same people who were sat around us in the ground.

whentheballmoves · Post by **whentheballmoves** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 10:54 am

Bizarrely, used to be one of my favourite away days out: train trip, amusement arcade, micropub on the station now, fish n chips, a beach, and an OK away pub not too far from the ground.

That said: still shudder thinking of the 6-5 defeat on Halloween, horizontal snow as I got off the train before the 2-2 FA cup draw (beat them 4-0 in the replay): were coasting 2-0 before the ref gave a penalty despite not a single GT player appealing, before they scored an injury time equaliser. The dreadful performance away when we missed out on play-off shot by a single goal. The breeze off the North Sea. A terrible view in parts of the away end.

Yet, despite all that, I kind of miss the place!!!

lakedistrictclaret · Post by **lakedistrictclaret** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:02 am

Woodleyclaret wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:15 am
I remember a game when Dougie scored direct off a corner. He was a joy to watch in some very dark times for our team

I think this was my first London away game. Chelsea, Easter 1969.

Vintage Claret · Post by **Vintage Claret** » Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:50 am

Aaw that's a shame, hope they can bounce back quickly.

Weirdly Grimsby is the away ground I've been to the most watching Burnley, not just off my own bat but I used to work for a company that used to sponsor them and had a few hospitality freebies there (including the infamous Halloween 6-5 match!)