Under the radar memorable Town matches...

,,,maybe not the most obvious games.

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Charlton fan and we were talking about the more memorable games we had experienced over the years.

Funnily enough neither of us selected what the other expected (no big cup games, promotion games etc)... we also, of course, shared a complete love for Clive Mendonca, but I digress.

So, what are you under the radar memorable games?

Some of mine in no particular order (and also showing my age)

4-0 v Huddersfield Town at Blundell Park, 1990: Town totally slaughtered Huddersfield - they were utterly brilliant that night at Cockerill scored one of the best goals I've ever seen by Grimsby

4-2 Home to Barnsley, 1992.  Christmas game, I recall - the Ponton was pumping and Town scored in the first minute.  Great atmosphere.

Welling Away - 4-0 Win, Jan 2016  Welling is about 3 miles from my house, so took a mate along for a "misery match" in the wet, cold weather.  We had a great time in the pubs - loads of Town fans singing non-stop, a crappy little ground, great atmosphere and we laughed our asses off for the whole game.  My mate has been in love with Town since that game.

Palace 5- Grimsby 0.  5-0 down at half time, my car got stolen and I had to get back to Bristol.  An utterly miserable experience, never forgotten.  Life as a Grimsby fan in a nutshell.

Crawley 0 - Grimsby 1.  Our first game in the conference and I remember thinking "oh dear, is this the kind of stadium we are playing in now?" not realising that Crawley was probably one of the better grounds.  

Grimsby 1 - WBA 0: The Bonetti Game!!

Birmingham 0 - Grimsby 1:  must have been about 20 years ago - it was the most utterly dire game, Grimsvy didn't even have a shot on target and Brum scored an own goal.  Mediocrity personified.  Great day out.

Just some random thoughts...

Wasn't the goal at Birmingham scored by Dave Smith direct from a corner Sept 1998 I think.

FriskneyMariner - you could be correct - it was a long time ago.....It was a memorable game for me because I'd not actually see Town win in the flesh for 4 years since moving to London.,

Aaaah - Friskney!  I have memories of helping my dad shoot ducks down that way

Good suggestion Yossarian.

Off the top of my head, one stand out for me was Birmingham away in 1990 in the Third Division. 0-0 but think we deserved more from the game. Muddy pitch. Big, ramshackle stadium (before St Andrews was redeveloped). What sticks in my memory the most though was the big, raucous Town following. If someone said there was 2000 there I wouldn't be surprised.

I always fondly remember 3-1 away win at PNE. First game of the season, Neil woods scored 2 on his debut, great atmosphere.

I have a penchant for the more esoteric matches in general - can't beat a dour 0-0 away draw in winter at some lower league ground.

Misery and football generally go hand in hand - I pity those that support successful teams.

1-0 at Rotherham in 2003. Oster scored in injury time.

Quoted from Abdul19

1-0 at Rotherham in 2003. Oster scored in injury time.

That’s on my list too. A fairly dire game on a Tuesday night before Livvo skinned a young Paul Hurst to pull back for Oster to tap-in from memory.

Remember a game just prior to Christmas a couple of years earlier, away to Preston at Deepdale. Town were behind after about 20 seconds before a Menno Willems free-kick and a late Groves header won us the game.

I remember a couple of good ones at West Brom in pretty quick succession too. One was on the Easter bank holiday if I remember and Luke Cornwall scored a cracking volley to give us a 1-0 which massively boosted our chances of staying up. One of Peter Handyside’s last games I think after Zhang Enhua had gone back to China.

Then at the start of the following season we played them again. Danny Coyne saved a Lee Hughes penalty before Alan Pouton converted one of our own at the other end.

Thinking of Enhua, I seem to remember him scoring in a cracking 2-2 draw against Bolton at the Reebok. It was a Tuesday night but still a full house as Bolton had put on some sort of family promotion with all tickets £5 and fair rides outside the ground and pyrotechnics as the players walked out onto what was a really shoddy pitch.

The Gateshead 6-1 game was great too for so many reasons, but probably doesn’t qualify as ‘under the radar’ since we won by a 5 goal margin including a hilarious opening goal and a Scott Neilson stunner.

Good times.

March 2015 away to Dover- won 1-0 a few months earlier we also won 1-0 at Eastleigh, both long trips on a Tuesday night but the sort of results that made it all worth it.

April 1972 a Clive Wiggington goal gives us a 1-1 draw to secure promotion.

A 0-0 draw at Colchester about 1989, awful game

1964-5 away at Boothferry Park, Hull to see Town get a 3-3 draw. My very first away league game with my dad.

1966-7 vs Scunthorpe 7-1 with Tees and Green both getting hat tricks

1970-1 vs Cambridge United Matt Tees homecoming, he scores in 2-0 win and he puts 3,000 on the gate.

1971-2 away at Brentford lost 2-0 and huge Town following down at Griffin Park. Game was on ITV on Sunday. Had to run through the backstreets to get back to the station in one piece. Sh1t myself.

1980-1 at QPR lost 1-0. Drunk as a skunk. Huge Town following there as we tried our damndest to get three successive promotions.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Good suggestion Yossarian.

Off the top of my head, one stand out for me was Birmingham away in 1990 in the Third Division. 0-0 but think we deserved more from the game. Muddy pitch. Big, ramshackle stadium (before St Andrews was redeveloped). What sticks in my memory the most though was the big, raucous Town following. If someone said there was 2000 there I wouldn't be surprised.

I was there. Remember it well.

Quoted from jock dock tower

1964-5 away at Boothferry Park, Hull to see Town get a 3-3 draw. My very first away league game with my dad.

1966-7 vs Scunthorpe 7-1 with Tees and Green both getting hat tricks

1970-1 vs Cambridge United Matt Tees homecoming, he scores in 2-0 win and he puts 3,000 on the gate.

1971-2 away at Brentford lost 2-0 and huge Town following down at Griffin Park. Game was on ITV on Sunday. Had to run through the backstreets to get back to the station in one piece. Sh1t myself.

1980-1 at QPR lost 1-0. Drunk as a skunk. Huge Town following there as we tried our damndest to get three successive promotions.

It was Brian  Hill who got hat trick against Scunthorpe.

Quoted from Abdul19

1-0 at Rotherham in 2003. Oster scored in injury time.

All I remember about this game is this the Town fans were in amazing voice and it was a party like atmosphere.

The 4-1 win over Rochdale in December 2005, dire in the first half but a different side in the second, special memory of Michael Reddy scoring in the last minute and Tony Gallimore stood disconsolate in the pontoon goal.

92/93 .....midweek game..... Filbert St....Anglo Italian Cup ....cant even remember the score but pretty sure we lost 2-1 maybe 3-1 ...as i was attempting to do every 1st team game that season it was just an obscure fixture that had to be done....i think there was about 50 others who made the trip that night.

Stockport at home 3rd round of the fa cup , early 2000s . They scored in the 81st min to make it 2-1 to them . Cue mass walk out . Bradley Allen scores twice in injury time to win 3-2 . There’s only about 6 of us left in lower at the away end going mental. The ginger copper just left us to goad the Stockport fans with a big grin on his face . Good lad .

THE bonetti match v WBA , welling away was fun,  Luke cornwell victory v WBA , Cambridge away midweek when we played like a non league barca, winning away at ipshit with Stacey Caldecott and Peter handyside winning everything, the home games when bonetti and laws were on song

- Midweek game vs QPR under Lennie Lawrence (2000ish) at home. 0-1 down at half time. Brought David Nielsen on at half time I think and went 433 with him up top with Livvo and Bradley Allen. Won 3-1 after a great 2nd half and Nielsen was an instant cult hero.

- 1-0 away win at Coventry which got Gordon Strachan the sack the next day.

- random one a mid 90's 1-1 draw with Man City at home late in the season I think, when we had Michael Appleton on loan- who I think scored our goal.

- a Tuesday night game vs Blackburn at home in April 2001. They were on course for automatic promotion to the Prem with Fulham and had Premier League quality throughout their team. But I remember the game for Eyal Berkovic absolutely running the show in one of the best individual displays I've seen at BP. We lost 4-1. Matt Jansen scored a couple for them I think, who was a rising star until his motorbike accident a year or so later.

Quoted from friskneymariner

Wasn't the goal at Birmingham scored by Dave Smith direct from a corner Sept 1998 I think.

If it’s the game I was at then all I can remember was hearing the Queen mother had died on the way home 🤨

The first time I went to Birmingham was 1990 and that was the first time I’d seen a police helicopter used at a football game .
( we had a bit of a reputation back then and so did Birmingham .

Another time I went there was a Sunday morning game that was live on TV , we was still in the massive old standing section and parts of the roof started to collapse .
They moved us all into the home stand seats

Chesterfield away 1990. The Promotion Party at Saltergage; lost 2-0 but a huge following that day in the sunshine.  Nearly ruined by some awful kettling of Town fans in a side street from Derbyshire police which could have ended in tragedy.

Bradford away 1991.  Top of the Old Division 3 and a great 2-0 win.  Peak Buckleyball and another big away following that filled service stations on the M62 and saw a Tom Watson screamer and a Dave Gilbert finish to a classic 90s Town team move.

Dartford Away April 2013, a Tuesday night game.  Just about the point where maybe we thought we were finally getting it together and looking like we might start to look forward to getting out of the Conference.  One nil down and won 2-1 with goals in the last ten minutes.  Great atmosphere.

Quoted from Posh Harry

I always fondly remember 3-1 away win at PNE. First game of the season, Neil woods scored 2 on his debut, great atmosphere.

They still had a plastic pitch and there was a massive Town following .
My other memory of this game was that a Town fan threw a like Ninja throwing star thing at their keeper and it just missed him .
Also the following Monday in the papers the Chief of Lancashire police saying we was the worst behaved fans he’d ever seen

Quoted from grimps

I
( we had a bit of a reputation back then and so did Birmingham .

Another time I went there was a Sunday morning game that was live on TV , we was still in the massive old standing section and parts of the roof started to collapse .
They moved us all into the home stand seats

Rmember that one. Went 1-0 up early but ended up losing 2-1, think the tv was part of the Saint n Greavsie show and their winner was offside?

There was bits of the stand falling down on us in first half, mainly lumps of rust iirc

Quoted from Cloudy

Rmember that one. Went 1-0 up early but ended up losing 2-1, think the tv was part of the Saint n Greavsie show and their winner was offside?

There was bits of the stand falling down on us in first half, mainly lumps of rust iirc

I always thought it rinshed 1-1 , Tommy Watson scores for us .
I’m probably wrong though , I usually am

A couple of FA Cup ones.

Millwall 1 Grimsby 6 1981/82. 3rd Round. Played on the Tuesday as the game was called off on the Saturday. 1-0 down at half time but absolutely destroyed them in the 2nd half.

Reading 1 Grimsby 2 1988/89. 4th Round replay. A Wednesday night 8pm kick off. Thought there would be abour 3 or 400 Town fans there but we filled that away end at Elm Park. Must have been about 1500 there that night. Also saw the birth of Harry Haddock. They equalised with about 10 minutes left and our players were knackered having given their all but Kevin Jobling seized onto a short backpass and rounded the keeper. Town fans celebrating before he'd even kicked the ball goalwards. Clinched us that trip to Wimbledon in the next round.

Quoted from grimps

If it’s the game I was at then all I can remember was hearing the Queen mother had died on the way home 🤨

The first time I went to Birmingham was 1990 and that was the first time I’d seen a police helicopter used at a football game .
( we had a bit of a reputation back then and so did Birmingham .

Another time I went there was a Sunday morning game that was live on TV , we was still in the massive old standing section and parts of the roof started to collapse .
They moved us all into the home stand seats

Queen mother died 2002 think we were away to Birmingham that day.

Chesterfield 2 Town 3
Not sure when but it was a massive promotion battle, Joe Waters played when we thought he was out injured.
Went 3-0 up and cruising, then conceded just before half time, then Kev Moore got sent off before they got a second. It was like a siege for the last 15 minutes
The old away terrace at Saltergate was rocking and the game will remain in my memory for ever

Derby 1 Town 3 Boxing Day we hadn`t won away all Season to that point and when we arrived at the pub in Derby the copper said all you GY fans can go in here wont be more than 200 of you . How wrong was he by kick off the away end was rammed with 2-3k Mariners and an Oster inspired Town tore Derby to shreds backed by a wall of noise and it kick started Town on to survival.

Another one Town 6 Burnley 5 on Halloween it was simply ridculous at one point we were genuinley unsure wether we were winning losing or drawing such was the speed of the goals going in. I can only recall a Livvo header because he had not long since being back after the horrendous head injury he suffered earlier that Season.

Charlton 1 Town 3 this was a midweeker played at a near empty Upton Park.As usual a decent Town contingent of around 750-800 turned up and Tony Rees got 2 of 3 goals all scored in a couple of minutes.

One game that sticks in my memory is from the early 2000's (2003?) when we played Barnsley at their place and Gally missed a penalty for them in the last 10-15 minutes or so, and for the rest of the match we were chanting his name.

Grimsby 6-2 Wimbledon

That season was incredible - top in September, seven points adrift of safety by February. We couldn't score for toffee (although we had improved by the time we played Wimbledon).

It was 2-2 at half time, Wimbledon looked every bit the form team of the division, then we had the drama of two penalties - one had to be retaken - their keeper getting sent off, and both Pouton and Boulding getting hat-tricks.

That was a huge result that helped keep us in the division (think it came on the back of that 1-0 win at Wolves when Andy Todd scored the winner).

Quoted from grimps

If it’s the game I was at then all I can remember was hearing the Queen mother had died on the way home  

First Town match she'd been to I reckon

Quoted from Ipswin

First Town match she'd been to I reckon

I bet she would have drunk even Town fans under the table. So it must have been the shock of Town beating Brum - she would have been a died in the wool blue-blood.

Tuesday match away against Charlton,car broke down ,borrowed one got to the ground to find it was a Weds match ,stayed in London the night lost 4-0.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Derby 1 Town 3 Boxing Day we hadn`t won away all Season to that point and when we arrived at the pub in Derby the copper said all you GY fans can go in here wont be more than 200 of you . How wrong was he by kick off the away end was rammed with 2-3k Mariners and an Oster inspired Town tore Derby to shreds backed by a wall of noise and it kick started Town on to survival.

The game where everyone in the ground knew where Johnny Oster was going to put that free-kick, apart from the Derby keeper, and didn't David "Digger" Soames score his only goal for us that day with a late 3rd?

One of many that sticks in my mind is   Preston  0   Town  1

In the 1970's a cup replay,

Fpur of us finished our shift bus driving and shot across to Preston no M 62 in those days,

Harry Wainman our hero with Alan Gauden scoring the only goal.

Rochdale away - the promotion season out of the old Division 4, 1990.  We won 1-0 with a Gilbert goal.  It was then that I started to believe I might actually see a Grimsby team get promoted for the first time ever.  

I also remember way back in my first early years of supporting town we were 0-2 down to Barnsley and scored 3 in the second half (Joe Waters maybe scoring!) and the place going mad.  

Also saw 2-2 draw v Leicester around the same time - Linekar scored an amazing overhead kick.

Those were probably the earliest town games I could really remember.

Oh,and losing 3-4 at home to Portsmouth on our "almost promoted" season when we finished behind Man City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Sheff W.  They bagged a 95th minute winner - gutted

A lot of the above, plus a 5-2 win at Rochdale on a Tuesday night after going 2-0 down in half an hour. They had a tricky  little winger and he ripped us apart for a bit. Then we got a grip and smashed it. I remember a Rochdale fan coming up to us at 2-0 and saying that we were in for a right tonking, ha ha. Old Division 4 days, magic.

Beating Sheff Wed over 2legs was overshadowed by beating Leicester in the next round but what a performance away from home with a Groves screamer in front of the town end. We’d lost to them 7-1 the season before.

Chesterfield away in an FA Cup reply when Groves scores the best counter attacking goal I’ve seen us score.

QPR in the League Cup when we lost on penalties. Think it was the first ever shoot out at BP. Great atmosphere and a brilliant town performance in front of a big crowd.

Notts County away under Newell when it looked like we were going down. Managed a 2-0 win in front of a large away following. The on loan keeper and Rob Atkinson were immense that game. We escaped the drop that year and should never have found ourself in the same position a year later.

Plymouth away on a Tuesday night (i think...maybe a Friday ..lol ) we won 1-0...Mendonca rounding Rhys Wilmott to score in front of  a very happy away terrace...when you go that far all you want is something to cheer and Super Clive delivered.

Post edit -

it was 91/92 and it was 2-1.....how the memory plays tricks.

Quoted from wuffing

A lot of the above, plus a 5-2 win at Rochdale on a Tuesday night after going 2-0 down in half an hour. They had a tricky  little winger and he ripped us apart for a bit. Then we got a grip and smashed it. I remember a Rochdale fan coming up to us at 2-0 and saying that we were in for a right tonking, ha ha. Old Division 4 days, magic.

I was also at that game, if my memory serves me right us fans changed ends at half-time.

Another of the few games that I can still remember at that time was when we hammered Darlington 7-2 at BP.....6-0 up at half-time.

Quoted from moosey_club

Plymouth away on a Tuesday night (i think...maybe a Friday ..lol ) we won 1-0...Mendonca rounding Rhys Wilmott to score in front of  a very happy away terrace...when you go that far all you want is something to cheer and Super Clive delivered.

Post edit -

it was 91/92 and it was 2-1.....how the memory plays tricks.

I was there that night. Pouring with rain and the 100 or so Town fans doing the conga in the away end.

And how could you forget that rare Mark Lever goal in the first half!

Sunderland away at their Stadium of Light a midweek cup game ,  more than half empty and we enjoyed chanting 'sh1t ground no fans'
Nogan put us 1-0 up altho they eventually won.  

Carlisle away April 98. A couple of days after the highs of seeing Town's first ever game at Wembley with 30k others, it was a bit of a come down being one of a 100 strong following in a crowd of less than 4k at Carlisle only a couple of days later. Somehow the team found enough energy to scrape a 1-0 win in a really poor game to keep our promotion chasing momentum going..

Quoted from Les Brechin

I was there that night. Pouring with rain and the 100 or so Town fans doing the conga in the away end.

And how could you forget that rare Mark Lever goal in the first half!

I was at that game too Les, I was based In Plymouth then so only a walk back to the dockyard for me, I really enjoyed that night

Anyone remember an end of season game v Brighton at BP?  Probably early to mid 1980s - I think we were 2-0 up with about 10 mins to play and we liost 4-2.   I dont think the Brighton team or fans could quite believe their luck.

Quoted from Yossarian

Anyone remember an end of season game v Brighton at BP?  Probably early to mid 1980s - I think we were 2-0 up with about 10 mins to play and we liost 4-2.   I dont think the Brighton team or fans could quite believe their luck.

I remember that game well, Peter Grotier was in goal for us that night. It could and should have been 5 as they missed an easy chance at the death,

Quoted from Les Brechin

I remember that game well, Peter Grotier was in goal for us that night. It could and should have been 5 as they missed an easy chance at the death,

Yep he was awful the worst keeper ive seen and weve had a few 2 of the 4 goals went straight through him at the near post another was a screamer and pretty sure the other was an header from a few yeards out he should have caught?

67-68 vs Bristol Rovers won 3-2 Gary Moore, Graham Taylor and Dave Boyle.
Should have been 5-2 Taylor had a couple ruled out, remember this game well.
Taylor had a great game and was booked as well. He never stopped smiling.
Sadly we went down, Taylor moved to Lincoln.

Quoted from 140067

67-68 vs Bristol Rovers won 3-2 Gary Moore, Graham Taylor and Dave Boyle.
Should have been 5-2 Taylor had a couple ruled out, remember this game well.
Taylor had a great game and was booked as well. He never stopped smiling.
Sadly we went down, Taylor moved to Lincoln.

I was at that game and believe it was first time I had seen Boylen play and remember being really impressed with him. Don’t remember Taylor getting a goal but as it was 50 years ago not surprised. Recall “Sweet Mary Moore” not being a favourite with Barrett Stand fans and upon leaving us he scored quite a few goals for Southend.

As for games I recall taking two non-town supporting work mates to midweek game I think in 78 or 79 v Northampton resulting in 4-3 home win. We stood in the Barrett Stand and they actually loved the atmosphere that stand generated. Such a shame that had to go as it really was a key part of the enjoyment in going to town matches particularly night games.

Middlesbrough  away 4-1 win it took us to the top of the league 1980 something.