Before the season started

At the beginning of the season (or towards the end of last season) if someone said you
"Grimsby will be in league 2. 11 points from relegation and 12 points from the play offs, but will have up to 3 games in hand over most clubs.. Oh and you're in the 5th round of the fa Cup.

Would you have been happy?


The point of this is, yes we have had some bad results or poor performances but it's a transitional season. Noone expected us to go up this time last year.

I wanted us to re-establish ourselves in L2 primarily. I wanted and expected us to be competitive and not be in danger of being relegated. Again. The standards we set should be high and I think they are - we have lost several games we shouldn’t have and the home performances and points return are not good enough. If they’d been even a bit better, we’d be poised to make a launch at the play offs. In that regard I’m disappointed and I think the staff, owners and players will be too. But I think that needs a sense of perspective. Our club should be competitive in the top end of this league. We have the resources and support at this level to be top 6 and that should be the bar we set. We’ll see what this season brings as it enters its final third phase but we shouldn’t settle for staying up in any regard, and I don’t think anyone does.

I’m satisfied that we’re on track to have achieved the major objective, despite some poor results and showings but we have also had some excellent results and performances. I’m fully behind the management team and think this is a cracking group of honest players who deserve and need our continuing support.

Our fans are fantastic, barring a few vocal nut jobs who unfortunately spout a load of negative, unrealistic, entitled, unhelpful tripe in audible ways. The rest are bloody brilliant. Possibly the best in the league, especially away.

UTM

Anyone thinks the last two is on glue. Whilst we always want us to win and so forth, if you see where we were, where we are and clearly where our aim is, there shouldn’t be a fan that isn’t happy.

Of course we want to win games and our home form has been questionable but again, when significant investment has had to be made elsewhere to ensure the club is able to cope with pressures of the wider footballing world etc and facilities, it’s understandable why some progress may have stalled…

I thought we had a chance of promotion again this year given the enthusiasm and never say die attitude at the end of last season. Unfortunately, as I posted previously, I have changed to a mid-table position probably outside the playoffs at best.

The consistency at the end of last season has never continued, not that I expected us to win every game. We have become a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team, not knowing which one will turn up each match day. Recently we couldn't beat a useless Colchester side, unlock the door against Harrogate but win away at Northampton.

So to the question "Am I happy?". You bet I am, 100% happy. We're back in the EFL and more than holding our own at times. We have owners who care about the club and its longevity and are in the 5th round of the FA Cup.

We have become an English Football League club again.

UTM

I think this season has been a bit of an eye opener. When the season began in July, it had been almost 2 and a half years since any of us had witnessed League Two football at Blundell Park, and it’s fair to say I think the standard has improved beyond my expectation.

In the past, you would always seemingly get at least 4 or 5 games a season against demonstrably poor teams who would pretty much roll over and give you the three points. Other than Crawley, a game in which the 3-0 score line still flattered us, I haven’t really seen that this season. There are consistently decent teams throughout the division, with fine margins separating the wheat from the chaff.

So whilst I did predict an upper mid-table finish this season, I think some realism is needed. We are still healing from two decades of gross mismanagement; it is perhaps unfair to expect those wounds to heal in two seasons.

We won’t go down this season, and we’ve had (and are still having) a good cup run. Maybe, on reflection, we are about where we should be. I do think, however, that with the sixth largest average gate in the division and the money from our cup exploits, making the League Two playoffs for the first time in 18 years should be a realistic expectation for 23/24.

Yes  as a fan i am happy  to support Grimsby Town!
Primary 1.  they are my hometown team i as a teenager started to support town "When the pontoon was the pontoon!"
So at 56 years  old married live in Surrey  I only do away matches, and mingle with the travelling faithful its a giggle to hear blokes opinions  as they voice them across the pitch.
Some are valid some are cringeworthy , some fellahs i believe should do a Ref's Course!!

BUT town fans turn up and are loud  a few years back we played Crystal Palace "That game we've only got 10 men!" But lost 1-0 went to work Monday about half  a dozen blokes Palace fans sang our praises  team and fans.
2. We are who we are !! Last 10 years or so league 2 / vanarama national league up and down yo -yo team .
Under new leadership by blokes who support the club  i hope we can move on and stabilize.
I am no way a football expert / statistics guru or pundit or have a magic wand !!
Just enjoy my hometown  team.
UTM

I just wanted us to finish higher than 14th and hopefully top ten, but I'd settle for comfortably above the relegation zone, which is where we are at now.

The football is pretty dire, with lots of sides just happy to put out a rugby player sized team and stop the flow of the game as much as possible. We have shown against sides that want to open up and play, that we can ourselves play some good stuff when given the chance.

This season is about coming to terms with what we need to take us to the upper reaches of the league. We desperately need more creativity to turn those tight games in our favour. If you take someone like Carlisle say, they have a striker in Dennis who has a 1in 2 career scoring record and that makes all the difference between mid table and play off spots. Still surprised he didn't do that well here.

So, not ecstatic about this season, but trying to see the bigger picture overall. It's tough when you sit through games like last night and the Colchester game; failing to score in both and going home disgruntled at the lack  of excitement.

Could still get to the top ten with a fair wind, but as long as we don't spend the rest of the season looking over our shoulders, I will patiently wait for next season. Been doing that a long time now.

Quoted from DB

I thought we had a chance of promotion again this year given the enthusiasm and never say die attitude at the end of last season. Unfortunately, as I posted previously, I have changed to a mid-table position probably outside the playoffs at best.

The consistency at the end of last season has never continued, not that I expected us to win every game. We have become a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team, not knowing which one will turn up each match day. Recently we couldn't beat a useless Colchester side, unlock the door against Harrogate but win away at Northampton.

So to the question "Am I happy?". You bet I am, 100% happy. We're back in the EFL and more than holding our own at times. We have owners who care about the club and its longevity and are in the 5th round of the FA Cup.

We have become an English Football League club again.

UTM

Jekyl & Hyde indeed so i goes to Gillingham (relegation zone team)  and we loose 2-1 Come the Saturday  go to Northampton (promotion prospect top of the league) not a good feeling on this fixture , We win 2-1 good goals , plenty of away support with plenty to shout about
Could of asked for more.
UTM

Quoted from The Caterham Mariner

Jekyl & Hyde indeed so i goes to Gillingham (relegation zone team)  and we loose 2-1 Come the Saturday  go to Northampton (promotion prospect top of the league) not a good feeling on this fixture , We win 2-1 good goals , plenty of away support with plenty to shout about
Could of asked for more.
UTM

If you look deeper though, the form of Gillingham lately is much better than that of Northampton, so it's not a massive surprise.

Northampton, 6 points from the last 6 games. Gillingham 13 from 6.

I think the end of last season spoiled us. After that magnificent play off campaign I think most of us, me included, thought we would make the play offs again. I was at Orient and thought we gave them a good game and were nearly their equal. Based on those things I should be disappointed  but then I remember, we finished sixth in the National League, sixth.

To be holding our own in the division, to be in the fifth round of the FA Cup, to have 5700 season ticket holders, to have a club that we can be proud of for the first time in twenty years, to not be a basket case, to have our fans. I'm bloody ecstatic and so should everybody else be.

UP THE MARINERS

To be back in the league, survive, have a cup run to being in finance - plenty reasons to be more than satisfied/content.

However, without wishing to be contrary - it’s all dependent on what happens next. We’ve struggled at home, there’s plenty of debate to be had about the side for next season and the need to improve in areas, there’s a lot riding on the transfer window start of next season for me. Think most will renew season ticket wise, but a few will need convincing, and we know about the trouble we have in attracting players to come here. Unlike others I’m not entirely convinced the standard this season has been that great, and there’s not a lot of difference between a team in 6th to 16th.. for my money we had a decent start to the season and didn’t capitalise on it - understand the reasons why..key players out, very short pre season and the effects of that thereafter, but a small part of me thinks maybe an opportunity lost as I feel we could quite easily be a top 10 side.

My over riding thought is I’m reserving judgement for now ..if we fall into the content/take it for granted structure like last regime we’ll struggle to kick on - and now is the key time to kick on imho..really need to be better next season, continual improvement etc - know there’s lots going on (on and off pitch) and tbh I think the management/owners won’t for one minute settle like the last lot. I’m hoping not ..but do feel this next transfer window is key.

I’m pretty comfortable with where we are and should finish.

Some people expected back to back but I think it’s been evident that there’s some building to be done which again I’m confident will happen though it might be a bit bumpy at times.

I like some have been disappointed with the home form and specifically how bad we hold, pass and squander possession.

I voted that I’m happy. After just 3 home league wins that seems insane, but for my first ST in 20 years I have actually strangely enjoyed it. The only teams that have deserved to beat us were Salford and Donny (I missed the Carlisle game). Other than that, we’ve been at the very least solid.

I must admit I take as much pleasure from seeing the vidiprinter on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday telling me of  away goals and wins as seeing home wins in person, which is weird, but avoiding a relegation scrap was always my desire.

The cup run has been a complete shock.

ST next season too, even though we’ve got pretty much the worst home form in the division, but i see great potential if we keep the spine.

Echo what everyone else has said… I think the feel good factor of last season made most believed we’d be on another promotion charge.

I’m happy as to where we are, I’d liked to have seen us strengthen significantly in January, which for the most part I don’t think we have. But we all know that the January window is much tougher than the summer window.

I think what we need to be aiming for next season is to get the personnel who are able to break down the Harrogate’s and Colchester’s of the league so we’re able to pick up points where we perhaps should be doing against the non-football playing sides

The big problem is our consistency... or lack of.  On our day we play some great football and with passion.  Good start to the season away from home and I feel we might have a good finish. UTM!

Back in the summer I expected 14-16th so we're about right. But the way the season has panned out, had it not been for Taylor and McAtee's injuries we might be in or around the play offs.

Quoted from Poojah

I think this season has been a bit of an eye opener. When the season began in July, it had been almost 2 and a half years since any of us had witnessed League Two football at Blundell Park, and it’s fair to say I think the standard has improved beyond my expectation.

In the past, you would always seemingly get at least 4 or 5 games a season against demonstrably poor teams who would pretty much roll over and give you the three points. Other than Crawley, a game in which the 3-0 score line still flattered us, I haven’t really seen that this season. There are consistently decent teams throughout the division, with fine margins separating the wheat from the chaff.

So whilst I did predict an upper mid-table finish this season, I think some realism is needed. We are still healing from two decades of gross mismanagement; it is perhaps unfair to expect those wounds to heal in two seasons.

We won’t go down this season, and we’ve had (and are still having) a good cup run. Maybe, on reflection, we are about where we should be. I do think, however, that with the sixth largest average gate in the division and the money from our cup exploits, making the League Two playoffs for the first time in 18 years should be a realistic expectation for 23/24.

Y'see I would say that the standard hasn't really improved.  Rather that most teams have become much-about-muchness.  Just like how there appears to be less junk at the bottom end of the table, there's also a lack of real quality at the top end.  I've yet to be massively impressed by anyone this season and think we could/should have done better in a fairly weak league.

2 years ago we were about to drop out the league and had a left-hand side that consisted of Sam Habergham who hadn't kicked a ball for nearly 30 months and Philip Lamy who wasn't too far behind him.  That I'm aware of neither have even got a sniff of a professional club* since.  

How can I not be happy that we're comfortably back in the league after the most amazing end to last season and about to take on a Premier League side in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, for the first time in 27 years I might add (we were also a second tier side at the time)?  

But I still feel we've maybe let ourselves down a little, or perhaps underachieved is a kinder way to articulate it.  For whatever reasons we've not kicked on as much as I'd hoped and I can't escape the feeling that we've just floated along a bit this year in a relatively mediocre league that was there for the taking.

*I've just checked.  Habergham is playing for Wealdstone having had an unsuccessful trial at Portsmouth after leaving us (no doubt thanks to having worked with the Cowley's before), Lamy is playing in the Cypriot second tier.

The one good thing from this season is that we will be considered to be an established league 2 club. This hopefully will help in the summer transfer business as we will no longer be thought of as a just promoted club by prospected transfer targets.

Quoted from DB

The one good thing from this season is that we will be considered to be an established league 2 club. This hopefully will help in the summer transfer business as we will no longer be thought of as a just promoted club by prospected transfer targets.

We've also not got 6 weeks of L2 being finished where everyone else is signing the best players before we can even start talking to them.

I said 10th pre-season and am sticking with it.

I am born of something that can only be seen wriggling under a microscope.
I exist on a planet the size of a pinhead in relation to the universe.
Nobody really knows how we got here and if we we are created or not.
I know that I'm a human being having an experience of life.
I get to follow my team up and down the country which brings me highs and lows, love doing it and get to share these experiences with like-minded people who are passionate, loud and proud.
In Grimsby Town I feel we get to share moments which lots of other teams fans don't really get and can only dream of.
We have owners that, as fans, are invested in us and the town itself and want to nurture this.
I get to drink beer and swap banter in the Upper Findus every home game.
So, am I very happy?
You bet your f'in life I am.

54% of Town fans are happy with 17th in division 4 or 85th out of 92.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

54% of Town fans are happy with 17th in division 4 or 85th out of 92.

54% of Town fans are happy for now.

Quoted from ginnywings

54% of Town fans are happy for now.

This.

Being happy at this moment in time doesn't mean I expect us to kick around the bottom end of League 2 for the rest of time.

If we were top half I would be very happy but I wanted a cup run and would consider anything higher than 14th a very good season and clear signs of progression.