Port Vale game

Another 4 quarters of high-intensity soccerball. I think this kicked-off at 9:00 UK time; no idea what’s happened since.

https://twitter.com/officialgtfc/status/1682288315905474560

waiting for Beyoncé to finish the pre show

about 100 there apparently, reported as being v. low on quality although conteh and Rodgers impressing our London correspondent!

Quoted from forza ivano

about 100 there apparently, reported as being v. low on quality

Is that the team or supporters?

Quoted from forza ivano

about 100 there apparently, reported as being v. low on quality although conteh and Rodgers impressing our London correspondent!

Sounds like someone is reading the same Whatsapp group as me!

Seems like a breathtaking encounter.

https://twitter.com/OfficialPVFC/status/1682318041097355264

Wont be much fun in the heat i guess

I'm not sure if this is a personal high or low for me in terms of following Town.

I'm keeping up with a pre season friendly against Port Vale, played in Spain, that kicked off earlier than most Sunday League games.

I'm following it on The Fishy and updates are coming sporadically from Town's Twitter account, Port Vale's Twitter account and a bloke in a Whatsapp group. And it's 0-0.

And I have work to do before the cricket will inevitably demand my attention.

Quoted from Poojah

https://twitter.com/officialgtfc/status/1682325018154352640

If we don't score 2 in the final quarter, Mendonca's Right Peg will probably be back on Twitter this weekend with his pearls of wisdom.

Sort it out Hursts

A decent little haul of goals from Wilson so far this pre-season. Could he be our 20-goal “moneyball” man? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me from exaggerating the significance of his pre-season goal scoring exploits.

Quoted from Poojah

A decent little haul of goals from Wilson so far this pre-season. Could he be our 20-goal “moneyball” man? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me from exaggerating the significance of his pre-season goal scoring exploits.

Scoring from a quick free kick today, hounding the Hull defence who were knocking it around before pouncing last week, I'd like to think there's a bit of the poacher/striker in there.

Quoted from Poojah

A decent little haul of goals from Wilson so far this pre-season. Could he be our 20-goal “moneyball” man? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me from exaggerating the significance of his pre-season goal scoring exploits.

But there has been nothing else to go on. Apart from the mini free-for-all goal rush against Grimsby Borough, nobody else has even looked likely to hit the back of the net.

If he can stay fit, there's no reason why he shouldn't be hitting the net every game, is there? I mean, Town going from a top scorer netting 9 last season to having a 46 goal season wouldn't be too bad, would it?

1-1 after 120 minutes. Decent workout in the heat against a solid League One side, and sounds like we could have won it near the end. Quietly pleased with how pre-season seems to be ticking along.

I am still interested as to what formation we go with as Wilson & Rose seem suited to 2 up top ,yet we have an overload of talent in CM and playing 2 of what 7 or 8 ? You would not be keeping the majority happy .

Maybe Hurst plans to use Clifton as that tucked in wide player he's seemed to enjoy ?

Suppose we won't know for sure until the Wimbledon game .

Our goal rather controversial apparently.

Quoted Text

Confusion here - whilst the referee was in discussions with the Vale wall, Grimsby take a quick free kick and put it past Connor Ripley.

The referee then gives the goal.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Our goal rather controversial apparently.

Fúck ‘em.

And that discussion was probably:

"can they take it quick, ref?"
"yeah"

Quoted from Abdul19

And that discussion was probably:

"can they take it quick, ref?"
"yeah"

Smart work 'Tony' Glennon !

Quoted from Abdul19

And that discussion was probably:

"can they take it quick, ref?"
"yeah"

I'm quite happy if it was 'controversial'. We were a bit too nice last season and a more ruthless streak is not a bad thing.

Quoted from Poojah

A decent little haul of goals from Wilson so far this pre-season. Could he be our 20-goal “moneyball” man? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me from exaggerating the significance of his pre-season goal scoring exploits.

To be a successful striker you have to be in the right place at the right time, and make the most of opportunities when they arise. Wilson appears to fit those criteria plus he has the tenacity to hound defenders into maybe making a mistake. He could be a real asset in the season to come.

Brief clip of their goal. The main takeaway for me though is how far the ball appears to travel following Eastwood’s very nonchalant kick…

https://twitter.com/OfficialPV.....eetUser=OfficialPVFC

It would be good news if the news was that we had signed a striker who could actually score goals

Quoted from Poojah

A decent little haul of goals from Wilson so far this pre-season. Could he be our 20-goal “moneyball” man? Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me from exaggerating the significance of his pre-season goal scoring exploits.

If you must, Poojah.  I imagine it's addictive getting lots of green ticks.

We might well get promoted this season, but League One is likely to be our ceiling.  I can't get excited about the future until the club announces it is relocating to a bigger stadium.

Quoted from golfer

It would be good news if the news was that we had signed a striker who could actually score goals

Donovan Wilson has scored 3 goals in 4 appearances so far this pre-season (with 2 of those goals coming against higher league opponents). Pyke's on 2 in 2 as well. What more do you want?

Quoted from Poojah

Brief clip of their goal. The main takeaway for me though is how far the ball appears to travel following Eastwood’s very nonchalant kick…

https://twitter.com/OfficialPV.....eetUser=OfficialPVFC

Seems the same tactic we used at times last season, to just watch the ball and don't get within 2 yards of an attacker.

Quoted from golfer

It would be good news if the news was that we had signed a striker who could actually score goals

If only one of our new strikers had scored today.

usual suspects out in force before we've even kicked a ball properly  

Quoted from White_shorts

If you must, Poojah.  I imagine it's addictive getting lots of green ticks.

We might well get promoted this season, but League One is likely to be our ceiling.  I can't get excited about the future until the club announces it is relocating to a bigger stadium.

I can only imagine how miserable those Luton fans must have felt watching their team reach the Premier League.

Quoted from Hagrid

usual suspects out in force before we've even kicked a ball properly  

https://twitter.com/hsv_valiant/status/1682328890121891840?s=46

Quoted from White_shorts

If you must, Poojah.  I imagine it's addictive getting lots of green ticks.

We might well get promoted this season, but League One is likely to be our ceiling.  I can't get excited about the future until the club announces it is relocating to a bigger stadium.

Not really the thread for it, but since you raised the issue: a new stadium for Grimsby Town, of the size and standard I think fans would reasonably expect, would cost somewhere between £40m - £50m in the current economic climate. I 100% get the need for and benefit of a new stadium for a club in our position, and as a self-confessed stadium nerd would love nothing more, but can you just do me a favour please and break down how we raise that sort of money?

If you can answer the question sensibly, I imagine there's a job on the board waiting for you.

Quoted from Poojah

Not really the thread for it, but since you raised the issue: a new stadium for Grimsby Town, of the size and standard I think fans would reasonably expect, would cost somewhere between £40m - £50m in the current economic climate. I 100% get the need for and benefit of a new stadium for a club in our position, and as a self-confessed stadium nerd would love nothing more, but can you just do me a favour please and break down how we raise that sort of money?

If you can answer the question sensibly, I imagine there's a job on the board waiting for you.

There is no one better qualified to answer that conundrum than the co-owner of the club; one Andrew Pettit.

Just about everyone on the forum has had a different idea about what sort of ground we need and where it should be, and failing that, multiple different ideas about how to upgrade BP, but until and unless the co-owners come up with a cogent, costed plan, it's all gammon and spinach.

That defending was shocking, Their guy didn't even have to move to get away from our defenders he was just stood still and no one within a couple of yards.

Its a practice match in the heat  and about getting fit, But it did look like their man had a free header and no one was anywhere near him

Quoted from Madeleymariner

That defending was shocking, Their guy didn't even have to move to get away from our defenders he was just stood still and no one within a couple of yards.

Defensive lapses, free headers happen.
You should watch the Wrexham play off game😚

Quoted from Chrisblor

Donovan Wilson has scored 3 goals in 4 appearances so far this pre-season (with 2 of those goals coming against higher league opponents). Pyke's on 2 in 2 as well. What more do you want?

Sadly Grimsby Borough ain’t in League 2 this year

Quoted from Poojah

Not really the thread for it, but since you raised the issue: a new stadium for Grimsby Town, of the size and standard I think fans would reasonably expect, would cost somewhere between £40m - £50m in the current economic climate. I 100% get the need for and benefit of a new stadium for a club in our position, and as a self-confessed stadium nerd would love nothing more, but can you just do me a favour please and break down how we raise that sort of money?

If you can answer the question sensibly, I imagine there's a job on the board waiting for you.

It’s always impossible but 40 plus teams have found a way

“Port vale take the lead in the dying stages of the 3rd quarter”
Not a sentence I ever envisaged reading when looking for town match updates!

Quoted from kevikov

“Port vale take the lead in the dying stages of the 3rd quarter”
Not a sentence I ever envisaged reading when looking for town match updates!

Agreed… it’s embarrassing going behind against Port Vale!!

You can read into it what you want but I’m in Torrevieja and I’m smashed. Town were the better team and got the deserved equaliser when we got a free kick edge of box which was rolled to Even Khouri on the right hand side while Vale were setting up their wall. He took 1 touch to steady himself and slotted it home. Town fans steamed on the pitch when we scored and we all had a right laugh. Players after had a good laugh with us. Vale just slumped off and ignored their 50 fans. Town had about  200. We walked back with David Dunne on their coaching staff and he said they were shite. Another Vale scouser said they had no strikers and would be happy to stay up. All the town fans deserve praise for clearing up all the cans and bottles off the sidelines like Bradley pitches. Let’s hope we get another pre season tour next year.  The end UTM

Quoted from HerveJosse

It’s always impossible but 40 plus teams have found a way

Labour and materials costs have at least doubled since before lockdown. Then there are the interest rate rises and inflation currently at very high levels.

The new owners have it all to do to finance a new stadium in this climate.

Quoted from HerveJosse

It’s always impossible but 40 plus teams have found a way

Yes but crucially they would have been able to take advantage of:
Much more buoyant bricks and mortar retail economics that helped to pay for the stadium - no longer an option for us
Dramatically lower construction costs compared to the current climate - prices for us are higher now
Old stadium residing in a high value area that could be sold and help pay for the club to move - never an option for us anyway

We've been left with a much harder task

Quoted from HerveJosse

It’s always impossible but 40 plus teams have found a way

Again, wrong thread for it, and again, may I introduce you to the concept of hyper-inflation of construction industry commodities post-Covid and the wider global economic crisis.

[img]https://yieldpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ConstructionCommodityPrice2205.jpg[/img]

In a nutshell, the same stadium that cost Rotherham £20m to build a decade ago costs you nearly £50m today, whilst the cost of borrowing has also recently risen steeply (besides, you can’t get an 80% mortgage on a football ground in Grimsby, for obvious reasons).

It’s not that it’s impossible, but it’s very difficult at the present time for clubs at our level to finance a new stadium, on a new plot, in one straight hit. Luton will now be able to do it, but only because they will make in excess of £100m from their promotion to the Premier League.

I live in hope that things will settle down financially and ease not only for aspirational football clubs but for society as a whole. For now though, comparisons can’t be drawn between stadiums that broke ground prior to 2020 and those we might want to build today. Regrettably, a lot has happened and a lot has changed in a very short space of time.  

Quoted from ginnywings

Labour and materials costs have at least doubled since before lockdown. Then there are the interest rate rises and inflation currently at very high levels.

The new owners have it all to do to finance a new stadium in this climate.

Yes and attendances ticket prices and tv revenue have gone up significantly as well .

Quoted from Poojah

Again, wrong thread for it, and again, may I introduce you to the concept of hyper-inflation of construction industry commodities post-Covid and the wider global economic crisis.

[img]https://yieldpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ConstructionCommodityPrice2205.jpg[/img]

In a nutshell, the same stadium that cost Rotherham £20m to build a decade ago costs you nearly £50m today, whilst the cost of borrowing has also recently risen steeply (besides, you can’t get an 80% mortgage on a football ground in Grimsby, for obvious reasons).

It’s not that it’s impossible, but it’s very difficult at the present time for clubs at our level to finance a new stadium, on a new plot, in one straight hit. Luton will now be able to do it, but only because they will make in excess of £100m from their promotion to the Premier League.

I live in hope that things will settle down financially and ease not only for aspirational football clubs but for society as a whole. For now though, comparisons can’t be drawn between stadiums that broke ground prior to 2020 and those we might want to build today. Regrettably, a lot has happened and a lot has changed in a very short space of time.  

Well if your only arguments are sound thinking, factual evidence and truth then I just can't take you seriously. Get yourself and your well rounded arguments off to Codalmighty where they love that kind of thing ... this is the Fishy. 😁

Quoted from HerveJosse

Yes and attendances ticket prices and tv revenue have gone up significantly as well .

Not by the same amount. Nowhere near.

Quoted from ginnywings

Not by the same amount. Nowhere near.

Well attendances are up by 50 percent ticket prices by 15 percent so that’s an extra 72.5 percent combined  and while I dont have the figures for the new Sky tv deal to hand I think that adds another 20 or 30 percent. I think Debbie said commercial revenue was up by a high percentage . Construction costs while having risen significantly are now falling and the market will adjust to the current interest rates with further falls.

Quoted from HerveJosse

Well attendances are up by 50 percent ticket prices by 15 percent so that’s an extra 72.5 percent combined  and while I dont have the figures for the new Sky tv deal to hand I think that adds another 20 or 30 percent. I think Debbie said commercial revenue was up by a high percentage . Construction costs while having risen significantly are now falling and the market will adjust to the current interest rates with further falls.

And paying off ex-chairman and repairing the ground/team/training ground have gone up by 109.63%. Just like yourself, I don’t have the exact figures to hand

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

And paying off ex-chairman and repairing the ground/team/training ground have gone up by 109.63%. Just like yourself, I don’t have the exact figures to hand

The ex chairman was paid off from a combination of transfers fees from players sold and replacement loans from the new owners . One owners loan has been replaced with another. Repairs to an old ground cease when a new ground is substituted.We don’t have a new training ground and I am unaware of any announcements that suggest one is imminent

Bored with the stadium chat, we can’t afford it right now, wishing for it won’t make it happen.  Re. the squad, it looks really exciting and a step forward on last year, we should progress, ideally into the playoffs.  
I don’t expect any more big signings as I think the squad is there, striker wise Rose with an attacking 3 behind him would be where I think we’re going but Pike and Wilson look great alternative options without having to lump it.  For all those that cried out for more entertainment at BP this season, the squad looks set up to do this.
I really wouldn’t sh*t the bed at a 1 goal defeat to a Championship club and a draw with a League 1 club when assessing our progression.

Some highlights from the game, provided by Port Vale.

https://youtu.be/72ZRN546lbw

Quoted from Poojah

Some highlights from the game, provided by Port Vale.

https://youtu.be/72ZRN546lbw

Thanks for that. It does beg the question where was Mariners TV?

Quoted from lobsterpot

You can read into it what you want but I’m in Torrevieja and I’m smashed. Town were the better team and got the deserved equaliser when we got a free kick edge of box which was rolled to Even Khouri on the right hand side while Vale were setting up their wall. He took 1 touch to steady himself and slotted it home. Town fans steamed on the pitch when we scored and we all had a right laugh. Players after had a good laugh with us. Vale just slumped off and ignored their 50 fans. Town had about  200. We walked back with David Dunne on their coaching staff and he said they were shite. Another Vale scouser said they had no strikers and would be happy to stay up. All the town fans deserve praise for clearing up all the cans and bottles off the sidelines like Bradley pitches. Let’s hope we get another pre season tour next year.  The end UTM

Really nice to read this. Well done all that went, I'd love to do it one year.

Quoted from DB

Thanks for that. It does beg the question where was Mariners TV?

Probably doing the filming / photography / social media updates from the trip on his own, so had to wait until getting back from Spain to start editing together all the video footage as a result:

https://twitter.com/jpsmith083/status/1682690988454625280

Also, remember this guy has a job which pays just over minimum wage and is doing a great job in the circumstances, so if you want faster or more in-depth content you'd be better off directing those views towards Cook, Pettit and Stockwood.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Probably doing the filming / photography / social media updates from the trip on his own, so had to wait until getting back from Spain to start editing together all the video footage as a result:

https://twitter.com/jpsmith083/status/1682690988454625280

Also, remember this guy has a job which pays just over minimum wage and is doing a great job in the circumstances, so if you want faster or more in-depth content you'd be better off directing those views towards Cook, Pettit and Stockwood.

Joe Smith is not the guy that has replaced Liam.

Quoted from Mappers

I am still interested as to what formation we go with as Wilson & Rose seem suited to 2 up top ,yet we have an overload of talent in CM and playing 2 of what 7 or 8 ? You would not be keeping the majority happy .

Maybe Hurst plans to use Clifton as that tucked in wide player he's seemed to enjoy ?

Suppose we won't know for sure until the Wimbledon game .

7 or 8 CMs? We've got 6 in with a shot of first team football which includes Khouri (still developing) and Green and Hunt (likely to be used depending on style on opposition). I don't see the amount of players we have that can play in the middle of the park being a factor in whether or not we line up with 2 or 1 strikers up top. Player form and Hurst's tactical tinkering will decide that.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Joe Smith is not the guy that has replaced Liam.

Correct, however my post didn't say that he was and i'm fully aware that Joe's role is "admin" (or officially "Media & Communications Officer"). It said that Joe was in Spain being expected to do all the content on his own. The new "Digital Content Assistant" (https://twitter.com/Olly_Wood21) clearly hasn't been on the Spain trip, so Joe has been expected to cover all the media and social media duties on his own and that if people aren't happy about this then they should make it known to the club.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Correct, however my post didn't say that he was and i'm fully aware that Joe's role is "admin" (or officially "Media & Communications Officer"). It said that Joe was in Spain being expected to do all the content on his own. The new "Digital Content Assistant" (https://twitter.com/Olly_Wood21) clearly hasn't been on the Spain trip, so Joe has been expected to cover all the media and social media duties on his own and that if people aren't happy about this then they should make it known to the club.

The club could also make it clear that footage shot in Spain will be available on the return of the team.

Are you really so desperate for footage of a training match?

Quoted from ska face

Are you really so desperate for footage of a training match?

It's not a matter of being desperate but why should we have to go to another clubs site to see our team.

Quoted from DB

It's not a matter of being desperate but why should we have to go to another clubs site to see our team.

The less we make available, the harder we are for early opponents to analyse...

Quoted from jamesgtfc

The less we make available, the harder we are for early opponents to analyse...

Fair point.  I guess they’d never think of going on the Port Vale sight !    

Quoted from Chrisblor

Correct, however my post didn't say that he was and i'm fully aware that Joe's role is "admin" (or officially "Media & Communications Officer"). It said that Joe was in Spain being expected to do all the content on his own. The new "Digital Content Assistant" (https://twitter.com/Olly_Wood21) clearly hasn't been on the Spain trip, so Joe has been expected to cover all the media and social media duties on his own and that if people aren't happy about this then they should make it known to the club.

You said he was on just above the minimum wage, do you know that for a fact?

Quoted from arryarryarry

You said he was on just above the minimum wage, do you know that for a fact?

Unless he negotiated the salary upwards by a considerable amount, many of us saw the advertised salary.

I went out there and watched the game.

This four quarters malarkey better help fitness because come quarter four it wasn’t half dragging, or that may have been the searing heat as the ledge we were all on that was shady at kick off was Sunny come full time, and I don’t do heat very well!

Harvey Rodgers is a class act, he’s quick, he’s strong, he can play and read the game well. Looking at him, I’m not sure how we’ve got him. Conteh, although high in quality and physicality looks unfit, he was blowing after about 40 mins badly, yes it was hard work given the heat but he was clearly feeling it more than the others.

Eisa looked lively, he’ll be too quick and strong for L2 defenders if we keep him fit. Vernam did what I remembered for the majority of his last stint, looked good, ran well with the ball, beat his man for fun but flattered to deceive when it matters, hoping it improves before the season starts as we know what he can do.

In the second “half” you could tell it was our reserves as they looked better than us, with us having had the better of the first “half” and certainly didn’t look like a league better than us.

Alex Hunt seems to have filled out over the summer to me, he looks stronger and more able to compete, and I think we need to get men closer to Danny Rose if we’re to maximise his ability.

Ingredients are there, just a case of delivering on it now.

Quoted from Mariner_09

I went out there and watched the game.

This four quarters malarkey better help fitness because come quarter four it wasn’t half dragging, or that may have been the searing heat as the ledge we were all on that was shady at kick off was Sunny come full time, and I don’t do heat very well!

Harvey Rodgers is a class act, he’s quick, he’s strong, he can play and read the game well. Looking at him, I’m not sure how we’ve got him. Conteh, although high in quality and physicality looks unfit, he was blowing after about 40 mins badly, yes it was hard work given the heat but he was clearly feeling it more than the others.

Eisa looked lively, he’ll be too quick and strong for L2 defenders if we keep him fit. Vernam did what I remembered for the majority of his last stint, looked good, ran well with the ball, beat his man for fun but flattered to deceive when it matters, hoping it improves before the season starts as we know what he can do.

In the second “half” you could tell it was our reserves as they looked better than us, with us having had the better of the first “half” and certainly didn’t look like a league better than us.

Alex Hunt seems to have filled out over the summer to me, he looks stronger and more able to compete, and I think we need to get men closer to Danny Rose if we’re to maximise his ability.

Ingredients are there, just a case of delivering on it now.

Fully agree with that was saying to someone on the hill that rogers has looked very good in pre season, hunts bulked up and was involved in nearly every move which was pleasing to see, eisa and conteh look like they are the unfittest in the squad at the moment which is totally understandable after injury and late season ending etc but overall was happy with what I see especially in the first 60 mins I think this won't be far off the starting 11 tbh, not sure about the second team that came out think the game had sort of drifted out by then and the heat was just too much for everyone, needed a van at the roadside for water as the majority of us were hungover 😂

Quoted from Mendonca1995

Fully agree with that was saying to someone on the hill that rogers has looked very good in pre season, hunts bulked up and was involved in nearly every move which was pleasing to see, eisa and conteh look like they are the unfittest in the squad at the moment which is totally understandable after injury and late season ending etc but overall was happy with what I see especially in the first 60 mins I think this won't be far off the starting 11 tbh, not sure about the second team that came out think the game had sort of drifted out by then and the heat was just too much for everyone, needed a van at the roadside for water as the majority of us were hungover 😂

Thought it was ridiculous that there was nowhere to get a drink of any description from. We stole some beers off a Port Vale fan, it disappeared in about 25 seconds!