43 years

Quoted from ginnywings

This keeps getting repeated, but still isn't true for me.

I don't think anyone has got a consistent tune out of them yet, which is a different matter. When a team is struggling, it's easy to say that the players aren't good enough, but that isn't always the case.

I watched Chelsea last night, and despite spending a gazillion pounds on some of the best and most promising talents out there, they are struggling to get any cohesion in the team.

I know we are not in their orbit, but the point is the same. I believe we have perfectly adequate league 2 standard players in the squad and all that is missing is a bit of direction and belief, with maybe a smidge of luck thrown in.

Yes, we do need two or three in certain areas, mainly in the spine of the team in my opinion. Centre back, centre mid and a forward would be my preference as a minimum.

I think we have a better squad than last season, but they just aren't performing consistently to the levels they are capable of, and the manager has his work cut out correcting this.

Consistency has been the problem for most players all season so far. They have one or two good games and then disappear for a few games, We don't seem to have the team, as a whole, singing from the same hymn sheet. We always seem to concede a goal with our dodgy defence while at the other end, they huff & puff. The engine room is running on low power depending who, if any, are playing well.

Quoted from RonMariner

What frightens me a little is that Artell now faces the same situation that Hurst was faced with when he returned to the club in 2020. A disjointed and underperforming squad on the fringes of the relegation zone.

He brought in some better players in the January window but was not able to keep us up.

Do people think we are in a better or worse position now then we were then? The squad DA inherited is probably better than the one Hurst had to deal with, but on the other hand the standard in L2 has improved in the last three years.

The difference is there was no pressure on Hurst to keep us up because it was all Fentys fault and Hurst  got a free pass when we went down. The same will not apply if we go down under Artell.

Quoted from It Bites

I’m feeling a bit fed up and I’m probably over reacting but I just feel like giving up with Town . I haven’t enjoyed going for a long time , with the odd decent game sprinkled in there . It’s not the Town I grew up knowing and loving even the Mick Lyon’s era was better than the last 20 years . Football/finances etc have changed so much I don’t even know what to expect anymore? I know my posts are often a bit off but I’m just at a loss with how hard it is to assemble a set of players capable of competing in lg2 . As we head towards another possible relegation scrap I was wondering if anyone else felt the same

Everything about it ATM is boring.
Over zealous stewards.
Expensive rubbish food.
No atmosphere.
Football is powder puff.
Feeling of stagnation.
Two smoke and mirrors corporate suits owners.
Fans who turn on each other too easily as proven by this forum, the default position is to name call and personal attack anyone with a different viewpoint.

The day Hurst took over in late 2020 (3 years ago tomorrow actually) we were 3 points above 23rd placed Stevenage who had two games in hand on us.

We're currently 7 points above 23rd placed Sutton who have a game in hand of us.  

Our league form 3 years ago read as 1 win in 9 and just five points picked up during that period.  Our league form over the last 9 games as of this morning reads 2 wins with a total of ten points picked up. Twice as good in every respect of form.

Our starting line-up in the final game of 2020 (an awful 0-0 at home with Oldham), the one before Hurst took over was as follows:

Sam Russell;
Luke Hendrie, Luke Waterfall, Mattie Pollock, Danny Preston;
Felipe Morais, Elliott Hewitt, Danny Rose, Owura Edwards;
George Williams;
Matt Green.

For Hurst's first game back a few days later (a defeat at home to Cambridge) he made two changes.  Kyle Bennett and James Tilley in for Edwards and Williams.

Our top scorer that season ended up as Lenell John-Lewis, a player we only signed in January, with a whopping 4.  After that Pollock, Jay Matete (another Jan signing), Green and the equally deadly Ira Jackson. Jr on 3.  This season we've already got Danny Rose (7), Abo Eisa (6) and Donovan Wilson (5) ahead of that with Gav Holohan and Rekeil Pyke on 4 a piece.  It's terrifying but at this stage of this season, we're only 6 goals behind our total scored for the whole of the 20/21 season.

This isn't 2020.  I think we've got gaps in the squad that need addressing and I think there's a couple of key areas where we lack relative quality for this level.  I think changes are needed but we're talking 3 or 4 in the window.  3 years ago that whole squad, from front to back wasn't good enough.  Of those starting elevens, the 'stand-out' players were probably Luke Hendrie who wasn't at his best, Luke Waterfall who had a dreadful season and Mattie Pollock who played most of the season with an injury.  The player of those line-ups who ended the season with most credit was Elliott Hewitt, that was from playing at centre-back though.

We won't go down, not a chance.

Very good opening post.

As for being a fan in the lower leagues I do get the commitment by some. Its a representation of being proud of your local area and the football team often best reflects that. Having said that watching Grimsby play can be boring,expensive and uncomfortable (cold winters day) and at times I feel there are more important things I can spend my time and money on than watching grown men kick a ball about. Family and children and other hobbies for one.

Without repeating too much for whats its worth having seen the high and lows from people first hand Ive known in the professional set up football especially at lower levels can be incredibly tough. Lack of job security and you could be out the door within 1 year(Anthony Church who played for Grimsby is just one example or others who churn out a career at lower levels for a limited time  going on loan,staying in hotels ,rent,travel away from family etc).

I think more should be done to safeguard players in the lower league financially. Again too many chase a dream and very few will actually make it even at semi pro level eg conference /conference north where a good calibre of ability is needed to achieve . I would say population wise in this country its potentially the top 12 %  that could make it at some level of the football pyramid starting from level 7  Northern premier league.

To be honest I think a lot of us are in the same boat here. I like the social side of going and we have been poor for so many years now i just accept it. I will always keep going but I am apathetic. Too many false dawns, our destiny seems to be the bottom end of L2 and I have accepted it. I find no point in taking it too seriously or it is painful but it has taken me a long tme to develop this approach. I celebrate the wins, ignore the losses and rarely look at the league table. You cannot invest too much in something that you cannot control. I will stream the game tonight and live in hope but I have not a clue how we will get on.
I do feel for the committed travelling fans who deserve much better. Utm

Quoted from cardiffmariner

48 years old and first few games for Town were Norwich in the Milk Cup quarter finals, Newcastle (because Keegan was playing for them) and maybe Watford in the cup. First players of note were Drinkell, Lund, Ford, the Moores, Wilkinson, Batch et al. Names I heard from elders before I even got to attend a game.

I was fortunate enough for my teenage years to largely correlate with Buckley’s most successful times and, intercourse me, we were spoilt then.

First year I met my missus we got relegated from (the now) Championship. And by and large it’s been excrement ever since.

Hats off to anyone of my age or beyond or can still muster proper enthusiasm - I really struggle.

And an even bigger hats off to anyone who can’t remember the above and has grown up on the last 20 years of football and is still here. You guys are the real heroes.

Thoughts with fella, the football hasn't been too good either.

Quoted from diehardmariner

The day Hurst took over in late 2020 (3 years ago tomorrow actually) we were 3 points above 23rd placed Stevenage who had two games in hand on us.
.

For sure we have gaps.

Hursty was allowed to bring in what he wanted to fix the problem and failed. Also took an age to play LJL and when he did think we it was his first win.

No it’s not the same.

One in one out if true could end up the same and of course no Covid.

Quoted from Phil the cod

Everything about it ATM is boring.
Over zealous stewards.
Expensive rubbish food.
No atmosphere.
Football is powder puff.
Feeling of stagnation.
Two smoke and mirrors corporate suits owners.
Fans who turn on each other too easily as proven by this forum, the default position is to name call and personal attack anyone with a different viewpoint.

Oh dear,someone has said it ,''the king has got no clothes on''

Last game of 2023 !

This will be my 1,215th Town game.

The 17th November 1995 League Cup against West Ham being the first. (Missed most of seventies and eighties as living and working away from Grimsby). There have been a lot of ups and down over the years, but I am looking forward to tonights game just like I have to over a thousand before. Always optermistic, often disillusioned, but always looking to the next match, and will alway do.