Brighton 2.0? The unlikely minnows shaking up the transfer market Grimsby CEO Polly Bancroft talks to i's Mark Douglas about transfers, the club's ambitions, investing in the local community and more
Grimsby Town are in an exclusive club in world football, one of just a handful of sides putting their trust in a cutting edge data firm causing an almighty stir in recruitment circles.
The League Two club are only the second English side to partner with Jamestown Analytics, an offshoot of Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s sports gambling firm Starlizard. The other is the Seagulls themselves, whose impressive record in the transfer market is partly down to the edge that Jamestown’s complex algorithms have given them in recruitment.
There is genuine excitement at Blundell Park about what the link-up means for the future of the club. Jamestown’s unique business model means the consultancy are more than just guns for hire – they effectively pick their clients rather than the other way round. And when they first spoke to Grimsby’s forward-thinking co-owner Jason Stockwood, they really liked the message that came back from the technology entrepreneur best known for heading up online dating firm Match.com.
“We’re very early on that journey with Jamestown but we’re excited about it,” Grimsby CEO Polly Bancroft tells i from her office at Blundell Park.
“It’s a big opportunity for us to get a competitive advantage over our rivals.”
It is, at first glance, a strange place to launch a lower league data revolution. Speak to people who know the club and one of the things that often comes up is how “out on a limb” Grimsby is as a town. It sits on the north Lincolnshire coast, 40 miles from nearest rivals Lincoln or Hull City, and the club play in a 125-year-old stadium that has its undoubted charms but has seen better days.
But dig beneath the surface and you will find a story of hope, innovation and a club just as determined to be good people as they are to field a good team. That progressive culture is what made Jamestown regard them as such a good fit.
How it works is this: at the start of the partnership last year Grimsby’s squad was evaluated at length by the firm across a number of unique metrics, comparing their players against hundreds of thousands playing across the globe. The Mariners then provided Jamestown with a detailed shopping list of the sort of players they are require, including everything from age and playing style to favoured foot and the club’s budgetary requirements.
Jamestown then produced a list of players best suited to Grimsby’s playing style, crunching data that insiders believe is richer and more insightful than any of their competitors working in the same space.
Having taken some tentative steps along that path with their summer transfer business, Grimsby now believe they have done the necessary “culture work” to hit the ground running with a proper data-led approach from the January transfer window.
For a club with just one full-time senior employee currently focused on recruitment, it feels like a potential game-changer.
“The reality is we don’t know Jamestown’s secrets, we don’t know the magic, we’re not privy to that but it gives us a top filter we’re able to utilise rather than starting our player search from scratch,” Bancroft says.
“We’re a lean structure here. We have one person dedicated to player recruitment but being able to reach beyond just one person’s ability to go and watch players or filter through data themselves, to have a data company scouring the whole market, internationally and domestically, it’s a massive opportunity for us.”
It requires buy-in, though. There is no doubt that is in place at the top, where co-owner Stockwood has taken to leaving copies of Liverpool data mastermind Ian Graham’s book How to win the Premier League around the club’s training ground.
But it is also in place with the club’s head coach David Artell, appointed last year on the strength of his ability to develop players. Picking hidden gems from the English and overseas market is one thing, maximising their ability when they arrive is seen as the key part of bringing it all together. The Jamestown numbers are no cheat code, just a leg up if they get everything else right.
“It’s a good test for them as well to apply their methods to our context,” Bancroft admits.
“Yes it works in the Premier League and they’ve got clubs in Spain and Italy but does it work in League Two as well?
“We’re in this together to see if models and mechanisms are applicable lower down the leagues.”
If they can model themselves as a League Two Brighton it will be a compelling story, along with a snappy USP to deliver them some coverage if they are successful. But there really is more to Grimsby than just data.
Significant investment in the women’s team – backed by gym memberships, increased training time and a pledge to recruit the best local players – has been matched by sharper emphasis on the academy. Commercial revenues is on the up, with training ground and stand sponsorship deals being worked on.
And, most importantly, they are hugely invested in the community. Bancroft speaks enthusiastically about financial and environment sustainability and lobbying the EFL and new independent regulator for the good of the game. They are currently applying for B Corp, the gold standard for responsible businesses.
That comes from the boardroom. Stockwood and his co-owner Andrew Petitt, a successful venture capitalist and scion of high-profile local butcher John, are both homegrown success stories who invest significant time and money into Grimsby. Owning the club is absolutely part of that plan and what tempted Bancroft, one of only five female CEOs in the EFL, to leave her previous role as head of women’s football at Manchester United.
“They really understand the power that badge has,” she says.
“It’s so important in a town this size. We’re the only professional club in the town, we’re on the north-east Lincolnshire coast, we’re out on a limb to some extent so we really recognise the importance and benefits the club can have for the community.
“Jason sits on the board of the foundation, I work super closely with them as well. Football clubs are institutions that need to be in the fabric of the community. We open up our spaces for whatever the community thinks is important.”
Convincing supporters that things are on the right track hasn’t always been easy as Alex Green, presenter of the popular Grimsby podcast DN35, explains.
“We’re a hard bunch to please, there’s a sort of ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ approach,” he explains. A recent league table spaced over the last 10 years saw Grimsby placed 93rd out of 118 teams in terms of points won over the last decade so you can see his point.
“I think most proper fans can see this is really exciting. I think we can see what they’re trying to do and the progress they’re making and you can’t but be impressed by the ownership’s attitude to the town. Grimsby does have poverty, not just of resources but also of inspiration as well, so what Jason and Andrew are doing is just fantastic.”
Last season the club narrowly avoided relegation from the EFL, a sobering reminder of how far they still have to travel. But there is a conviction that they are on the right path.
“No-one finishes fourth from bottom of League Two and is happy with that,” Bancroft admits.
“We didn’t need to reset, everyone wanted to do better. I think we started to understand in February, March time that we needed to change and I worked really closely with David on the process of player recruitment from that point so we’re in a much better place on that. The biggest change from last season to this is the style of play. We’re a lot more progressive now, playing through the thirds.
“We might need to mix it up from now and then depending on the opponent, position in the game so there is that flexibility within the game plan but hopefully the fans have seen it’s less direct, it is more progressive and hopefully easier on the eye.”
Green concurs. “One of the interesting things was they talked about picking David Artell because he can develop players and I think you can see the sown oats of that now,” he says.
“Kieran Green was so not wanted that he’s not even in this year’s calendar but he assisted a wonderful goal last weekend and has become a sort of lynchpin in midfield. He was a bit of a brute, comes on after 65 minutes, picks up a card, but now it’s totally different.”
They sit seventh in League Two heading into this weekend’s trip to Newport County. Tentative talk of a promotion push will increase in volume if positive results continue.
“Our ambitions are to climb to through the leagues and we don’t want to put a cap on it either. We’ll continue to try and get better each year,” Bancroft says.
“The men’s team finishing fourth from bottom of League Two last year means we have a lot of headroom to do that. Seventh is great so far but we’re only in November. We’re confident that with working smartly and the resources they’re putting in, on and off the pitch, we can steadily improve year on year.”
It feels like something is stirring at Blundell Park and it might not be long before their reputation extends beyond Jamestown’s data geniuses.
Brighton 2.0? The unlikely minnows shaking up the transfer market Grimsby CEO Polly Bancroft talks to i's Mark Douglas about transfers, the club's ambitions, investing in the local community and more
Grimsby Town are in an exclusive club in world football, one of just a handful of sides putting their trust in a cutting edge data firm causing an almighty stir in recruitment circles.
The League Two club are only the second English side to partner with Jamestown Analytics, an offshoot of Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s sports gambling firm Starlizard. The other is the Seagulls themselves, whose impressive record in the transfer market is partly down to the edge that Jamestown’s complex algorithms have given them in recruitment.
There is genuine excitement at Blundell Park about what the link-up means for the future of the club. Jamestown’s unique business model means the consultancy are more than just guns for hire – they effectively pick their clients rather than the other way round. And when they first spoke to Grimsby’s forward-thinking co-owner Jason Stockwood, they really liked the message that came back from the technology entrepreneur best known for heading up online dating firm Match.com.
“We’re very early on that journey with Jamestown but we’re excited about it,” Grimsby CEO Polly Bancroft tells i from her office at Blundell Park.
“It’s a big opportunity for us to get a competitive advantage over our rivals.”
It is, at first glance, a strange place to launch a lower league data revolution. Speak to people who know the club and one of the things that often comes up is how “out on a limb” Grimsby is as a town. It sits on the north Lincolnshire coast, 40 miles from nearest rivals Lincoln or Hull City, and the club play in a 125-year-old stadium that has its undoubted charms but has seen better days.
But dig beneath the surface and you will find a story of hope, innovation and a club just as determined to be good people as they are to field a good team. That progressive culture is what made Jamestown regard them as such a good fit.
How it works is this: at the start of the partnership last year Grimsby’s squad was evaluated at length by the firm across a number of unique metrics, comparing their players against hundreds of thousands playing across the globe. The Mariners then provided Jamestown with a detailed shopping list of the sort of players they are require, including everything from age and playing style to favoured foot and the club’s budgetary requirements.
Jamestown then produced a list of players best suited to Grimsby’s playing style, crunching data that insiders believe is richer and more insightful than any of their competitors working in the same space.
Having taken some tentative steps along that path with their summer transfer business, Grimsby now believe they have done the necessary “culture work” to hit the ground running with a proper data-led approach from the January transfer window.
For a club with just one full-time senior employee currently focused on recruitment, it feels like a potential game-changer.
“The reality is we don’t know Jamestown’s secrets, we don’t know the magic, we’re not privy to that but it gives us a top filter we’re able to utilise rather than starting our player search from scratch,” Bancroft says.
“We’re a lean structure here. We have one person dedicated to player recruitment but being able to reach beyond just one person’s ability to go and watch players or filter through data themselves, to have a data company scouring the whole market, internationally and domestically, it’s a massive opportunity for us.”
It requires buy-in, though. There is no doubt that is in place at the top, where co-owner Stockwood has taken to leaving copies of Liverpool data mastermind Ian Graham’s book How to win the Premier League around the club’s training ground.
But it is also in place with the club’s head coach David Artell, appointed last year on the strength of his ability to develop players. Picking hidden gems from the English and overseas market is one thing, maximising their ability when they arrive is seen as the key part of bringing it all together. The Jamestown numbers are no cheat code, just a leg up if they get everything else right.
“It’s a good test for them as well to apply their methods to our context,” Bancroft admits.
“Yes it works in the Premier League and they’ve got clubs in Spain and Italy but does it work in League Two as well?
“We’re in this together to see if models and mechanisms are applicable lower down the leagues.”
If they can model themselves as a League Two Brighton it will be a compelling story, along with a snappy USP to deliver them some coverage if they are successful. But there really is more to Grimsby than just data.
Significant investment in the women’s team – backed by gym memberships, increased training time and a pledge to recruit the best local players – has been matched by sharper emphasis on the academy. Commercial revenues is on the up, with training ground and stand sponsorship deals being worked on.
And, most importantly, they are hugely invested in the community. Bancroft speaks enthusiastically about financial and environment sustainability and lobbying the EFL and new independent regulator for the good of the game. They are currently applying for B Corp, the gold standard for responsible businesses.
That comes from the boardroom. Stockwood and his co-owner Andrew Petitt, a successful venture capitalist and scion of high-profile local butcher John, are both homegrown success stories who invest significant time and money into Grimsby. Owning the club is absolutely part of that plan and what tempted Bancroft, one of only five female CEOs in the EFL, to leave her previous role as head of women’s football at Manchester United.
“They really understand the power that badge has,” she says.
“It’s so important in a town this size. We’re the only professional club in the town, we’re on the north-east Lincolnshire coast, we’re out on a limb to some extent so we really recognise the importance and benefits the club can have for the community.
“Jason sits on the board of the foundation, I work super closely with them as well. Football clubs are institutions that need to be in the fabric of the community. We open up our spaces for whatever the community thinks is important.”
Convincing supporters that things are on the right track hasn’t always been easy as Alex Green, presenter of the popular Grimsby podcast DN35, explains.
“We’re a hard bunch to please, there’s a sort of ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ approach,” he explains. A recent league table spaced over the last 10 years saw Grimsby placed 93rd out of 118 teams in terms of points won over the last decade so you can see his point.
“I think most proper fans can see this is really exciting. I think we can see what they’re trying to do and the progress they’re making and you can’t but be impressed by the ownership’s attitude to the town. Grimsby does have poverty, not just of resources but also of inspiration as well, so what Jason and Andrew are doing is just fantastic.”
Last season the club narrowly avoided relegation from the EFL, a sobering reminder of how far they still have to travel. But there is a conviction that they are on the right path.
“No-one finishes fourth from bottom of League Two and is happy with that,” Bancroft admits.
“We didn’t need to reset, everyone wanted to do better. I think we started to understand in February, March time that we needed to change and I worked really closely with David on the process of player recruitment from that point so we’re in a much better place on that. The biggest change from last season to this is the style of play. We’re a lot more progressive now, playing through the thirds.
“We might need to mix it up from now and then depending on the opponent, position in the game so there is that flexibility within the game plan but hopefully the fans have seen it’s less direct, it is more progressive and hopefully easier on the eye.”
Green concurs. “One of the interesting things was they talked about picking David Artell because he can develop players and I think you can see the sown oats of that now,” he says.
“Kieran Green was so not wanted that he’s not even in this year’s calendar but he assisted a wonderful goal last weekend and has become a sort of lynchpin in midfield. He was a bit of a brute, comes on after 65 minutes, picks up a card, but now it’s totally different.”
They sit seventh in League Two heading into this weekend’s trip to Newport County. Tentative talk of a promotion push will increase in volume if positive results continue.
“Our ambitions are to climb to through the leagues and we don’t want to put a cap on it either. We’ll continue to try and get better each year,” Bancroft says.
“The men’s team finishing fourth from bottom of League Two last year means we have a lot of headroom to do that. Seventh is great so far but we’re only in November. We’re confident that with working smartly and the resources they’re putting in, on and off the pitch, we can steadily improve year on year.”
It feels like something is stirring at Blundell Park and it might not be long before their reputation extends beyond Jamestown’s data geniuses.
The future is black and white and we're on the move, going up.
UTM
You can please some of the forumites some of the time but not all the forumites all of the time
This scenario can make the January transfer window a VERY interesting period, with some unknown surprise packages emerging?
If the window finds 2 solid , speedy full backs for both flanks, and a potential goal scorer, then I will believe that data works !!
I can see more young foreign players with future sell on potential being signed, more Conteh types with quick progress for summer sell ons after helping.the team move forward !
This scenario can make the January transfer window a VERY interesting period, with some unknown surprise packages emerging?
If the window finds 2 solid , speedy full backs for both flanks, and a potential goal scorer, then I will believe that data works !!
I can see more young foreign players with future sell on potential being signed, more Conteh types with quick progress for summer sell ons after helping.the team move forward !
Worked for Brighton !!
Are you not impressed by Hume? Seems to me he’s been good this season. Also Warren looks like he’s settling a bit better now?
I'm excited but I would like to know the answers to two questions
1 How much is the data costing us 2 How much does the women's team cost us
It's fine reading soft soap stories like this but without any figures it's hard to understand what's genuinely going on.
No idea about both to be fair. However, the article read to me that it is more of a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” type of thing as they’re looking at seeing if the method works in the lower leagues. As a consequence I expect it’ll be discounted, or maybe even working like an agent does and we pay a percentage of any fee but without them pushing the price up to get more money for themselves.
I'm excited but I would like to know the answers to two questions
1 How much is the data costing us 2 How much does the women's team cost us
It's fine reading soft soap stories like this but without any figures it's hard to understand what's genuinely going on.
Someone could tell you both and you still wouldn’t know what’s genuinely going on unless you knew the full finances of the club. You’d have about as much idea if someone told you it cost £10k as if it cost £100k.
Someone could tell you both and you still wouldn’t know what’s genuinely going on unless you knew the full finances of the club. You’d have about as much idea if someone told you it cost £10k as if it cost £100k.
And what something costs is very different to what the value of something is. Our former owner knew the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Exactly, and if nothing else it’s yet more free positive national/international publicity. That must be the third piece along those lines in the last month discussing the relationship with Jamestown - when the transfer windows roll around, players & agents are going to look at us differently to how we’ve been typically viewed. Doesn’t take much to build up a reputation, Peterborough still held up as the best example of a team recruiting players from down the pyramid based off what they were doing 15 years ago.
I'm excited but I would like to know the answers to two questions
1 How much is the data costing us 2 How much does the women's team cost us
It's fine reading soft soap stories like this but without any figures it's hard to understand what's genuinely going on.
Won't be too difficult to break down come accounts day for some of it , I'm intrigued come March what the loss is for 23/24 (I suspect somewhere between 1.5-2 million considering the Hurst sacking , without a cup run and an increase in playing budget + other essential items, like the ground ) . These guys and the new investors are putting their money up and for me doing a good job ; if they want to indulge in things that some might see as superficial but might improve us + give us a better image as a club I'm all for it tbh .
I'm excited but I would like to know the answers to two questions
1 How much is the data costing us 2 How much does the women's team cost us
It's fine reading soft soap stories like this but without any figures it's hard to understand what's genuinely going on.
I get shot down for stuff like this, but “the men’s team”? No, that IS Grimsby Town FC, has been for over 100 years. You can’t just dismiss 100 years of history and put the women’s side at the same level of importance - the customer is always right, and you’ll never get 6000 fans watching 11 local girls taking to the pitch.
Society nowadays is ridiculous, it does my head in.
I get shot down for stuff like this, but “the men’s team”? No, that IS Grimsby Town FC, has been for over 100 years. You can’t just dismiss 100 years of history and put the women’s side at the same level of importance - the customer is always right, and you’ll never get 6000 fans watching 11 local girls taking to the pitch.
Society nowadays is ridiculous, it does my head in.
I’ll put my crash helmet on…..
The women's team are clearly not at the same level of importance as the men, hence the substantial difference in support staff, playing budgets and advantages the men have. The women currently get gym memberships supplied by the club and have one member of full-time staff. The rest is all voluntary, it's a very bigoted point of view to dismiss the women's side just because they aren't as good as the men.
I get shot down for stuff like this, but “the men’s team”? No, that IS Grimsby Town FC, has been for over 100 years. You can’t just dismiss 100 years of history and put the women’s side at the same level of importance - the customer is always right, and you’ll never get 6000 fans watching 11 local girls taking to the pitch.
Society nowadays is ridiculous, it does my head in.
I’ll put my crash helmet on…..
I suspect this is a little tongue in cheek but I went to Arsenal Women with my daughter and granddaughter last month, 60,000 sell out and a massive revenue stream, even a couple of years ago this would seem unimaginable, my niece and her friends are playing organised women’s football now. again this was not even an opportunity for women when I was younger. We have to move with the times and I salute the club’s effort to push the club forward
I get shot down for stuff like this, but “the men’s team”? No, that IS Grimsby Town FC, has been for over 100 years. You can’t just dismiss 100 years of history and put the women’s side at the same level of importance - the customer is always right, and you’ll never get 6000 fans watching 11 local girls taking to the pitch.
Society nowadays is ridiculous, it does my head in.
I get shot down for stuff like this, but “the men’s team”? No, that IS Grimsby Town FC, has been for over 100 years. You can’t just dismiss 100 years of history and put the women’s side at the same level of importance - the customer is always right, and you’ll never get 6000 fans watching 11 local girls taking to the pitch.
Society nowadays is ridiculous, it does my head in.
I’ll put my crash helmet on…..
I don't particularly like womens football so I don't watch it .
But if my daughter wanted to play I would be buzzed (she doesn't and refers to Town as 'that silly team ' unfortunately) and driving her straight to the team , surely that's a good thing girls/women get the opportunity to represent the club + it's probably a net gain in terms of more interest overall in 'the club ' and will attract a different /larger demographic that might actually end up with some interest in the mens team aswell .
I hardly think the budget for the womens team takes anything out of the pot for the first team either, it's just something else the board are funding at a loss probably .
Personally think it’s really good stuff & if it allows us to develop existing players & recruit “investment” players with the ability of Mceachran & McJannet & loans to the standard of Barrington & Davis long may it continue.
Similar to some ladies football isn’t my chosen watch but the game should definitely be inclusive & we should do everything we can to get a proper Grimsby Town ladies team progressing.
As much as I miss a lot of what it used to be the game has changed significantly in the last 10 to 15 years & I believe if we change with it we’ll progress.
Yeah there’s a cost but there’s something here that looks to add value.
Clubs progressing and it’s good to see.
"Crombie you would have got to that if you weren't such a fat ba%$@rd" - George Kerr, inspiration from the dug out 70s style
This sort of press is bonkers compared to the past. So full of optimism and a feeling of being at the start of a journey, instead of just hanging on.
I really hope our owners can pull this off, the plans and changes are light years ahead of anything we've ever seen at the club.
It'll be flipping brilliant if we end up being excrement hot.
I am yet to be convinced that smooozing the media is a better approach than banning them altogether, ambushing them at fan's forums and using drunken home videos to communicate with the fans is the best way to go but time will tell....😏
2024 /2025 LWLWLLWWWLWLWLWDLWWLLWWLLDLDWWW;D
2023/24 DLWDDWDLLLWDLLLLWDDDWDLLWLDLLDWDDWLLDWLWLWL but not NLN 😁 2022/23LDWDWWDWLLDWWDLLLDLWLLWLWLLWDDLDWWDDDLLWDWLWLW 2021/22 WDWWWWDLWWWWLLLWLLDLWLLWWDWWWLWDLWWDWWWDLWD play offs WWW Promoted 🥳 2020/21 LLDWWLDLDWLWLLLDLWLLDLLDLLLWLLLDDDDWDDDLWLWLWL .. hello darkness my old friend 2019/20 WDLDWWLDLWWLLLDLDLDLDDWWDLLWDDWWL WLLW - ended 2018/19 LWDDLLLLLLWWDWLLLWDWLWWWWLLLLWWWWDLLLDDLLDLWLW Hello Scunny
I'm not trying to make a comparison but Arsenal's ladies team attracts a home average attendance of 29,999. There is an increasing interest in the womens game and rightly so. I'm sure that if the FA hadn't introduced a ban on the women's format then it would be a lot further developed by now. I actually enjoy it, there is a lot less cynicism and shi*thousery in it. My granddaughter plays for her junior high school team and wants to pursue a professional career in it through a college scholarship. I don't even know if any of the schools in the UK have girls football teams.
The Future is Black & White. "The commonest thing on this planet is not water , as some people believe, but stupidity ". Frank Zappa
I'm not trying to make a comparison but Arsenal's ladies team attracts a home average attendance of 29,999. There is an increasing interest in the womens game and rightly so. I'm sure that if the FA hadn't introduced a ban on the women's format then it would be a lot further developed by now. I actually enjoy it, there is a lot less cynicism and shi*thousery in it. My granddaughter plays for her junior high school team and wants to pursue a professional career in it through a college scholarship. I don't even know if any of the schools in the UK have girls football teams.
Arsenal are the only ones. Don’t be fooled. Their girl’s team get great attendances - undoubtedly - but they’re the only ones.
Women’s football needs binning before the next generation of schoolgirls realise that this generation have got it wrong. Just because girls CAN play football, doesn’t mean they should.
Girls playing football, rugby and cricket, not to mention boxing, is an abomination.
Arsenal are the only ones. Don’t be fooled. Their girl’s team get great attendances - undoubtedly - but they’re the only ones.
Women’s football needs binning before the next generation of schoolgirls realise that this generation have got it wrong. Just because girls CAN play football, doesn’t mean they should.
Girls playing football, rugby and cricket, not to mention boxing, is an abomination.
You really are a 🦖🦕 with those views.
The Future is Black & White. "The commonest thing on this planet is not water , as some people believe, but stupidity ". Frank Zappa
Just mean that there's no real questioning in there, everything is at face value. I'm looking at it from a fan's perspective as the club is ours after all.
I often hear data data data at work and some of the prices for it are astonishing, I think because it's new and seems to suggest foolproof answers yet there's always an element of snake oil present too.
If we're whacking a lot on that instead of players wages then I think its fair to keep a close eye on it. Buckley didnt need any data to unearth non league gems after all.
I do love the new regime, and also think Polly is a great addition but that doesnt mean blind trust so a few pressing questions could help. They've never shied away from answering them in the past.
I am yet to be convinced that smooozing the media is a better approach than banning them altogether, ambushing them at fan's forums and using drunken home videos to communicate with the fans is the best way to go but time will tell....😏
😂 Now you mention it I think they should set up an account on here to argue with the fans as well.
Arsenal are the only ones. Don’t be fooled. Their girl’s team get great attendances - undoubtedly - but they’re the only ones.
Women’s football needs binning before the next generation of schoolgirls realise that this generation have got it wrong. Just because girls CAN play football, doesn’t mean they should.
Girls playing football, rugby and cricket, not to mention boxing, is an abomination.
Next you’ll be telling us that women shouldn’t have the vote, university places, legal recognition and the right to own property.
I get “it’s all about opinions” but when does an opinion become misogynistic? Clearly you struggle with dividing both.
"Crombie you would have got to that if you weren't such a fat ba%$@rd" - George Kerr, inspiration from the dug out 70s style
Sport is sport, not just restricted to gender, ability or wealth. Football is not just an elite game just for blokes. Some folk are living in the dark ages but let’s not go there.
Hopefully the club have a plan for all parts of our community who want to play for GTFC.
I had an uncle who once played for Red Star Belgrade.
Arsenal are the only ones. Don’t be fooled. Their girl’s team get great attendances - undoubtedly - but they’re the only ones.
Women’s football needs binning before the next generation of schoolgirls realise that this generation have got it wrong. Just because girls CAN play football, doesn’t mean they Ishould.
Girls playing football, rugby and cricket, not to mention boxing, is an abomination.
Appreciate women’s football isn’t for everyone, and the standard at various levels not great - but - there’s an opportunity for girls now that perhaps wasn’t there before, there’s engagement in terms of physical exercise, a bond with team mates, not to mention engagement in community with various local clubs. Can’t be a bad thing??
Furthermore , as women’s football grows - it develops, the standard goes up.. and if a young girl who loves football at age 6,7, 8 or whatever has the opportunity to pursue it - or any sport - then I say go do it.
With regards to Grimsby Town - it’s also good to see the women’s side get more mentions/highlighted, as well as the aforementioned reasons - I suspect women’s football will grow and grow.. and if there’s a youngster wanting to start now, good luck to them ..
Grimsby Town Football Club is an organisation established in 1878. The primary revenue-making arm of the organisation is the men's football team. If women can't represent this 146 year old organisation, then surely disabled people and promising young players who currently play for the academy can't either?
The more groups that represent the organisation with pride, the more interest there will be the primary revenue-making arm of the organisation. In other words, a successful women's team will ultimately benefit the men's team.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an organisation established in 1878. The primary revenue-making arm of the organisation is the men's football team. If women can't represent this 146 year old organisation, then surely disabled people and promising young players who currently play for the academy can't either?
The more groups that represent the organisation with pride, the more interest there will be the primary revenue-making arm of the organisation. In other words, a successful women's team will ultimately benefit the men's team.
This. I was trying to think of something similar without it looking like a crowbar! My daughter has just got into Nottingham Forest Netball. Their owne is looking at the multisport set up like in his homeland of Greece but there’s a definite reason he is looking at that and that is to widen the reach of the club. I mean, Forest don’t need as much help as Town do yet there they are running a netball club in the Superleague and the age groups they need to run too. All of a sudden there are about 120 extra young people wearing the Garibaldi with pride, associated families many of whom have no affiliation at all and all the extra outreach they do. They’re running netball hubs at Havelock, a good few miles from Nottingham!
It's pleasing to know that both my daughters, who play football locally, should be able to look forward to misogynistic folk telling them their interests are not merited because they're girls.
"Hey girls, it's amazing that you enjoy football like I do, and the enjoyment you get from it fills me with pride, I love that we have this shared interest in a sport that I get to both watch and coach you in. Sadly, some geezer from the Fishy thinks that girl's playing football is an abomination and this is the world you're up against so be prepared for overweight middle-age blokes telling you that it's not worth you playing because you'll not be as good as the men"
Such an antiquated way of thinking. I wish people would get over the fact womens football is a growing industry. Not a growing sport, the sport is the same one that has been played for over 140 years. There will always be a very clear differences between the men and womens game owing to physical differences that are not the fault of anyone, in no way does that mean it isn't as valid a game, if that's the mantra you're pushing then we'll shut down grassroots football too and just allow the elite clubs have trials and take the best and wait for them to emerge into the elite game,
It amazes me that so many men feel threatened by the womens game, as if they're going to take over and the mens game plays second fiddle. What is so difficult about making the simple decision whether to attend a game, watch a game on telly or just give it a wide berth? Why the womens game needs sh1tt1ng on is beyond me.
I’m assuming Heisenberg’s original statement was either a joke or trolling looking for a reaction. Fair play to everyone pointing out that, when given the resources (i.e. Arsenal), women’s teams can attract large crowds. It’s not even a new thing – before the ban, women’s teams often attracted tens of thousands (see male private, Kerr Ladies, one of the more famous examples).
Anyway, how has nobody pointed out the massive, hilarious snub of Scunny where the article states that we are “40 miles from nearest rivals Lincoln or Hull City”!
Hand on heart I struggle to enjoy women's football and I do feel it is at the point of being forced on people rather than allowed to solely grow organically. I believe the interest is there for it grow on its own merits but there's a need for it to be done at pace (which I do get, capitalising on the success of the Lionesses etc.). The sad thing is that I fear the push helps fuel the outdated agendas of many.
It's not for me. But that's fine. Many things aren't for me and I just let them be. I walked past a local tennis club here the other week and a few games were going on, the standard actually looked quite decent but tennis bores me. I glanced, then looked away and got back to my day. It didn't really impact me and that's surely how life works, especially in a democracy - many things exist but you don't have to enjoy them all.
To suggest that over half of our population having the option of playing sport, seemingly any sport, is an 'abomination' is flipping weird. Thankfully the vast majority of our population has moved on from the concept of Man Hunt, Woman Make Tea.
I've quite enjoyed some of the England womens' team games and will watch those if I'm not otherwise occupied but wouldn't have an interest in the club matches. It's a bit like the England RFU team or the England cricket team. Will watch if not busy doing something else, but I'd never watch a club/county game on TV.
There is no doubt that the standard has improved enormously since the advent of professionalism, so good for them. I don't imagine I'll be watching too much women's football unless my daughter takes up the game when she's older.
Watched the England v USA friendly and thoroughly enjoyed it. The football on offer was certainly better than I have seen in League 1 and League 2. Also worth noting that the attendance of 78,000+ was a record for a women's football friendly. That is something to think about for the misogynistic dinosaurs on here.
The Future is Black & White. "The commonest thing on this planet is not water , as some people believe, but stupidity ". Frank Zappa
I imagine you also watch Strictly etc - nothing wrong with watching a bunch of lasses trying to play football.
I sincerely hope that was said "tongue in cheek" or you really are a misogynistic 🦕. Oh, and by the way I think you will find that the women's England football team is mostly women, not lasses - also what is Strictly?
The Future is Black & White. "The commonest thing on this planet is not water , as some people believe, but stupidity ". Frank Zappa
Didn't see it myself but my Dad said the women's game was really enjoys. The review in the Graun is a bit dismissive of it, saying it was a tactical battle with little excitement.
Impressive attendance, so it's a pity they didn't see a few goals.
Watched the England v USA friendly and thoroughly enjoyed it. The football on offer was certainly better than I have seen in League 1 and League 2. Also worth noting that the attendance of 78,000+ was a record for a women's football friendly. That is something to think about for the misogynistic dinosaurs on here.
Comparing women's teams to men's teams from different leagues isn't particularly useful because they're fundamentally different competitions with their own dynamics. Women's football should be appreciated for its unique qualities and the talent on display.
Claiming it is of a better standard than League 1 and League 2 is demonstrably not true because men tend to be quicker and stronger and that is a huge advantage. Now you may enjoy women's football more but let's stop these pointless comparisons.
There's no need to exaggerate or downplay the quality of women's football, it offers its own rich, competitive, and entertaining football experience. A 78,000 crowd shows that.
I think one thing we can all agree on is that the standard has improved massively since the introduction of the WSL and the advent of professionalism. There are a lot of players who have very good technique, even if they lack the pace and power that we're used to from the men's game. That said, the likes of Hemp are very aggressive and direct with the ball at their feet. I'd say the biggest weakness seems to me to be the goalkeepers who tend to be pretty diminutive in general terms and they also don't have quite the spring that the male goalkeepers do when diving. It means lots of goals seem to float in over their heads more than you might expect. As I say, though, men's keepers tend to be massive now and somebody a foot shorter is never going to be able to reach the same shots in the same-sized goals.
I think one thing we can all agree on is that the standard has improved massively since the introduction of the WSL and the advent of professionalism. There are a lot of players who have very good technique, even if they lack the pace and power that we're used to from the men's game. That said, the likes of Hemp are very aggressive and direct with the ball at their feet. I'd say the biggest weakness seems to me to be the goalkeepers who tend to be pretty diminutive in general terms and they also don't have quite the spring that the male goalkeepers do when diving. It means lots of goals seem to float in over their heads more than you might expect. As I say, though, men's keepers tend to be massive now and somebody a foot shorter is never going to be able to reach the same shots in the same-sized goals.
Some good points. The standard has improved massively even the keepers. Sometimes, it looked like an episode of keystone cops.
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