Random Town Thoughts....

I see the forum is pretty quiet so I thought I'd throw up a post just about random thoughts about supporting town, the past, experiences, the future, memories.

In times like this when I am sure we are all missing football (whether we attend in person or not) it is good to look back at the more forgotten moments of match day (pre, during, post)

Here are some to start:

- I dont live in the region any more and haven;t for many years, but I miss the pre-game drinks at The Imperial pub (RIP)- when I was a kid it was rammed and full of smoke and I watched my dad slam down 4 pints before the match.  More recently, rammed and stinking of wet carpet.  The rise in anticipation ahead of the game.....
- The crackle of excitement when I take my friends from down here in London to away games knowing they will say "Grimsby fans are a bit mental" - the buzz and the excitement of being in a pub before the game and everyone is up for it.
- The inevitable fug of frustration when you realise 30 mins into the game that it is going to be totally dire
- misery football:  Just knowing that the mid January away match at <insert random place here> will be a 0-0 draw
- The unexpected,joyous away win that inspires crazy, delusional talk about promotion because we beat Rochdale 1-0 away with a scuffed 85th minute winner

Ah. Town.  I love you.  I hate you.  It must be excrement supporting a team that wins stuff year-on-year.  I prefer it this way.

"Random Town Thoughts?"

I just think financially we will be alright after this crisis as there are a lot more FL clubs in a worse position than us and the hierarchy aren't going to let them fold so we will be fine.
Dare I say it credit to Mr Fenty.

On the football, I'm really feeling positive now, going to BP is no longer a chore....or was.
You never know, next season we could be a contender for promotion with Ollie in charge.

And seeing Swann pulling the plug at Scunny makes the future look even brighter  

For too many years those mid-January visits to <insert gobby southern club> Getting a 0-0 would be a result. If we got stop getting beat at places like Crawley and Stevenage, I’d be happier.

I used to teach English in a language centre down in the smoke.  On the Monday morning I asked the class what they'd done at the weekend.  I had to Swiss students (unfortunately not Swiss au pairs)  who told me they'd been to see Arsenal V Chelsea.  One of the teams lost man early doors and then decided to park the bus so the rest of the game rolled out a turgid 0-0   They bemoaned the 60 quid entrance fee and the quality of the football.  As it happened Town were playing Reading the following week and I asked them if they wanted to tag along.  At first, they were a little suspicious but they agreed.

We arrived at Reading and went into a pub for a few jars.   They were both worried about not being able to get in and were really antsy.  Don't worry I told 'em, we haven't even had our mandatory fish and chips yet.  On the way to the ground we got some and walked as we ate.  However, the two lads were lagging behind.  I wondered why.  I turned to see what they were doing and every time they took a chip they stopped and ate it then walked a little bit.  They'd never grown up eating and walking , so they basically couldn't do it.  Bloody hell I thought.  I can run away from skin'eds and eat.  

The game was a thrilling end to end 1-1 draw and the the Swiss were hooked.  We did a few more away games around the London area.  We kept in touch for a while (pre internet) and they always asked how the Mariners were getting on.  I sent them some mushy peas once but they didn't go down so well. UTMM!

In times like this I think it’s the romantic memories that come to forefront, much like the time standing in a packed pub with ones dad before the match or the whiff of pie whilst sat on the fence at a packed BP.

I also remember stuff at games that ordinarily wouldn’t enter my head...like the time the bloke sat next to me at Bramhall Lane just whipped his flask out, poured a drink and then town scored...the thing went everywhere and said flask was never seen again.

The time after we beat the bin dipped and we were kept penned in behind the anfield road end for what seemed like an eternity or the Everton fans applauding the town buses.

I remember playing football a on Sidney park after school, the day of some cup games, could be Leicester, could be West Ham, who knows but I remember the park keeper locked the gates and panicking how on earth we would get out. The only logical solution was climb over some huge gate...managed not to die and town won.

Plenty of excrement memories too but when you support a club like town that’s part of it for me. I’m not saying losing a European cup final is any easier or is in anyway not excrement, especially when it’s your club (those armchair, TV fans haven’t a clue) but when 1500 of ya turn up at Rochdale and from KO it is absolutely flipping dreadful and you deep down know relegation is coming, that’s horrible...but it’s still a memory.

Doing the Conga in the away end on a Tuesday night at Millmoor. What seemed like a massive adventure when my Dad took me to the Coventry away cup match in the early 70s ,the main thing I remember was being amazed how big the ground was, but best part was on the way back stopping at the closed market place in the middle of Newark at what seemed to me as an 8 yr old the middle of the night, and my Dad getting us pie and chips from the chippy and sitting in the car together (my parents had just got divorced at this point), The drive down to Wembley for play off final v Northampton. 7 of us in an old Mercedes Estate, with me and my Auntie sitting on the floor of the boot facing backwards (nowadays of course Police would nick you for that) and the panic when our driver turned back up the M1 where it ended on the edge of London not knowing where the nearest junction was to turn back south again.
Not being able to understand Graham who was always walking round the Main stand randomly talking to people or himself again when I was (and I suppose him as well) were very young.
A Tuesday away game at at Northampton wher a win I think would guarantee promotion, my Dad telling the school I had a dentist appt at 2.30pm (my mum was not allowed to know we had done this)  so he could take me out of school early as he likes to get places well on time, and when we arrived the opposite to Coventry where it was strange to stand on the grass next to the pitch just behind a rope.
Its amazing the things we remember which aren't neccesarily about the game on the pitch but just the experiences of following us.

Re The Imperial.

1971-2 season, four of us used to meet in there early doors for a game of fives and threes - and to get a seat of course. It was during one of these games we saw a woman come into the bar, find her husband sat down, and planted his hot dinner in front of him whilst doubting his lack of athletic ability and parentage.

The guy who very occasionally came in there back in the day and started playing the bagpipes. Never seen so many Grimsby / Scottish fans (must have had a lasting effect on me!)

I wasn't there, so don't know whether it's a modern day myth or not, but did anyone actually see Elton John in there at the end of the 77-8 season when Watford came to BP and won the Tuesday night game, and set off on their meteoric rise to the top.

Standing outside in the Imp car park, watching everyone go by. The talk was always "I wonder what kind of mob ***** will bring today"" Inevitably there wasn't one.

The Imp was a sh1thole of a pub, but it was Town's pub, and I really do feel for folk who are too young to have missed those magical matchdays in there. They truly were something else. GBNF.

The thing I miss the most about the Imp is that after driving 65+ to home games from where I live you could usually guarantee a place to park (If you got there an hour early), £2.50 was well worth it. Now I have to trawl the back streets like everyone else.

Read the comments about Town 0 Spurs 0 on another thread.  Not sure where now.

I totally agreed that we played well, lots of possession, created chances and had numerous corners.  

Top strikers take their chances - which is why they aren’t playing Grimsby in the league.

Grimsby Town= family connections, keeping it real.

Its why I support the club.