Your First Town Away Game

What was the first away game you went to?

For me, it was away at Watford in March 1994 in the first division (Championship). Comfortable 3-0 win for town. About 5000 at Vicarage Road (150ish town fans). I remember the Watford fans invading the pitch at full time to protest against the board and tried to storm the director's box.

Liverpool 1980 (we lost 5.0)

Coventry away at Highfield Road 4th round of the FA Cup. Grimsby born Mick Coop scored from a dubious penalty in the last five minutes. Think it was 1973 and I cried most of the way home!

Wolves 2nd replay at the Baseball Ground

Brum 2001
Lost 1-0

Bury away 1972.

1-1 draw to clinch promotion. Clive Wiggington the scorer

Forest away 1993, lost 5-3. Possibly their first home league game post Brian Clough?

The Futcher back pass that rolled in for an OG As Paul Crichton missed his kick.

Sheffield United, May 1995. The main things I remember:

- Bramall Lane only had 3 stands
- They were chucking loads of free tat into the crowd because it was the last game of the season and I was annoyed I couldn't get any of it as we were sat in the upper tier of the away end
- Dave Bassett did some sort of lap of honour for some reason at full-time
- Absolutely nothing about the game, can't even find out who scored for us.

https://azscore.com/football/game/sheffield-united-grimsby-town-1995-05-06

Pretty sure it was Scunthorpe when Graham Oates scored twice in a 2-1 victory, I know goals are You Tube but can’t remember the exact season but around 1970.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Coventry away at Highfield Road 4th round of the FA Cup. Grimsby born Mick Coop scored from a dubious penalty in the last five minutes. Think it was 1973 and I cried most of the way home!

That was my second away match. First was Lincoln in 1971-72. Think we lost 2-0.

Bradford City Away FACup 1969 lost 2-1.
First away league game Lincoln away same season lost can’t remember score but we were is such a bad way at the time our reserve goalie Mackey who was the only sub came on and played outfield in the second half

Filbert Street 2nd replay v Soton. Was dumbfounded that our fans outnumbered theirs about 4 to 1, which also happened to be the score, to them.

Quoted from AdamHaddock

Brum 2001
Lost 1-0

Was at that one. Remember little of the game other than Dele Adebola smashing his knee, quite literally, to pieces after colliding with the post. Was up the other end of the pitch, but one of the nastier looking injuries I've seen on the pitch (after Livvo and Pringle of course).

Quoted from HerveJosse

Bradford City Away FACup 1969 lost 2-1.
First away league game Lincoln away same season lost can’t remember score but we were is such a bad way at the time our reserve goalie Mackey who was the only sub came on and played outfield in the second half

I was at that game and I think you mean John Macey, think he did get in goal in front of Harry for a brief period that season, also Benny Williams played on the right wing that day who although a Grimsby lad played most of his Saturday football for Lincoln United.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

I was at that game and I think you mean John Macey, think he did get in goal in front of Harry for a brief period that season, also Benny Williams played on the right wing that day who although a Grimsby lad played most of his Saturday football for Lincoln United.

Yes John Macey. IHad forgotten Benny Williams. Not sure if Gordon Walker was playing centre forward that day even by todays standards probably the worst player we ever had

Although my first home match was in 1972 my first away game wasn't until 1979, the League Cup replay at Wolves, 2nd away game was the 2nd replay at Derby.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Sheffield United, May 1995. The main things I remember:

- Bramall Lane only had 3 stands
- They were chucking loads of free tat into the crowd because it was the last game of the season and I was annoyed I couldn't get any of it as we were sat in the upper tier of the away end
- Dave Bassett did some sort of lap of honour for some reason at full-time
- Absolutely nothing about the game, can't even find out who scored for us.

https://azscore.com/football/game/sheffield-united-grimsby-town-1995-05-06

Was that the game where Bassett ended up in his pants?

Anyway, mine was Preston away, first day of 90/91. First time I'd seen a plastic pitch and was disappointed that it was a 2mm thick bit of carpet chucked on top of concrete.

The Lincoln play-off game in 2006.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Coventry away at Highfield Road 4th round of the FA Cup. Grimsby born Mick Coop scored from a dubious penalty in the last five minutes. Think it was 1973 and I cried most of the way home!

That was mine as well went on a coach from the oldWaterloo Inn at Laceby

Shot from Jeeeeevons! Ohhh!

Yeah, that game. Twagged the afto off school. Still trying to catch my breath now, just about

First home game was beating Burnley 3-1 to stay in the championship. First away game was a 5-0 loss to Lincoln in league 2 four years later. Quite the contrast

Wembley 1998, I think I was 10. First ever 'away game'
After that I went to the odd one here and their until I was old enough to play and travel with internett mariners ♥

Some of these first away games are making me feel old. Mine was Scunny away, Auto Windscreens game in '98 on the road to Wembley. Terrible game from memory, Town not really at the races but won thanks to late goals from Paul Groves and the on loan Wayne Burnett. Can still see Grovesy's face in my minds eye, absolutely beaming with arms aloft - at the time it felt like I could reach out and touch him.

Walking back away from the ground we then got ambushed by about 200 Scunny fans hiding behind a giant conifer next to the roundabout up the road from Glanford Park. Quite an exciting way to start...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lr12MiaK0E

Quoted from Roast Em Bobby

Wolves 2nd replay at the Baseball Ground

Same here.

Northampton Town at the old County Ground that they shared with the county cricket club - 24/04/79. Town won 2-1 with Cumming and Waters scoring. It was to be Grimsby's last victory of the season, finishing with a draw and two defeats including the famous 3-4 home defeat to Donny and Jack Lewis.

Town still finished second in the league and were promoted to the old Division 3.

Quoted from Poojah

Some of these first away games are making me feel old. Mine was Scunny away, Auto Windscreens games in '98 on the road to Wembley. Terrible game from memory, Town not really at the races but won thanks to late goals from Paul Groves and the on loan Wayne Burnett. Can still see Grovesy's face in my minds eye, absolutely beaming with arms aloft - at the time it felt like I could reach out and touch him.

Walking back away from the ground we then got ambushed by about 200 Scunny fans hiding behind a giant conifer next to the roundabout up the road from Glanford Park. Quite an exciting way to start...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lr12MiaK0E

I fell onto the pitch after first goal, got thrown out the ground, as I walked round the back of the stand they opened the doors so I sneaked back in, just in time for the second goal

Cambridge away first game of 88-89 season . Lost 4-1 .

King Alan’s first league game in charge . Steve Stoutt scored on his debut.

Quoted from cmackenzie4

Liverpool 1980 (we lost 5.0)

Same here!

Liverpool 97.

Away to scunts won 3-1.   1958 / 59

Northampton away 1979,  my Dad (by then seperated from mum) came to my school and told them I had a doctors appt then whisked me off to Northampton (his car was a basic Escort estate) All I remember is standing behind a rope with a cricket pitch behind me, and stopping in Newark market place on the way home, sitting on a stall eating a minced beef pie from a chip shop. My mum was not a happy person when he dropped me off at home at what seemed to me was early hours of the morning. Think the game guaranteed us promotion if we won.

Just noticed it was an earlier posters first game

My first match involving The Mariners was on the 4th of October 1941 where we beat Rotherham 6-2 at the Old Show Ground,Scunthorpe, Grimsby played all their home games for a number of seasons
during WW 2. I remember that Tweedy was in goal and the defence was Vincent, Hodgson,Hall ,Millington and Buck. I can`t remember the rest of the team but that match made me a life long fan of The Mariners.    

28th December 1992
Endsleigh League Division One

Sunderland 2-0 Grimsby Town
Don Goodman 43
David Rush 64

Roker Park
Attendance: 20,771

Sunderland
1 Tony Norman
2 John Kay
3 Michael Gray
4 Richard Ord
5 Terry Butcher
6 Kevin Ball
7 Brian Mooney
8 Shaun Cunnington
9 Don Goodman
10 David Rush (12 Peter Davenport- 80 mins)
11 Gordon Armstrong
Unused sub: 14 Brian Atkinson

Grimsby Town
1 Steve Sherwood
2 John McDermott
3 Paul Agnew
4 Graham Rodger
5 Peter Handyside (12 Mark Smith- 77 mins)
6 Jim Dobbin
7 Tommy Watson
8 David Gilbert
9 Paul Groves
10 Clive Mendonca (14 Neil Woods- 62 mins)
11 Tony Rees

A Sunderland team containing 2 former & 1 future England internationals. Sunderland ended the season in 21st place and just 1 point above Brentford and Cambridge in 22nd & 23rd place.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

28th December 1992
Endsleigh League Division One

Sunderland 2-0 Grimsby Town
Don Goodman 43
David Rush 64

Roker Park
Attendance: 20,771

Sunderland
1 Tony Norman
2 John Kay
3 Michael Gray
4 Richard Ord
5 Terry Butcher
6 Kevin Ball
7 Brian Mooney
8 Shaun Cunnington
9 Don Goodman
10 David Rush (12 Peter Davenport- 80 mins)
11 Gordon Armstrong
Unused sub: 14 Brian Atkinson

Grimsby Town
1 Steve Sherwood
2 John McDermott
3 Paul Agnew
4 Graham Rodger
5 Peter Handyside (12 Mark Smith- 77 mins)
6 Jim Dobbin
7 Tommy Watson
8 David Gilbert
9 Paul Groves
10 Clive Mendonca (14 Neil Woods- 62 mins)
11 Tony Rees

A Sunderland team containing 2 former & 1 future England internationals. Sunderland ended the season in 21st place and just 1 point above Brentford and Cambridge in 22nd & 23rd place.

FA Cup finalists a year earlier, too. Hadn’t appreciated they’d only placed one position above us when they did that.

Quoted from Poojah

FA Cup finalists a year earlier, too. Hadn’t appreciated they’d only placed one position above us when they did that.

We beat them home & away the season they reached the FA Cup Final and finished behind them on goal difference.

I seem to remember Johnny Byrne scored in every round of their cup run and that being a very big deal back then. I can remember them beating Chelsea along the way & Norwich in the Semi-Final.

Sheffield Wednesday 7-1 Town - FA Cup 3rd round - 4/1/97

Relatively late to say I had been going for 4 years beforehand but the 97/98 Auto Windscreen Quarter final away at Scunny, we won 2-0 with Groves and Burnett scoring.

Quoted from Tommy

Sheffield Wednesday 7-1 Town - FA Cup 3rd round - 4/1/97

Shít, I’d forgotten about that one. That would have been my first, not the Scunny Auto Windscreens. Cracking goal by Johnny Oster (4:20).

https://youtu.be/ouIDh25UsHk

Notts County away April 1994.  Town won 2-1 and I seem to remember Paul Reece in goal for County dropping one in his net right in front of the away end.

Think mine was Barnsley 4 Mariners 1 in 1994. Andy Payton hattrick.  Lots of rain, little shelter.

But, I suspect my first away ground was Glanford Park to watch Newcastle with my dad one preseason, possibly 1993? Although we randomly went to Meadow Lane once around then but not to see town, sneaked off from a family trip....

Scunny, early 70's.

The train got wrecked on the way home and we all got chucked off before it reached GY station and had to walk miles back to Cleethorpes on a school night.

My Ma was going frantic when I got in.

Can't remember anything about the game, only the journey there and back, which all felt so grown up to a school kid.

Would likely have been Scunthorpe in the 67/68 season or the year after.

Scunny away FA cup 3rd round Jan 83.. drew 0-0

But beat them in the replay!!

Quoted from ex-merseymariner

Think mine was Barnsley 4 Mariners 1 in 1994. Andy Payton hattrick.  Lots of rain, little shelter.

Boxing Day 1994. We played Oldham at home the following day. The last time the Football League had fixtures on consecutive days.

Aston Villa 1991 league cup, went through on away goals thanks to a penalty with our backs against the wall for most of the game. Remember Sherwood being awesome maybe his last season in goal for us? Villa found a brick wall in goal and couldn't force a winner despite going for it. Remember a young Dwight Yorke being an exciting player to watch and he could have scored a winner if Sherwood wasn't having the game of his life.

I think the crowd atmosphere is what sold being a GTFC supporter for life to me at 6 years old, this was the first season my dad had started regularly taking me to games and I wasn't quite all in on the football until this game, then I wanted to go every week.

Minibus to WBA in the cup. I can't remember the game at all.  Just remember we lost because of my uncle's face. I just looked it up and it was 1981 (3-0 BTW), which made me 14.   I remember another kid  who was maybe two or three years younger than me. As soon as we parked the van, he went down an alley for a pee.  Cop van screeched to a halt, grabbed hold of him and threw him in the back for indecent exposure.  He's a kid for Christ sake. He missed the whole first half.  What a bunch of tw^ts!!!

It was a long journey home.

Wimbledon 1989 FA Cup. Harry Haddock invasion

Rhyl FA cup 1st round 1959. won 2-1, Johnny Scott got at least one.
The match referee dived into our compartment  as the train was about about to pull out of the station after the game.
Worked for Dulux (?)  Paints.
More priceless info available at the Home for the Utterly Confused in Heswall.

Boxing Day 1985 Hull City away when Mike Lyons was player manager and he dropped Gary Lund and installed himself as centre forward and we lost 2-0 . What a Pratt!!

Doncaster away Belle vue 1973ish

Went on players coach as my dad was the club Doctor. About 9 years old, can remember sitting behind Malcolm Partridge and him smoking a pipe and the whole coach filled with thick smoke!

Lovely guy, stopped at a hotel for lunch, invited me for a kickabout in the hotel car park.

Chesterfield FA Cup Round 1 Replay 1979

2 - 0 down at half time goals from the Kevs gave us a 3 - 2 victory.

I then went to both League Cup replays against Wolves and the Liverpool 3rd round FA Cup match before going back to Chesterfield in the league to see us win 3 - 2 again with all the town goals from one Kev.

I've never travelled away a lot so that first time led to a mini glut.

20.10.79 Gillingham away

Lincoln City away Boxing day 88

2-2 draw on the old side terrace,

Big Keith scored for us.

Remember town fans climbing up the floodlights.

Stoke away last away game of the 90/91 season.

After the near riot at BP I think it drew even more to go. 4000 in the away end. Great atmosphere, someone burning stuff in the seats behind the terrace, corner flags lobbed in the away end after Stoke fans invaded the pitch.

Ended 0-0 but what a baptism of fire. Literally!

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Pretty sure it was Scunthorpe when Graham Oates scored twice in a 2-1 victory, I know goals are You Tube but can’t remember the exact season but around 1970.

Yep 70/71.

Scunny away December 1969.
1-1 draw.

Everton 1985.   Just a kid.  Was anazed at the size of the stadium.  Oh yeah....and THAT goal.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Sheffield United, May 1995. The main things I remember:

- Bramall Lane only had 3 stands
- They were chucking loads of free tat into the crowd because it was the last game of the season and I was annoyed I couldn't get any of it as we were sat in the upper tier of the away end
- Dave Bassett did some sort of lap of honour for some reason at full-time
- Absolutely nothing about the game, can't even find out who scored for us.

https://azscore.com/football/game/sheffield-united-grimsby-town-1995-05-06

That was also my first away game and like you, can't remember who scored though I do remember when we arrived at the ground, the Town bus arrived and there was a good 100 or so supporters outside clapping it coming in.

November 27th 1965...
Hull City v Grimsby Town...  1-1
Attendance just over 20,000...
Hull had just been on a spending spree with Needlers money and had brought in the likes of Wagstaff, Chllton and Butler...
We had Tees and Green up front with Collins and Hill on the wings.
A great day out:  Steam train to New Holland then the Ferry...
A few beers in the White Hart in Hull which sold Cask beers from Scottish and Newcastle...  Fish and chips then off to Boothferry Park on the train from Paragon station...
Repeat on way home in good spirits after a 1-1 draw...  Happy days...

Quoted from aussiej

November 27th 1965...
Hull City v Grimsby Town...  1-1
Attendance just over 20 000...
Hull had just been on a spending spree with Needlers money and had brought in the likes of Wagstaff, Chllton and Butler...
We had Tees and Green up front with Collins and Hill on the wings.
A great day out:  Steam train to New Holland then the Ferry...
A few beers in the White Hart in Hull which sold Cask beers from Scotish and Newcastle...  Fish and chips then off to Boothferry Park on the train from Paragon station...
Repeat on way home in good spirits after a 1-1 draw...  Happy days...

My first away game too! Train from Louth to New Holland, then ferry and another train to Boothferry Park. Town had a great team in those days under Jimmy McGuigan, probably our most underrated manager. I remember Matt Tees scoring our goal. On the train back to New Holland, a Hull supporter went on a rant about how disgusting it was that we relied on a defensive 4-2-4 formation! It was bitterly cold that day. We were all wearing our Beatle boots. It’s amazing what sticks in your mind😉.

Quoted from joe56

My first away game too! Train from Louth to New Holland, then ferry and another train to Boothferry Park. Town had a great team in those days under Jimmy McGuigan, probably our most underrated manager. I remember Matt Tees scoring our goal. On the train back to New Holland, a Hull supporter went on a rant about how disgusting it was that we relied on a defensive 4-2-4 formation! It was bitterly cold that day. We were all wearing our Beatle boots. It’s amazing what sticks in your mind😉.

The train from Boothferry to the centre of Hull was packed with Town and Hull fans in fine voice with no signs of any trouble whatsoever...
Good banter but no bother as it should be...

Though many at the Scunts and the GIMPS in the early seventies, I was hooked on town after visiting Bolton in February 73! Seem to remember Dave Worthington been sent in a innocuous way to the moat that surrounded the pitch.

My son’s first game was Barnet away in 2014-15. He was about 5 and a half (the half matters when you’re that age). We won 3-1 with 2 late goals and his reaction and smile after the game confirmed to me that he was hooked. It was the inflatables game.

Away to Rotherham or donny 81 ish can’t remember which was first tbh big following from us loads of aggro at both games

Quoted from conscorner

Northampton Town at the old County Ground that they shared with the county cricket club - 24/04/79. Town won 2-1 with Cumming and Waters scoring. It was to be Grimsby's last victory of the season, finishing with a draw and two defeats including the famous 3-4 home defeat to Donny and Jack Lewis.

Town still finished second in the league and were promoted to the old Division 3.

Woah!  You can't do that.  I was a young un when I went to that Donny game and I always remember us winning 4-3.  Maybe I just remember the celebrations and assumed we had won.  Waters got 1 or 2 I remember.

My first away game in charge was at .....

I was working at a language centre in London.  I had a couple of students from Switzerland.  No, no; not that kind unfortunately.   Pierre was French speaking and Danny was German speaking - he looked like an Ewok.   Anyway, they wanted to see some English footie and so spent about sixty quid to go to see Arsenal v Chelsea. Somebody got sent off within ten minutes so whoever that team was basically parked the bus.  They watched a boring 0-0 draw.  

I suggested they tag along to a Town gaming.  They didn't seem overly enthusiastic but decided on coming along.   We got the train to Reading and went for a pint.  They kept looking at their watches and were worried about getting a ticket.  "Relax", i repeatedly said.  They were getting antsy so we left and popped into a chippy. I explained that having fish in chips before the game was more or less the law.  They complied.  I convinced them to also get mushy peas and they nearly threw up after tasting them.  Maybe they're just not for the unsophisticated palate.   Anyway, we walked off towards the ground.  I sensed that they were not behind me and turned to see them in the distance.  Every few paces they stopped, plucked out a chip and ate it. I asked them what the hell they were doing.  They replied that they couldn't walk and eat.  They'd never done it before.  I found it odd and funny because I could probably eat my fish and chips while running away from Millwall fans.  

They were pleased to experience a 1-1 draw that was a thrilling end to end encounter.  After that they were hooked.  We went to a few more games including the 5-0 hammering against Palace.  When they returned to Switzerland, I kept them updated with Town scores and sent them mushy peas at Christmas. Sigh, the good old days.  

Doncaster away Feb 78 - can't remember who scored. Makes me feel very old. Followed up by the old show ground a few weeks later and I was hooked for better or usually worse

Quoted from BlackandWhiteBarmy2

Chesterfield FA Cup Round 1 Replay 1979

2 - 0 down at half time goals from the Kevs gave us a 3 - 2 victory.

I then went to both League Cup replays against Wolves and the Liverpool 3rd round FA Cup match before going back to Chesterfield in the league to see us win 3 - 2 again with all the town goals from one Kev.

I've never travelled away a lot so that first time led to a mini glut.

I think the memory's playing a bit of a trick there. The goals in the league game were from Drinkell, Cumming and Kilmore.

29/09/71. Lincoln away a hard to swallow defeat 0-3  big crowd  early in the season which turned out to be memorable for all the right reasons  with promotion  and Div 4 Champs UTM. many more away delights since then

BAWB2 is right for the Kev hat trick at Chesterfield in the FAC.  Next stop Liverpool!  

We won’t from 2-0 down after drawing no at home.  Kevin Kilmore.  The scorers were just mixed up with the league game scorers. (Which I cannot remember).

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

BAWB2 is right for the Kev hat trick at Chesterfield in the FAC.  Next stop Liverpool!  

We won’t from 2-0 down after drawing no at home.  Kevin Kilmore.  The scorers were just mixed up with the league game scorers. (Which I cannot remember).

Always thought we beat Sheffield United in the cup before drawing Liverpool but memory isn’t what it was.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

BAWB2 is right for the Kev hat trick at Chesterfield in the FAC.  Next stop Liverpool!  

We won’t from 2-0 down after drawing no at home.  Kevin Kilmore.  The scorers were just mixed up with the league game scorers. (Which I cannot remember).

It was in the FA Cup but the scorers in the league game were Drinkell, Cumming and Kilmore.

BAWB2 is right for the Kev hat trick at Chesterfield in the FAC.  Next stop Liverpool!  

We won’t from 2-0 down after drawing no at home.  Kevin Kilmore.  The scorers were just mixed up with the league game scorers. (Which I cannot remember).

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Always thought we beat Sheffield United in the cup before drawing Liverpool but memory isn’t what it was.

You're correct, Chesterfield was the 1st round game and then we beat Sheff United in the 2nd round.

Quoted from Les Brechin

You're correct, Chesterfield was the 1st round game and then we beat Sheff United in the 2nd round.

Cheers Les, never realised until tonight that we also beat Sheffield United in the league cup prior to drawing Liverpool away, he’ll of a coincidence. Need to draw and beat them again and get another good pay day.

My first away match was around 1976/7 at  Barnsley  on a Friday night , Town lost ,i got smacked after ,needed hospital treatment for a cut eye(switches) ,never stopped me going .

Mine was Sheffield Wednesday vs Grimsby- November 10th 2001... it finished 0-0.

Incidentally, this Saturday at Notts County is due to be my eldest son's first ever away game! Here's to more goals than on my first!

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Cheers Les, never realised until tonight that we also beat Sheffield United in the league cup prior to drawing Liverpool away, he’ll of a coincidence. Need to draw and beat them again and get another good pay day.

I remember the tannoy announcer telling their fans when tickets for the Sheff United game would go on sale when they were 2-1 up after 90 minutes as we scored twice in stoppage time.

Back then there was no bloke with a board to let you know how many extra minutes would be added on so it was just down to the refs watch.