Town's Festive football of yesteryear

Does anyone have any favourite moments from games over the holiday period?

One of mine was the 1978-79 Division Four promotion season, and two days before Xmas a Bobby Cumming inspired hat trick ensured we beat York City 3-0 at BP. A disappointingly small gate of less than 4.500 actually saw the game, and the traditional Boxing Day game at Scunny in front of over 8,000 saw Bobby score again but not able to prevent a 2-1 reversal.

Why was the York game special for me then? As far as I am aware it is the only time that three different players have scored hat tricks in successive games, at Blundell Park, so it's a wee bit of history. Tony Ford got the next one, as we beat Bradford City  5-1, but the crowds were still not reaching the 5,000 mark. The next game was an evening kick off  and the mercurial Mike Lester scored four times as we gubbed Darlington 7-2. I think  this was the game that brought John Stone into the "must have for next season" kind of player?

The following year was the great game against Barnsley on the Bosing Day, and over 14,000 saw them sent home with their tails between their legs on the back of a 3-0 defeat, with Killer's to goals and one from Bobby Cumming.

A year later we had the memorable spectacle of the Toon Army at Blundell Park and BP packed to the rafters with over 17,500 inside to see a cracking 0-0 draw. I well remember walking to the ground and being surrounded by Geordies the length of Grimsby Road from Isaac's Hill, some in black and white pyjamas, others in sun shorts and vests.

Absolutely great memories of the festive period from times now long gone. Yours???

Christmas will always stick in the memory for a Town game as my first ever match was the last ever Christmas Day game. Town lost 2-1 at home to Sheff U on Christmas Day 1958. Johnny Scott scored a penalty and Mick Cullen missed one I could have scored (and I was only seven) We lost the return fixture at Bramall Lane 2-1 as well two days later

Christmas Day 1955, Grimsby Town 3 Liverpool 1, scorers Scott, Fell, Whitefoot, official attendance 17,705.

I was a little lad in the Osmond with my father and uncle, passed down over the heads to the front rail behind the goal so I could see. Brilliant. I remember the smell of beer, spirits, mint humbugs and cigars was everywhere. There were no Liverpool supporters present that I know of so the crowd was all for Town. I don't remember another atmosphere like that until we had the great cup games in the 70s/80s.

We lost the return next day 3-2.