 Just when I thought I’d learned my lesson regarding pre season optimism, I weakened and went to both Lincolnshire Cup games. Watching Town in non league football is a first for all Mariners fans but singing at County Cup games was another first for me. The home game against Lincoln on a miserable Friday night saw 1,600 fans turn up including an insignificant number of Imps and a Pontoon in full voice. The football was an absolute treat with tremendous goals, a side that looked as though they understood each other, and high fitness levels so woefully missing from last season. I felt a bit of a saddoe hoping we would keep in front so we could have a game down the M180 on the following Tuesday (sorry, I can’t bring myself to mention their name). It was good to see lifts start to be hastily arranged in the Upper Findus and a fine following to the final was guaranteed before the final whistle blew against the well beaten Imps, saved from a greater hiding by their goalkeeper. It takes me back to my first season, 1979/80, when we swept all before us on the way to the Third Division Championship as the away support regularly topped 5,000. That year, school friends started making arrangements to go away and I duly saw Mike Brolly score a great free kick at Barnsley on my first trip. Tuesday duly arrived as did 800+ Mariners at the self assembly shed near the M181, which gives the impression of poorly read instructions. As at BP, admission was a realistic fiver, but it was still an impressive turnout and the Mariners weren’t about to waste a chance to exercise their vocal chords. Another very good game, particularly the second half, where Town had the chance to win on several occasions. I got carried away, hoping for the opportunity to pogo behind the goal. I don’t know about these games being a good run out for the players, but I’ve certainly captured my old enthusiasm. My last game last season was at home to Torquay, the nadir of thirty years of support. This could be one of our better seasons states the optimist in me. My favourite season was 1989/90 when we were promoted from Division 4 after a slow start (although this league tends not to forgive teams slowly out of the blocks). Town were then, as they will be this season, well represented everywhere they went. Hopefully the team will inspire fans to start contemplating trips, based on a run of good performances, to places they’ve never dreamt of previously going to. For me, twenty years ago, the momentum came after pulling two goals back at promotion chasing Maidstone. A few games later, seven wins on the trot took us into second in a tight league and promotion was effectively won at Southend on a Friday night, weeks before the season ended. That promotion was so sweet because it arrested years of decline. Although we went up the following year, getting out of the Fourth was the best. Our next promotion will be even better as we’ve never suffered such a rapid decline before. It’ll come. I went to Halifax for another friendly, and they really are buzzing, having taken their first step back up to the third tier of non-league football after a more traumatic time than we have endured. Following relegation to the Conference and financial meltdown, this ex league club was then demoted into the Unibond League North. They have a good redeveloped Shay, helped by their local council (no comment) and the momentum and feel good factor that a winning team generates. Some of their crowds better their old league attendances. Whilst tradition and fan base don’t win points, as our recent experience has shown, any home fan at the Lincolnshire Cup final would have been in no doubt who the biggest club in the area was and it wasn’t theirs. This is backed up by the message board fascination with our club from our county neighbours. I don’t say rivals because that would accord them significance that they can never earn. Oddly enough, our diminished league status in others’ eyes doesn’t concern me as I thought it would. I’m still proud of Grimsby Town FC. As was boasted at the tin shed, “Conference team, Premier fans”… Let’s hope we finally have the team that the fans deserve. It reminded me of some of us singing “Three years to the Premier League” at Gainsborough in 2008. Well, we were right, sort of... Talking of Gainsborough, it was nice to see Phil Barnes join in with “If you hate Mike Newell clap your hands” The Trust met up with Mike Parker earlier in the summer and the Club are fortunate to have a real Town fan like Mike financially backing the club with John Fenty. It would be nice for the Trust to be able to contribute more but that will be wholly dependent on locally based fans joining and getting involved. As we’ve mentioned before, the paradox is that all the time we have this financial backing, there seems to be less incentive for Town fans to help out. We have plenty of good ideas but not enough willing bodies. Please think about this. As for tonight, we have a great record in our previous meetings with York. I’ve seen the reserves there a few times lately and the FA Cup game featuring the Mariners fans’ version of the Timewarp in 1989 stands out. This will be a tough game with York having only just missed out on promotion last year, but let’s get that first home win sorted. |
