GTST has made a long-term commitment to supporting the Grimsby Town youth system and for the last two seasons has sponsored a number of youth team players. So when the club approached us and asked if we would be prepared to fund the team’s pre match travel arrangements for the Midland Youth Cup semi final at Port Vale in early February, we were only too happy to help out.

Unfortunately the trip, which eventually took place in March due to the weather, was to end in defeat, but in the meantime the team had already experienced victory in the Puma Youth Alliance Cup Northern Semi Final at Morecambe at the end of February. Once again, the Trust was asked to help out financially so that the players could stay overnight and be fresh for the game and it paid off as the Grimsby Youth ran out 2-0 winners.

Having seen off Tranmere to make it to the final away at QPR, the club appealed for sponsors to enable the team to travel south the day before the game and stay overnight. For a third time, GTST was able to step in and provide the necessary funding and was duly rewarded with a superb 2-1 victory at Loftus Road.

The overall cost of the Trust’s youth cup competition sponsorship last season was £2000 and the main reason we were able to provide that level of funding was because of the financial support of our members. This money has been raised over several seasons through a combination of membership fees, donations, merchandise sales, events and website fundraising schemes and if we are to continue our support for the Grimsby Town youth system in the future, we need to keep the money coming in.

We know that times are hard and that you probably think there are better things you can be spending your money on than joining the Trust or renewing your membership, but the number of youth team graduates in our first team squad and the emergence of youngsters like Josh Fuller are surely evidence that your cash won’t go to waste.

For only £12 a year (if paid by standing order), you can make a difference. Whilst ultimately it was the team’s hard work and talent that won the day at QPR, our members and supporters can be proud of the fact that they did their bit to help make the youth of today the first team professionals of tomorrow. Why not join them?

Click on the link below to join the Trust online.

http://www.gtst.net/site/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,5/Itemid,69/

Alternatively, you can download the membership forms and post them to us.

http://www.gtst.net/site/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,72/Itemid,64/