Great Coates site

Remember the whole Great Coates thing - NIMBYS, the financial crash, newts etc - I seem to remember that another point of contention was that the club couldn’t buy the land from the owners, for whatever reason? I definitely remember the land being owned by Sir Richard Sutton Estates. Well, it would appear that he (Sir Richard Sutton) has been murdered in his home today by an intruder!! It’s on the national news.

Nowt to do with us nowadays, but thought I’d bring it up. It’s a mad world we live it.

Quoted from Heisenberg

Remember the whole Great Coates thing - NIMBYS, the financial crash, newts etc - I seem to remember that another point of contention was that the club couldn’t buy the land from the owners, for whatever reason? I definitely remember the land being owned by Sir Richard Sutton Estates. Well, it would appear that he (Sir Richard Sutton) has been murdered in his home today by an intruder!! It’s on the national news.

Nowt to do with us nowadays, but thought I’d bring it up. It’s a mad world we live it.

Yes....because we didnt have any money....same reason we didnt take the Peaks Parkway site, Freeman St, Docks , etc etc.

Saw the headlines yesterday but didnt realise it was the same person.

Great Coates, i remember this. It was 1994 and i was living at Great Coates at the time and all the fuss. Twenty seven years ago!!! scary where the time goes and even more scary, look at the progress(or lack of it) since!

Quoted from Shipwrecked In Gainsborough

Great Coates, i remember this. It was 1994 and i was living at Great Coates at the time and all the fuss. Twenty seven years ago!!! scary where the time goes and even more scary, look at the progress(or lack of it) since!

All your fault then that we arent in the Conoco Stadium watching Champions League Football...

Great Coates was "only" around 2001 or 2002 wasn't it?

I remember some talk about a new stadium near Morrisons off the A46 (Laceby Acres) back in 1994 as the club faced up to the impending Taylor Report deadlines.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Great Coates was "only" around 2001 or 2002 wasn't it?

I remember some talk about a new stadium near Morrisons off the A46 (Laceby Acres) back in 1994 as the club faced up to the impending Taylor Report deadlines.

Great Coates was 2002 with opening for 2003/04 season.

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/grimsby-town-new-stadium-saga-2521628

I cannot see a new ground in my life time. its all pie in the sky- wishfull thinking , We cannot afford proper training ground let alone a new ground.  Any one got a spair 25 mill  kicking around ? All gone quiate with this regeneration thing , Should be gratefull for the hotel YMCA ,  and football will be the last thing on planners minds when it comes to handouts

Wasn't there something about an endangered newt that scuppered plans as well?

I questioned it on here years ago when most people on here were  hoping that Peaks Parkway would come off. I couldn’t see where the money was coming from. It wasn’t popular asking questions like that. I was told it was too soon for such details. Details like how are we going to find £22m. Some people even said I had no business asking such questions.

Emperor’s New Clothes Syndrome.

Quoted from Shipwrecked In Gainsborough

Great Coates, i remember this. It was 1994 and i was living at Great Coates at the time and all the fuss. Twenty seven years ago!!! scary where the time goes and even more scary, look at the progress(or lack of it) since!

I lived in Great Coates then as well. I was looking forward to a short walk up Woad Lane to the new ground on match days - how wrong I was!!

Quoted from wigworld

Wasn't there something about an endangered newt that scuppered plans as well?

It was actually a variety of bird called a Golden Plover that had been seen using the proposed site for roosting. The fact that when disturbed the birds could fly to an adjacent site was completely ignored by Natural England (?). The club were also expected to buy an equivalent area to set aside to replace the lost roosting site. Then Network Rail got in on the act and said the club would have to stump up £1 million to upgrade Great Coates Station to cope with the increased passenger usage, which was crazy as only the Barton Train stops there. It was a complete fiasco

For those that are too young to have been there, B&Q were going to be the anchor tenant, along with other businesses, which would go a long way to funding it. Th resident of Great Coates formed an action group to fight it. There is a ruling that if a councillor watch a football team, they were deemed to have a vested interest, and could not take part in the planning process. Over half the council were barred from taking part since they all supported Town, which left the football hating half of the council to decide on the plans. They turned down the planning application, not understanding the importance of a football club to its community. This led to an outcry of fans, including death threats, the council suddenly realised their mistake and backtracked. After more to-ing and fro-ing, and wasted times, planning permission was granted, but the residents cried foul, and appealed to the Secretary of State He called it in for a public enquirery. By the time this concluded that planning permission could be granted, I seem to remember it was ten years, the whole thing had collapsed. B&Q had rebuilt their store, where it is now.

I firmly believe that the original plans were viable, and, if the council had the vision to grant it, it would have been built. We were in the 2nd tier of the football league at the time, what is now the championship, so who knows what we could have become, if it wasn't for the ineptitude of our council and the delaying tactics of the residents.  

Maybe the councillors that voted understood the effect the stadium would have on the residents.
I hate the term nimbys,, it  is only used by those whose lives would not have been blighted by the development.

Quoted from realist

Maybe the councillors that voted understood the effect the stadium would have on the residents.
I hate the term nimbys,, it  is only used by those whose lives would not have been blighted by the development.

What are the third, second and first person singular forms of the verb ‘to be a Nimby’

He/she is a NIMBY
You are a NIMBY
I am a citizen exercising my right to protect my interests

Since you asked Realist, if you build anything, it is going to be near somebody. I defend the right of anybody to protest to protect their way of life. My bone of contention with the council is with the way they handled the whole affair. They clearly sided with the residents, and allowed every delaying tactic they could muster to delay and then delay it some more until it ran out of steam. What is interesting in the whole saga, is that the residents lost every single argument they could think of, but won the war. They played the council and twisted it around their little fingers, The council allowed every single objection, after the deadline for objections had passed, instead of growing a pair, and telling them the deadline had passed so they have had it. What was he point of having a deadline?

Quoted from realist

Maybe the councillors that voted understood the effect the stadium would have on the residents.
I hate the term nimbys,, it  is only used by those whose lives would not have been blighted by the development.

Pretty sure I read somewhere that property prices increase in the area around a new stadium.

The residents of Great Coates lost out, fool them.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Great Coates was "only" around 2001 or 2002 wasn't it?

I remember some talk about a new stadium near Morrisons off the A46 (Laceby Acres) back in 1994 as the club faced up to the impending Taylor Report deadlines.

From the GET

Great Coates

Before Peaks Parkway, there was Great Coates, and it was a saga that went on so long it forms an entire era of the Grimsby Town stadium story.

The wheels were first put in motion in the mid-1990s, but it wasn’t until the new millennium that wishful thinking began to look like it could be more than just a dream.

From Wiki

Conoco Stadium, Great Coates

Since the mid-1990s the club has been pursuing a move to a new stadium elsewhere in the area. In the late 1990s the club submitted a planning application for a new stadium on the western outskirts of Grimsby at Great Coates, adjacent to the A180 dual carriageway.




I am sure it was announced in 1995 but as above the club didn't apply for planning permission till the late 90s. I think I still have the GET announcing it somewhere.

I also remember the club putting out a short video of the announcement and Bill Carr was the chairman at the time.

Glad it fell through. Who the fook wants to go to Great Coates to watch the Mariners? Not me.

Quoted from ginnywings

Glad it fell through. Who the fook wants to go to Great Coates to watch the Mariners? Not me.

Add Peaks Parkway to that as well, Freemo or the docks much better IMO.

I mean there’s nothing to entice someone to live in Great Coates...a cut through to an industrial estate.

It would’ve been a excrement place to build the ground but you’d have thought it would’ve made great Coates more appealing...their shortsightedness was laughable.

Long term I think the decision has turned out to be a good one, albeit a waste of cash.

It was a half hearted attempt and the backers soon pulled out.
The council ultimately has to take a side and there will be a loser, why was this a wrong decision?
We could do with some more strong councillors to stop the never ending development south of the town and move it to the west.

Pleased Great Coates never happened, crap location.

Quoted from ginnywings

Glad it fell through. Who the fook wants to go to Great Coates to watch the Mariners? Not me.

As opposed to the current match day experience? Watching sh*t football in a decrepit ground that you get to by travelling through an area twinned with Aleppo.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

As opposed to the current match day experience? Watching sh*t football in a decrepit ground that you get to by travelling through an area twinned with Aleppo.

I’d take a trip to Blundell Park or any other stadium situated as such than an out of town breezeblock shed.

Colchester, worst away experience in the league. Bolton isn’t much better...Shrewsbury, similar. Great Coates would’ve been a horrible experience...

Quoted from rancido

It was actually a variety of bird called a Golden Plover that had been seen using the proposed site for roosting. The fact that when disturbed the birds could fly to an adjacent site was completely ignored by Natural England (?). The club were also expected to buy an equivalent area to set aside to replace the lost roosting site. Then Network Rail got in on the act and said the club would have to stump up £1 million to upgrade Great Coates Station to cope with the increased passenger usage, which was crazy as only the Barton Train stops there. It was a complete fiasco

Which again was underhand b0ll0cks, I know for sure that a local resident spray painted a couple of pigeons with a rattle can and took a grainy photo as evidence.
More galling for me is the later behaviours of the Parish Council who were showed up for what they are with the long running public disputes and in fighting they had over their village hall. Absolutely pathetic that such small minded petty people had such a massive influence on what was a huge opportunity for the town/area.

Quoted from rancido

I lived in Great Coates then as well. I was looking forward to a short walk up Woad Lane to the new ground on match days - how wrong I was!!

Another fascinating fact and total irrelevance was that " Livvo " was my next door but two neighbour!

Quoted from Shipwrecked In Gainsborough

Another fascinating fact and total irrelevance was that " Livvo " was my next door but two neighbour!

Interesting that, I always.thought he lived at love lane corner, there was always a blue BMW registration number L1VVO parked outside.
Perhaps he was visiting a."friend"

Quoted from Shipwrecked In Gainsborough

Another fascinating fact and total irrelevance was that " Livvo " was my next door but two neighbour!

Ah, the posh end off Station Road. I lived on Woad Lane just before the village ended.

Quoted from Perkins

Interesting that, I always.thought he lived at love lane corner, there was always a blue BMW registration number L1VVO parked outside.
Perhaps he was visiting a."friend"

And I am convinced he lived on scartho road.

Quoted from psgmariner

And I am convinced he lived on scartho road.

He certainly lived in Great Coates for a while - Blackthorn Drive (?)

Quoted from ginnywings

Glad it fell through. Who the fook wants to go to Great Coates to watch the Mariners? Not me.

Would be perfect for me. Head straight out of the area on the A180, onto the M180, down the A15, onto the A46 and then the A1 and I'd be home in 75-80 minutes.

Quoted from Perkins

Interesting that, I always.thought he lived at love lane corner, there was always a blue BMW registration number L1VVO parked outside.
Perhaps he was visiting a."friend"

I think he moved back to Middlesbrough in about 2000 and commuted in for the rest of his spell at Town and stayed at Tony Gallimore's when he needed to stay down in Grimsby overnight.

Quoted from aldi_01

I’d take a trip to Blundell Park or any other stadium situated as such than an out of town breezeblock shed.

Colchester, worst away experience in the league. Bolton isn’t much better...Shrewsbury, similar. Great Coates would’ve been a horrible experience...

Great Coates would've been horrible. Blundell Park is.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I think he moved back to Middlesbrough in about 2000 and commuted in for the rest of his spell at Town and stayed at Tony Gallimore's when he needed to stay down in Grimsby overnight.

To be fair, Galli was famous for his chicken parmo

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

To be fair, Galli was famous for his chicken parmo

You been knocking off Steph McGovern?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

You been knocking off Steph McGovern?

now that would be a surprise.....

Quoted from rancido

He certainly lived in Great Coates for a while - Blackthorn Drive (?)

No, it was the new build estate. Holme Farm Close. After a couple of years  he moved just up the road to one of the big houses on the main road near Great Coates church close to the turn into The Wybers.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

now that would be a surprise.....

Are you casting nasturtiums on Knut?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Are you casting nasturtiums on Knut?

Far from it.Just seems unlikely given Steph's preference for comfortable shoes.

But if anybody could, KAFV could.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Far from it.Just seems unlikely given Steph's preference for comfortable shoes.

But if anybody could, KAFV could.

You know your bunions.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Far from it.Just seems unlikely given Steph's preference for comfortable shoes.

But if anybody could, KAFV could.

My missus likes sensible shoes too but it didn’t stop us.....

....oh. Am I the last person in the country to know McGovern is you know?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

My missus likes sensible shoes too but it didn’t stop us.....

....oh. Am I the last person in the country to know McGovern is you know?

All of us were midway through "you lucky bast*rd" before realising that she actually does like supportive footwear.

If you've discovered from this thread that Steph McGovern resides on the island of Lesbos then you may not be the last but you're late to the party  

To echo what others have said what a relief that it never happened. Having a pre match pint in a Frankie and Benny's before watching football in a soulless stadium - no thanks. Despite spending a small fortune on the project JF was quoted sometime later as saying he used to have sleepless nights about how we would get people to Great Coates. That was probably the first time alarm bells started ringing for me.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

All of us were midway through "you lucky bast*rd" before realising that she actually does like supportive footwear.

If you've discovered from this thread that Steph McGovern resides on the island of Lesbos then you may not be the last but you're late to the party  

I'm so late to the party that I didn't know who she is. Had to google her and then realised who she was.

She looks like a middleweight boxer, so no surprises on her choice of footwear.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

All of us were midway through "you lucky bast*rd" before realising that she actually does like supportive footwear.

If you've discovered from this thread that Steph McGovern resides on the island of Lesbos then you may not be the last but you're late to the party  

It didn't stop someone locally fancying their chances with her

A wet night in Grimsby takes on a new meaning

https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1540664732/

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

It didn't stop someone locally fancying their chances with her

A wet night in Grimsby takes on a new meaning

https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1540664732/

I had to read this twice because at first I thought you were telling me that someone had had a pop at KingstonMariner's wife and it had been the subject of a thread!

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I had to read this twice because at first I thought you were telling me that someone had had a pop at KingstonMariner's wife and it had been the subject of a thread!

Yeah, me too! 😂

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Yeah, me too! 😂

I'm sure she is a lovely woman and nobody who knows her would be in the least surprised.....

Quoted from mimma

For those that are too young to have been there, B&Q were going to be the anchor tenant, along with other businesses, which would go a long way to funding it. Th resident of Great Coates formed an action group to fight it. There is a ruling that if a councillor watch a football team, they were deemed to have a vested interest, and could not take part in the planning process. Over half the council were barred from taking part since they all supported Town, which left the football hating half of the council to decide on the plans. They turned down the planning application, not understanding the importance of a football club to its community. This led to an outcry of fans, including death threats, the council suddenly realised their mistake and backtracked. After more to-ing and fro-ing, and wasted times, planning permission was granted, but the residents cried foul, and appealed to the Secretary of State He called it in for a public enquirery. By the time this concluded that planning permission could be granted, I seem to remember it was ten years, the whole thing had collapsed. B&Q had rebuilt their store, where it is now.

I firmly believe that the original plans were viable, and, if the council had the vision to grant it, it would have been built. We were in the 2nd tier of the football league at the time, what is now the championship, so who knows what we could have become, if it wasn't for the ineptitude of our council and the delaying tactics of the residents.  

I'm sorry, but I still struggle to understand this. How could the football-hating council members legitimately decide that Great Coates was the wrong place for a new stadium? If potential hooliganism was a consideration, then surely the outskirts of town is best? Wouldn't they have had to state an alternative preferred site in order to reject the plan? Did the club not appeal?

Complaints from Great Coates residents about a bit of noise on matchdays should not have stopped the development.

This article from 2003 suggests the council had no choice but to turn down the scheme:

https://thefishy.co.uk/story.php?id=8303205

'The Grimsby Telegraph reported today that landowners Sutton Settled Estates refused to sign an agreement safeguarding the environment, which is part of the 106 agreement. therefore planning permission cannot be recommended at Friday's planning committee meeting.'

I don’t know about anyone else but the resurfacing of this thread is making me want to do nothing more than slip on some Birkenstock’s, Chris Rea on mute and order in a Chicken Parmo for two.

So fosters voles is a euphemism?

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I think he moved back to Middlesbrough in about 2000 and commuted in for the rest of his spell at Town and stayed at Tony Gallimore's when he needed to stay down in Grimsby overnight.

When did the grosvenor turn into a b&b

Quoted from moosey_club

I know for sure that a local resident spray painted a couple of pigeons with a rattle can and took a grainy photo as evidence.

Really? A dodgy blurred photo was able to stop the development? The club should have made a stronger appeal.

I wonder if the Grimsby West objectors will try a similar trick.

Quoted from moosey_club

Which again was underhand b0ll0cks, I know for sure that a local resident spray painted a couple of pigeons with a rattle can and took a grainy photo as evidence.
More galling for me is the later behaviours of the Parish Council who were showed up for what they are with the long running public disputes and in fighting they had over their village hall. Absolutely pathetic that such small minded petty people had such a massive influence on what was a huge opportunity for the town/area.

I live in the village and was all for the new stadium at the time, went to two meetings to voice my support but was just shot down in flames even had dog excrement posted through my letterbox  

The village has been raped for years by housing developers, they came in built houses and fooked off with all the profit and the village gained nothing, no disrespect to the parish council but talk about being short sighted ffs couldn't make it up unless someone was getting a nice brown envelope

Back to the new ground, my idea was to work with the club not against them, gain something out of the development for the village something like a village green and kids playground, access to the clubs facilities such as meeting rooms which would have saved 650k on a giant cattle shed, access to the gym, bars etc, by working with the club and not against on match day there is only one road in Great Coates so a barrier at either end and a couple of stewards only letting villagers with residents parking passes would have solved the parking concerns

Honestly it was easy, no need for all the hurdles so no wonder Sutton Estates saw their bottom and booted them out the reading rooms  

Oh and i enjoy wildlife photography, walk round the fields between Gt Coates and Healing all the time, never seen a golden plover  

Do see them on the bank nr Novartis ........ just saying

Quoted from Simon

Oh and i enjoy wildlife photography, walk round the fields between Gt Coates and Healing all the time, never seen a golden plover  

Do see them on the bank nr Novartis ........ just saying

You can blame Natural England for the Golden Plover situation. But to be fair the proposed site wasn't that far from Novartis and that is a very short notice distance for birds that are used to migrating 100's of miles. Sutton Estates never actually agreed to sell the land so it was all a non-starter anyway, except in JF's mind.

From what I remember, there was an agreement in place to sell or rent the land, but it was dependent on getting planning permission first. You don't buy the land first before you get planning permission.

Quoted from mimma

From what I remember, there was an agreement in place to sell or rent the land, but it was dependent on getting planning permission first. You don't buy the land first before you get planning permission.

From all the documentation that I have seen in the public domain, concerning that parcel of land, Sutton Estates never committed themselves either way. They merely said that it would be looked into and considered. There was never an agreement verbally or in writing.

The club would have had some sort of agreement, after all, you don't just announce that you intend to build on land owned by someone else unless they are in agreement with the proposal in the first place. Remember, Sutton Estates did not contest the stadium complex.

Quoted from mimma

The club would have had some sort of agreement, after all, you don't just announce that you intend to build on land owned by someone else unless they are in agreement with the proposal in the first place. Remember, Sutton Estates did not contest the stadium complex.

You would think so. Maybe the first time it was taken to the council in what 2000/2001. But later it was under Fenty’s control, and we know what an incompetent track record he had with the club. Apart from successfully making a personal profit out of it I mean.

All of this is by the by. Great Coates was a terrible location for a new stadium and even all those years ago everyone was starting to move away from out-of-town developments.

Oh look - that's my football stadium - and that over there is my fish factory - and that is my Lexus

Whatever Fenty`s other failings in his years of being Chief custodian the lack of progress on a new ground over a 20 year period is alarming. I think it typifies short cuts and doing things on the cheap I mean Extreme Leisure for example how on earth did he/board expect them to deliver a stadium?
The new board have stated a new ground isnt THE priority and clearly the focus should be getting back in the EFL but we cant just forget the need to relocate. The Freemo/Docks area needs pursuing and im sure these guys will get it right by having suitable people running the project from day one.

Its gonna be built on Grimsby dockland, Tom Shutes is gonna announce in near future, you heard it here first

Quoted from dicko995

Its gonna be built on Grimsby dockland, Tom Shutes is gonna announce in near future, you heard it here first

Tenants in the Tom Shutes stadium, not for me i would rather play at Blundell Park

Quoted from dicko995

Its gonna be built on Grimsby dockland, Tom Shutes is gonna announce in near future, you heard it here first

Hope so, far better than Freemo in my opinion and again build the tallest stand facing the river/estuary so I can still watch the ships if the game is cr@p  

Quoted from dicko995

Its gonna be built on Grimsby dockland, Tom Shutes is gonna announce in near future, you heard it here first

After the way he walked away 40 minutes before the takeover was set to be concluded I doubt 1878 want him having anything to do with a new stadium.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

After the way he walked away 40 minutes before the takeover was set to be concluded I doubt 1878 want him having anything to do with a new stadium.

You obviously have some good info knowing he walked away 40 mins before signing. Please tell us more, as to why, and what was said and by who?

Quoted from DB

You obviously have some good info knowing he walked away 40 mins before signing. Please tell us more, as to why, and what was said and by who?

Was fairly well documented at the time, and was mentioned by Stockwood on one of the various podcasts or interviews they did around the time of the takeover.

Quoted from DB

You obviously have some good info knowing he walked away 40 mins before signing. Please tell us more, as to why, and what was said and by who?

I want to be No.1 -   Phwaa -that's my dummy gone.

Quoted from DB

You obviously have some good info knowing he walked away 40 mins before signing. Please tell us more, as to why, and what was said and by who?

3 sides to every story but 1878's version of events is well documented. Unfortunately we can't place the truth somewhere in the middle because Tom Shutes hasn't given his version of events.

Quoted from ska face

Was fairly well documented at the time, and was mentioned by Stockwood on one of the various podcasts or interviews they did around the time of the takeover.

I wasn't aware of that and don't do podcasts. Thank you for the info.

Whatever we think or  say about shutes and let’s face it none of us know his true intentions however he did bring Andrew and Jason together so for that we must be grateful

I've lived in the Great Coates area most of my life.
I was never against the relocation to Great Coates, but believed then and do so know that it was/would be a terrible place for a football ground.
Just imagine turning up for a bit of championship football (Ok I know this is far fetched, just bear with me!). You sit down with your family and friends and tuck into your locally produced fish pie. There's a good away following (5000 Man Utd recently relegated). Then it begins......THAT smell. Anyone who works on the pyewipe, or visits the local recycling centre knows what I'm on about. On a good day it will just be the fish meal factory (which is bad enough), but on a bad day you also get the sewage works. The perfect storm of stink, drifts over the shiny new stadium at precisely 14.45. That fish pie suddenly becomes less appetising, the away chants begin and the lads training on the pitch begin to vomit.
Sounds far fetched, but believe me, despite their best efforts they still haven't been able to contain the smell, which can drift as far as Macaulay when the winds in the right direction. Criminal really that the local population have to put up with it.

Quoted from heppy88

I've lived in the Great Coates area most of my life.
I was never against the relocation to Great Coates, but believed then and do so know that it was/would be a terrible place for a football ground.
Just imagine turning up for a bit of championship football (Ok I know this is far fetched, just bear with me!). You sit down with your family and friends and tuck into your locally produced fish pie. There's a good away following (5000 Man Utd recently relegated). Then it begins......THAT smell. Anyone who works on the pyewipe, or visits the local recycling centre knows what I'm on about. On a good day it will just be the fish meal factory (which is bad enough), but on a bad day you also get the sewage works. The perfect storm of stink, drifts over the shiny new stadium at precisely 14.45. That fish pie suddenly becomes less appetising, the away chants begin and the lads training on the pitch begin to vomit.
Sounds far fetched, but believe me, despite their best efforts they still haven't been able to contain the smell, which can drift as far as Macaulay when the winds in the right direction. Criminal really that the local population have to put up with it.

We must be lucky then, don't get that our end of the village (Woad Lane)

Call me a conspiracy theorist but I reckon there's more to the Shutes saga.
The deal was stalling prior to Shutes leaving. I believe Shutes (the tyre kicker) and Fenty never saw eye to eye. Fenty was always keen to bad mouth Shutes and the mere fact Shutes was to be part of the consortium must have been soap in the mouth for our saviour Fenty.

Apart from Fenty's childish name calling, there is no evidence Shutes wants anything but positive things for North East Lincolnshire. Despite not ever living in the area he has been instrumental in bringing in government funds, the kids zone to the area, he has purchased the ice house with a view to create a community space. He's never engaged in petty name calling and been professional throughout. As others have mentioned he was instrumental in bringing Stockwood and Petit together. He's made no secret of wanting to develop a stadium on the docks, as a wider redevelopment for the area. Apart from being a successful property developer he is a well known philanthropist and socialist. Just maybe Shutes believed he could be far more effective working outside of the football club? Maybe Stockwood and Shutes privately believe the same? Lets hope so.

Philanthropist, yes.

Socialist, no.

Fenty’s open name calling of Shutes was flipping hilarious. How anyone believed anything Fenty ever said was baffling, then he starts childish name calling through his narcissistic, poorly written statements and the telewag.

Even if Stockwood and Petit fell out with Shutes, Shutes was part of the initial deal and brought everyone together. We’ll never know his true intentions but then we didn’t know Fenty’s true intentions until 10 years in to his woeful tenure and for another ten years folk swallowed it until is arrogance and greed led up the path to a criminal and ultimately his welcomed end as worst owner in GTFC history…

Whatever anyone’s view of Shutes, he’s already had a more positive impact on things locally than Fenty ever did.

That whole saga is done with for now though and it’s clear the current incumbents have a plan and strategy…let’s embrace that.

Great Coates is an awful place for a football ground. Even walking around the scarecrow festival yesterday…there isn’t even a shop…would be awful to go to an out of town stadium which we know aren’t great…

Quoted from realist

Maybe the councillors that voted understood the effect the stadium would have on the residents.
I hate the term nimbys,, it  is only used by those whose lives would not have been blighted by the development.

The Residents whos rural way of life lived next to the pywipe industrial estate, had a railway line and a busy duel carriageway adjacent to their village which was and still is used as a rat run at shift change time from the nearby industry.

Quoted from aldi_01

Fenty’s open name calling of Shutes was flipping hilarious. How anyone believed anything Fenty ever said was baffling, then he starts childish name calling through his narcissistic, poorly written statements and the telewag.

Even if Stockwood and Petit fell out with Shutes, Shutes was part of the initial deal and brought everyone together. We’ll never know his true intentions but then we didn’t know Fenty’s true intentions until 10 years in to his woeful tenure and for another ten years folk swallowed it until is arrogance and greed led up the path to a criminal and ultimately his welcomed end as worst owner in GTFC history…

Whatever anyone’s view of Shutes, he’s already had a more positive impact on things locally than Fenty ever did.

That whole saga is done with for now though and it’s clear the current incumbents have a plan and strategy…let’s embrace that.

Great Coates is an awful place for a football ground. Even walking around the scarecrow festival yesterday…there isn’t even a shop…would be awful to go to an out of town stadium which we know aren’t great…

I had a walk around the village yesterday with the wife and kids. I don't realise how spoilt I've been I grew up a stones throw away from a block of shops in Cleethorpes and now I'm up near Yarborough Road I have a nice choice of shops within a short walk plus The Cricketers and Trawl.

Walking around the village you can hear the concrete carriageway which I think would get the better of me but most houses in the village seem to have a nice view of HSH Coldstores too.

I don’t get this fixation of looking back. The club dodged a bullet by not moving, but that’s with hindsight. Who knows what could’ve happened if we’d moved. But we didn’t.

We didn’t move to PP either (thankfully) or anywhere that there could’ve been many ‘sticky fingers’ involved in the process.

Those that like it or not, we now have new owners that have decided to take the club on a different route to the previous one/s and honestly that should be the only focus of where we are going now, no matter what side of the table you sit.

If, going forward, AP and JS decide that it is a necessity to relocate then I have every faith that they will have the interests of the club/community at heart and not have their pockets lined.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I don’t get this fixation of looking back. The club dodged a bullet by not moving, but that’s with hindsight. Who knows what could’ve happened if we’d moved. But we didn’t.

We didn’t move to PP either (thankfully) or anywhere that there could’ve been many ‘sticky fingers’ involved in the process.

Those that like it or not, we now have new owners that have decided to take the club on a different route to the previous one/s and honestly that should be the only focus of where we are going now, no matter what side of the table you sit.

If, going forward, AP and JS decide that it is a necessity to relocate then I have every faith that they will have the interests of the club/community at heart and not have their pockets lined.

Totally agree with you. The future is tomorrow, not yesterday.