In a bid to lighten the mood, what was everybody's first Town game - I'll start:

Sat 20 Oct 1980     Gillingham 0 - 1 Grimsby Town     

Sheff Utd at home in about 93, was the first time I went of my own accord and not with my pops.

I can't honestly remember who we played but it would have been a game in the late seventies.

December 25th 1958

Grimsby Town 1 Sheffield United 2

Town fielded two players who had been to the World Cup that summer Johnny Scott and Mike Cullen

Sat in the Osmond with my Uncle Bill who spent the match looking wistfully across at all his mates getting drunk in the back of the Barratt stand

Around Christmas 1968 - draw with Peterborough, can't remember the score.

My dad took me to a game in about 1957, I was 5. On his shoulders in the Barrets. Don’t know who we were playing though. All I remember was God was it noisy.

1980's town v swansea my dad took me when i was 8 yo.  I think we lost 1-0.  I was sat on the bars in the imp corner.

Town v Bradford City - last home match in the 1955-56 season. We won 2-0 and won the Third Division (North) Championship.

1979 Town v Wigan (Stood in the pontoon just behind the goal)

Rochdale away on New Year's Day 2005, rained off at half time, set the tone really.

December 8th 1965 FA 2nd round reply
Town 2 - 0 Barnsley Tees 2
My dad radioed for tickets out in the Humber, went after he docked.
He parked the bus stop opposite ABC Cleethorpes, got a ticket but as he didn't have a license he made my mum take the blame.

Grimsby Town 0 Southampton 0 in the cup.

Town 1 Workington 1
Not sure the year but around 67 or 68 and pretty sure it was a night match. All I remember is that they had a tall striker with ginger hair who looked like one of my early year teachers at Welholme school, Mr. Wilkinson.  :)

Town 3 Exeter 0. Last game of the 71/72 season.

Bournemouth at home 1990

Cardiff 75 season I think, with my grandad I was bundled over the turnstile and stood in the cons corner.  From the moment I went I was hooked (rant)

Quoted from Les Brechin

Town 3 Exeter 0. Last game of the 71/72 season.

Nice intro!  8)

27th December 1965 Swindon. 1-1.

Exeter home game  1972.
Parents owned a caravan on Beacholme  and I used to hang around with some local lads.
One was going with his dad and who offered to take me and so it started.
The doctor said I would grow out of it but I never did.

First ever Town game.  I would have been 6 or 7 so 1968 or 69.  Back in those days I had little understanding, I thought Grimsby and the Mariners were two different teams.  I was a Grimsby fan according to my Dad, used to stand in the Osmond corner on top of an upside down lemonade crate.  Dad was from the Grafton Street area so probably Hewitts.

Little who am I for you.  My father was a pretty good footballer, back in the Shankley days, was on the books but never played in the first team.  We share a surname with one of our greatest ever strikers.  If he was alive today He’d cry at the state of the club but probably disown me for turning my back.

PM me with guesses

Quoted from Badger57

Nice intro!  8)

I didn't see much really. I was only 7 and was with my 14-year old sister who wanted to stand at the back of The Pontoon!

I can't remember the exact game but it was in about 1956. My Dad worked with the winger Jimmy Fell at Laportes and we went to see him play.

Quoted from Les Brechin

I didn't see much really. I was only 7 and was with my 14-year old sister who wanted to stand at the back of The Pontoon!

Same here, rammed in the middle of the Barretts and I was only little.

1st game = 15th August 2009 vs Crewe. Lost 4/5-0 I think. Wasn't long after I moved to the town.
Last game = 30th September 2017 vs Lincoln. 0-0.

Seen plenty of wins in between that period.

It makes you wonder how much money in total some of us have forked out watching Town over the years !

First ever game my old man took me to was the 6-5 against Burnley... it's been a tall order to live up to ever since!

3rd May 1980. 4-0 against Sheff Utd to be crowned Champions of Division 3.

What a day, so exciting for an 11 year old, no wonder I have been hooked as a Mariner ever since.

UTFM

FA Cup v Gateshead United in 1976.

Bobby Cumming Testimonial, not sure what year it was, but we played Lawrie McMenemys Southampton, I'm guessing around 1984/85 as that would be 10 years playing with Grimsby Town.

Notts county at home march 81 ... won 2-1

Can't remember - but my memory of watching Grimsby beat Scunthorpe 7-1 in a night match does remain and apart from Tees scoring the first and Green scoring 3 - Brian Hill's strikes cutting in from the left remain etched - and all of this through the front palings of the Barratt Stand - with Bedford scoring a consolation goal for Scunthorpe.

Ironically, my first ever match was at the Old Show Ground, Scunthorpe - can't remember who they played but Frank Barton and Bobby Smith were in their team and they later played for us. I preferred it there at the time, as my dad was able to sit me on a parapet wall at the front so I could see - but his ultimate plan was to in doctrine me to Grimsby Town.

1984 last game of the season versus Chelsea.  Kerry Dixon 1 nil.

Quoted from Teestogreen

Can't remember - but my memory of watching Grimsby beat Scunthorpe 7-1 in a night match does remain and apart from Tees scoring the first and Green scoring 3 - Brian Hill's strikes cutting in from the left remain etched - and all of this through the front palings of the Barratt Stand - with Bedford scoring a consolation goal for Scunthorpe.

Ironically, my first ever match was at the Old Show Ground, Scunthorpe - can't remember who they played but Frank Barton and Bobby Smith were in their team and they later played for us. I preferred it there at the time, as my dad was able to sit me on a parapet wall at the front so I could see - but his ultimate plan was to in doctrine me to Grimsby Town.

My dad told me about that game. Ray Clemence was in goal for Scunthorpe as I recall lol.

Brighton October 1965 night game only wanted to go see Bobby Smith play for Brighton. Had seen Spurs win the cup in 1962 and they were my team until that night with Tees, Green, Foster in Barratt Stand that fantastic night atmosphere we used to have and the smell of piped tobacco etc.

Still go watch Spurs but town is first love proven when I went crazy after JP’s goal back in 2005.

Town 3-2 Watford (August 1992)

We went on to finish 9th in what is now the Championship.

Although that was my first league game. I remember a preseason friendly in 92, against Gainsborough at BP. For no reason other than this:

Dave Gilbert scored a free kick but the ref made him retake it. Put it top corner again. But the ref made him take it again. Keeper saved the 3rd one.

Quoted from Teestogreen

Can't remember - but my memory of watching Grimsby beat Scunthorpe 7-1 in a night match does remain and apart from Tees scoring the first and Green scoring 3 - Brian Hill's strikes cutting in from the left remain etched - and all of this through the front palings of the Barratt Stand - with Bedford scoring a consolation goal for Scunthorpe.

Ironically, my first ever match was at the Old Show Ground, Scunthorpe - can't remember who they played but Frank Barton and Bobby Smith were in their team and they later played for us. I preferred it there at the time, as my dad was able to sit me on a parapet wall at the front so I could see - but his ultimate plan was to in doctrine me to Grimsby Town.

Think that game was played in early September as were on a family holiday in Mablethorpe, those were the days when life was so simple, and can remember seeing the score in the next days Daily Mirror. 10/11 years later played with Brian Hill for Market Rosen in the Lincs League, great bloke and still see him at club reunions and funerals.

I'm not certain as supporting GTFC sort of creeped up on me. Lived not far from the ground and had a mate who lived in Blundell Ave. His garden backed onto the Pontoon Stand. We would get his Dad's ladder and sneak over the fence when no-one was looking. Sometimes a big gang of us and it was late 60's early 70's. We didn't really sneak in to watch the footy, it was more because it was a laugh and a bit daring. We'd probably sneaked into the ABC cinema in the morning too and on Sunday, we would walk down to the old zoo and sneak in there too. Times were hard and we didn't have Playstations.  :) In those days, they used to open the gates quite early and you could just walk in and catch the last part of the game for free, so we sometimes did that, if we weren't down Sidney Park playing footy ourselves for hours on end.

At the start of the 71/72 season, i got a job selling the Sports Telegraph and we used to get let into the ground for free at half time with our bag of newspapers, and then go to a little shack in Phelps Street to tally up and get our halfpenny or penny (can't remember) commission for each paper sold. Now that was a special season as any Town fan will tell you and as it wore on, i got more and more interested in the events on the pitch, the atmosphere was electric and when we scored, which we did often, the noise was incredible. I swear the Barratt Stand would shake when it happened. The Barratt was my patch and it was a fantastic place to be. People would buy papers and say "keep the change lad". One said i was a lucky omen as we were shite the season before with the other paper seller before me. I loved it and soon found myself watching the football more than i was trying to sell papers. The guy who we tallied up with said i wasn't selling enough and sacked me, so from then on i started going just as a fan, so i don't know which game that happened. If my Mam was skint (Dad was a fisherman, sometimes we were loaded, sometimes skint) and couldn't give me the entry money, over the fence we went, or got in some other way. Sometimes we would hang around in Harrington Street and the players would let us in with them. Sometimes we would just hang around the Barratt Stand and someone we knew would pay us in. Sometimes the turnstile guys would let us through for nothing if we badgered them enough, but we always got in somehow. What a great season that was and what a great finish to it. Me and my brother ran alongside the victory parade bus all the way from Park Street to the Town hall.

That is why i am a Town fan. Got the bug and never lost it. Sorry for the long ramble, but i started and the memories just came flooding back. Can hardly remember a game in recent times. I guess not many stick in the memory.

Vs Leeds, John McDermott’s first testimonial, Aug 1996. In my first season watching Town we beat Southend 4-0 on the last day and still went down. It was an early insight into just how disappointing it can be following Town.

Boxing Day 1977, Halifax 0-0, not a great game if I recall  :)

First game on my own was Sunderland April 65  drew 22  think we went down that year ,,went to a few before that  with family but cant realy remember much  was 13 then  ??)

1971 aged 9, against Hartlepool . Won 3-2.

Quoted from LH

Vs Leeds, John McDermott’s first testimonial, Aug 1996. In my first season watching Town we beat Southend 4-0 on the last day and still went down. It was an early insight into just how disappointing it can be following Town.

Good second year though LH!!!!

Back to Ginny’s post Barratt Stand was a special place and we used to stand just past half way line towards Osmond just where we sit now in fact. Near us stood a crowd of about 8 to 10 guys who we nicknamed the “crunchie crowd” as every time the old Ginger headed guy came around the pitch selling chocolate over the fence they would shout abuse (friendly banter) at him and moan like hell if someone left the back door open. Yes younger fans you could enter a Barratt Stand as you do now in the main stand or via two stair cases at the rear with each having a single door to go into the wooden stand and let in hell of a draught if left open. Still hard to believe we used to get 22000 plus in the old place!!

30th August 1986    0-0 v Bradford.
Went in the lower with my dad who had no interest in football but for some reason I suddenly wanted to watch a game and town were the nearest to Louth .
Can’t remember anything about the game except I loved the amount of swearing

13 Dec 1983, Grimsby Town v Oldham Athletic. Town won 3-0. Tony Ford ripped Oldham apart that night.

My Dad took me to a game in the mid seventies, stood on a box by the front of the Barrett's stand. I think it was a cup game against Southampton. I can remember looking behind me and just seeing plumes of smoke rising into the air from all the smokers in the crowd.

Barret stand was a special place. we could out sing all the other stands most of the time,, Full of long gone and missed people that alwase had some good one liners to shout out .I still think the ground lost its soul when they pulled it down and put that tin mish up

First time at blundell park, was, for some reason (or so I've been told) a baseball game? Not sure if that's right though

First game apparently was Town v Watford. We apparently lost 1-3. I don't really remember it as I was only 7 or 8 I think.

First game I remember, was a 1-0 home win (don o'riordan pen) v Pompey in around 1985, that the school organised. We were in the seating that used to be behind the standing in the osmond.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Good second year though LH!!!!

Back to Ginny’s post Barratt Stand was a special place and we used to stand just past half way line towards Osmond just where we sit now in fact. Near us stood a crowd of about 8 to 10 guys who we nicknamed the “crunchie crowd” as every time the old Ginger headed guy came around the pitch selling chocolate over the fence they would shout abuse (friendly banter) at him and moan like hell if someone left the back door open. Yes younger fans you could enter a Barratt Stand as you do now in the main stand or via two stair cases at the rear with each having a single door to go into the wooden stand and let in hell of a draught if left open. Still hard to believe we used to get 22000 plus in the old place!!

Do you remember the guy in the Barratt Stand, during Town's warm -up, shouting 'Give us a wave - Dave' (to Dave Worthington) - every home match and Dave would duly turn round and wave at him? Great season, that McMenemy promotion.

Grimsby Town 1 Exeter City 2, think it was around 1969 and I believe David Pleat scored for Exeter.

Stood in the Osmond with my sadly departed Grandad. Great days then and better days just around the corner with the return of my hero Sir Matt Tees.

1991 say on the fence in the pontoon vs Exeter

19th April 1997 v Reading.  A year to the day later and we were at Wembley.

Christmas Day 1957, Grimsby 3 Liverpool 1.

There were 17,000+ in the ground. We were in the Osmond Stand, Dad, Uncle & me, couldn’t see a thing first half until I got passed down to the front railing. Jeff Whitefoot, Johnny Scott and Jimmy Fell scored but I don’t remember any of the goals. That dirty sodomist Billy Liddell was playing for Liverpool and the Town fans booed every time he got the ball.

We lost the return game next day, Boxing Day, at Liverpool 3-2.

Quoted from Sir Matt Tease

Grimsby Town 1 Exeter City 2, think it was around 1969 and I believe David Pleat scored for Exeter.

Stood in the Osmond with my sadly departed Grandad. Great days then and better days just around the corner with the return of my hero Sir Matt Tees.

Was that a Saturday night game? Think I was at that game we signed Keith Cockburn left winger from Bradford PA and he scored that night on his debut. Do not believe his career with us lasted too long.

Quoted from Teestogreen

Do you remember the guy in the Barratt Stand, during Town's warm -up, shouting 'Give us a wave - Dave' (to Dave Worthington) - every home match and Dave would duly turn round and wave at him? Great season, that McMenemy promotion.

Have to say cannot recall that, which is annoying, but remember one of the crunchier crowd had massive ears and was spitting image of the Ancient Mariner guy sports telegraph would draw on front page of the footie paper with his different faces reflecting his emotions to our result  win, loss or a draw.

I was 12 and it was in the 2001-2002 season Stockport away, I'd only really gotten into football about 2 or 3 years earlier and out of the blue I just asked my Dad that morning if I could go with him to the match as I knew he was going, I seem to recall it was 3-3 in the end.

I remember going to Meadow Lane, Notts County and Keith Cockburn scored for us, with a low left foot shot, in a 2-1 defeat - I think County may have won the 4th division that season.

Town Res v Sundaland Res about 1969

Quoted from Teestogreen

I remember going to Meadow Lane, Notts County and Keith Cockburn scored for us, with a low left foot shot, in a 2-1 defeat - I think County may have won the 4th division that season.

I was at the game when County won the league with Don Masson and Tony Hately playing, Hately had returned after playing for Villa and Liverpool and I thought we lost 1-0 on a hot day but time dims the memory. There were not many town fans in attendance, and their ground was very much like BP and we were attacked by County/ Forest fans in the ground as skinheads started to appear on the terraces.

Town v Lincoln 1990, won 1-0 with a Dave Gilbert penalty

Don't remember the exact date sometime in the early to mid 90's, opponents were blue I think at least in my mind. We lost and quite badly I think something like 1:4 rings a bell? or 2:4. I mainly remember the game because my Dad had to explain the backpass rule that was making it's way into the game after Crichton picked up a back pass leading to a free kick in our box.

Even though we lost I still enjoyed it and asked my dad to start bringing me regularly. He had wanted to before apparently but my mum insisted I was too young or something lol.

Quoted from denni266

First game on my own was Sunderland April 65  drew 22  think we went down that year ,,went to a few before that  with family but cant realy remember much  was 13 then  ??)

That was April 1964, 2-2, Portwood and Hill scoring and Town finished second bottom and were relegated.

16,442 were there, not me though, my first game was 7th September 1966, we beat Scunthorpe 7-1, since then have only missed about 10 home games through illness and the odd holiday, I have never missed a home game because I didn't want to be there..

This thread just goes to show, whatever happens, however bad it gets or how good it turns out in the end, no one can take our memories from us.
And it's probably the reason there is so much angst on here at times, because people have those memories.

I'm one of those unusual town fans who's never lived in Grimsby or the surrounding area - but Grimsby was where my football supporting relatives (Grandad and Uncle) lived, and I'd occasionally get taken to a game when we were visiting the family.

I'm not certain if it was my first game, but the earliest I remember was Town beating Bolton 4-0 in (checks database) January 1981.  Particularly sweet as one of my school teachers was an avid Bolton fan.  

Quoted from sonofmadeleymariner

I was 12 and it was in the 2001-2002 season Stockport away, I'd only really gotten into football about 2 or 3 years earlier and out of the blue I just asked my Dad that morning if I could go with him to the match as I knew he was going, I seem to recall it was 3-3 in the end.

Yeah I remember that one. Me and my mate got in for £1 as juniors and only £10 on the supporters coach so 6 goal draw great value for money.

It was Michael Boulding's first ever appearance for us (off the bench).

Quoted from promotion plaice

I can't honestly remember who we played but it would have been a game in the late seventies.

Forgot to mention I only started watching Town in my late teens.

I was born and grew up in Hull in my early years.

My dad who was a Tigers fanatic used to take me to Boothferry Park to watch the likes of Chris Chilton, Ken Wagstaff and Ian McKechnie.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Bobby Cumming Testimonial, not sure what year it was, but we played Lawrie McMenemys Southampton, I'm guessing around 1984/85 as that would be 10 years playing with Grimsby Town.

I had the honour of a couple of pints with Sir Bob in the winter gardens.  An outstanding example of just how far an incredible attitude can take you.  One of my lifetime highlights.

16th January 1980. Tuesday night match. 8th birthday treat. My mum took me and a friend and we sat in the main stand and ate sandwiches and drank soup from a flask. I was completely captivated. The noise. The smell of pipe smoke and linament. The stripy nets! We won 2-1 - Kev Moore and Kevin Kilmore scored I think. Promotion season and I remember going to a couple of other games at BP that season - Swindon (2-0) and Brentford 5-1. That final game against Sheff Utd in front of 24000 was one of the best days of my childhood.

07 Jan 1978 Grimsby Town v Southampton in the FA Cup- a 0-0 draw - I don't remember much but the gentle creaking of the Barrett stand and smell of cigar smoke!. We drew the first replay 0-0, before losing the second replay 4-1. I should have read the signs....;-)

The cigar smoke frequently mentioned was actually a mind altering potion, designed to forever bind you to GTFC. We've been rubbish since they banned smoking.

August 1971. Home v Donny in the League Cup in McMenemy's first (promotion) season after he'd got the sack from ....Donny. Stood in the Osmond. I think. Taken by my big sister before she went away to college, then after she went away went with brother (aspiring boot boy who wanted to be in the Ponny, my grandad (fisherman) and uncle (a West Londonder who used to shout stuff like 'you dirty savern barstards' whenever we played teams from darn sarf)

Went a goal down and ended up winning 4-3. What a game to start with. And what a season!

After that we were in the Barratt stand. And the place really did used to shake. Ciggy smoke (cigars on Boxing Day), whiskey and rum smells, pissing against the barrier at half time.

Quoted from LH

Vs Leeds, John McDermott’s first testimonial, Aug 1996. In my first season watching Town we beat Southend 4-0 on the last day and still went down. It was an early insight into just how disappointing it can be following Town.

My son's first game, even though he was just a phoetus at the time  :)

Do you remember the fox running round the pitch before kick off?

Quoted from KingstonMariner

My son's first game, even though he was just a phoetus at the time  :)

Do you remember the fox running round the pitch before kick off?

Even the foxes give it a miss nowadays   8)

Quoted from promotion plaice

Even the foxes give it a miss nowadays   8)

There was a paw print on that hoarding with the Fenty Out graffiti. Just saying.

Weren't you a bit young for whiskey and cigars KM? We were only allowed beer and f@gs 'til we were 15.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Even the foxes give it a miss nowadays   8)

They're sly them foxes.

Quoted from ginnywings

Weren't you a bit young for whiskey and cigars KM? We were only allowed beer and f@gs 'til we were 15.

Wellllll. Would've been rude to say no wouldn't it?

Was that a Saturday night game? Think I was at that game we signed Keith Cockburn left winger from Bradford PA and he scored that night on his debut. Do not believe his career with us lasted too long.

That was it, Cockburn did score for Town. Its amazing what you can recall when prompted !!!!

Quoted from Fishbone

07 Jan 1978 Grimsby Town v Southampton in the FA Cup- a 0-0 draw - I don't remember much but the gentle creaking of the Barrett stand and smell of cigar smoke!. We drew the first replay 0-0, before losing the second replay 4-1. I should have read the signs....;-)

The second replay was at filbert street and we queued for ages, to the extent that we hadn't got in,  when the roar of a goal went up - knew it was Southampton - Alan Ball I think.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Forgot to mention I only started watching Town in my late teens.

I was born and grew up in Hull in my early years.

My dad who was a Tigers fanatic used to take me to Boothferry Park to watch the likes of Chris Chilton, Ken Wagstaff and Ian McKechnie.

And Chris Simpkin and Ian Butler. Went to see them as well a few times, and I reckon Jimmy Armfield was playing for Blackpool when Hull beat them 2-0 in the FA Cup - 3rd round. They lost 2-3 to Stoke in the 5th round - when Waggy scored 2 but Stoke came back and won 3-2 with Terry Conroy bagging a couple.

Quoted from Teestogreen

The second replay was at filbert street and we queued for ages, to the extent that we hadn't got in,  when the roar of a goal went up - knew it was Southampton - Alan Ball I think.

I was there........the other replay I went to in that era was the Wolves replay at the Baseball ground.

Quoted from Sir Matt Tease

Was that a Saturday night game? Think I was at that game we signed Keith Cockburn left winger from Bradford PA and he scored that night on his debut. Do not believe his career with us lasted too long.

That was it, Cockburn did score for Town. Its amazing what you can recall when prompted !!!!

£3000.00 he cost - them were't days!

Quoted from Teestogreen

And Chris Simpkin and Ian Butler. Went to see them as well a few times, and I reckon Jimmy Armfield was playing for Blackpool when Hull beat them 2-0 in the FA Cup - 3rd round. They lost 2-3 to Stoke in the 5th round - when Waggy scored 2 but Stoke came back and won 3-2 with Terry Conroy bagging a couple.

Yeah ....I remember seeing Chris Simpkin and Ian Butler play.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

My son's first game, even though he was just a phoetus at the time  :)

Do you remember the fox running round the pitch before kick off?

I remember it happening but I wasn’t sure it was that game. I remember saying to my dad that the Southend keeper was letting loads of shots in during the warm up and I thought we’d score a few. Turns out I was right. Unfortunately whenever I’ve seen this as an adult putting money on it hasn’t worked but that’s usually Town’s fault.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

I was at the game when County won the league with Don Masson and Tony Hately playing, Hately had returned after playing for Villa and Liverpool and I thought we lost 1-0 on a hot day but time dims the memory. There were not many town fans in attendance, and their ground was very much like BP and we were attacked by County/ Forest fans in the ground as skinheads started to appear on the terraces.

Spot on Lincoln. It was the only game we lost in the great escape of 1970/71 when after losing to Crewe in the middle of March we put together a great run.

Home to Notts County in 1979, we won 3-1 (I think), minutes silence for Paddy Hamilton before the game, went on to be the best season ever in all the years I've supported Town since.

4th March 1972, 8th Birthday treat, 2-0 victory over Darlington.

First match 1968. Town 1 Burnley 1 FLC Round 2. Dougie Collins for Town. Collins ended up signing for then 1st Division Burnley for a then record transfer fee received of in the region of £27 K.
I went with my school mate Swanny (later Swanny of the Ponny-legal advisor to many Town n'eer do wells). Instantly captivated. I'd never heard a noise like the one which greeted Collins goal. Great season to start going...not. Re-election at the end of the season. Still it made the McMenemy era even more special and prepared me for many seasons since...

Workington home 1-0 circa 1970.

Growing up, I always thought we'd never play a less glamorous side than them in any league we played in.. how wrong was I..

Happy days Town 5 Brentford 1 79/80 Season we went on to win the league at home to Sheff Utd in front of over 20k adoring fans and a couple of thousand sour faced Yorkshire puddings.

Quoted from tintowner

FA Cup v Gateshead United in 1976.

I'm astounded you set foot in B.P. again after that!!!

Quoted from promotion plaice

I was there........the other replay I went to in that era was the Wolves replay at the Baseball ground.

That was one of the first away games I went to when I started going fairly regularly. I also went to Wolves when we drew 1 all but I think it was Clive Wiggington who scored an own goal and gave away a penalty when we lost at The Baseball Ground.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Town 3 Exeter 0. Last game of the 71/72 season.

Glory hunter ! 😉

Quoted from Teestogreen

The second replay was at filbert street and we queued for ages, to the extent that we hadn't got in,  when the roar of a goal went up - knew it was Southampton - Alan Ball I think.

Was that the one where is was thick snow all the way there but Leicester had that balloon pitch protector

My dad took me to my 1st game 63 years ago,

No idea who we were playing or the score,

We most likely lost as we had to seek re election at the end of the season

BUT

The following season we got promoted under Allenby Chilton,

I was hooked and I could see why my dad wanted me to be part of the football family,

Exeter home 1972, but did not go to a match on my own (I was always with my old man) till I moved to Staffordshire then, I think it would have been Burnley, Port Vale or Chester away (at Moss Rose Macclesfield) would have to check the dates to work it out, just remember a few drives on my own in the mid/late 80s when as young married bloke I rarely had spare money for such treats.

Correction, first game on my own was Stoke City away in a cup replay one night in 86/7 season we got hammered and I think Kev Moore got his jaw broke or something early on. :(

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Correction, first game on my own was Stoke City away in a cup replay one night in 86/7 season we got hammered and I think Kev Moore got his jaw broke or something early on. :(

Lee Pratt was in goal for Town and a couple of us got free tickets from him cos we went to the same school.Went on Bernard`s bus think it was 5 or 6-1 :'(

Mid 90s. 3-1 win against Sunderland. I think Forrester Livvo with the goals

Quoted from supertown

Was that the one where is was thick snow all the way there but Leicester had that balloon pitch protector

Got knocked off my motorbike in a blizzard on the way back from that one.
I can still remember the terror sliding  backwards into a ditch pinned under my bike as my helmet broke the ice.
Two Town lads saved me, they luckily saw the back wheel of my bike and pulled me out.
I never saw them again, never got chance to thank them.
I ended up in Nottingham hospital and my mangled up Yamaha DT175 was taken to Melton Mowbray.

Quoted from Kris2

Don't remember the exact date sometime in the early to mid 90's, opponents were blue I think at least in my mind. We lost and quite badly I think something like 1:4 rings a bell? or 2:4. I mainly remember the game because my Dad had to explain the backpass rule that was making it's way into the game after Crichton picked up a back pass leading to a free kick in our box.

Even though we lost I still enjoyed it and asked my dad to start bringing me regularly. He had wanted to before apparently but my mum insisted I was too young or something lol.

So after some asking and some research with the database I think I have it figured out that I'm probably mixing games together. My first game was 03 Oct 1992 against Peterborough, it was a 1:3 home loss and my auntie and cousins were down from Peterborough so sat in the away end since my auntie is a huge supporter of the posh. I apparently didn't start getting taken to games regularly until probably the season after which is why I have this memory of Paul Crichton since he's the first goalie I can recall, not sure if the backpass happened in that Peterborough game, if it was somebody else who did it or I'm remembering a different game and just mixing them up.

Quoted from supertown

Glory hunter ! 😉

To be honest, I'd not really been interested in football much before then but as my Mum had 3 jobs to look after us 3 kids (my Dad sadly passed away when I was 3) and was working that evening, my sister who, at the time was going out with a lad who used to go regularly, was made to take me to the game with her or stop at home to look after me. She did the former and although I hardly saw a thing that game, I was hooked.

As the lad my sister was going out with finished with her not long after (I don't think he was too impressed that she had to drag along her 7-year old kid brother to the game) I didn't get much more opportunity to go for the next few years, until I was old enough to start going with a mate of mine.

It was in 1960.... we won 3-1... not got a clue who it was against.... been hookd ever since... through thick and thin... UTM

1-1 against Gillingham, March 1964. My grandfather took me regularly and I was hooked from an early age. I still sit within 10 yards of where I always sat then in the Main Stand. As for a goalkeeper picking up a back-pass, I remember Nigel Batch doing that at Leicester.

1972 at home to Bournemouth. Stood on the Harrington Street corner and we lost 0-1. Had the choice to go to the ABC Cleethorpes with my sister to see Dougal  and the blue cat or go to the footie with my next door neighbour. Chose Town and have been stuck with them ever since.
First away game was Man City in the league cup in 1978. Stood on the Kippax and gave Willy Donachie dogs abuse. That's when I realised I needed glasses as it was Kenny Clements playing full back that night.

Wed     Aug     19, 1992          Grimsby Town     1     -     1          Barnsley   (Coca Cola Cup first round)

Have only been over from Germany a few days before in order to start working in Immingham Dock. Stayed in a guest house at Isaac's Hill and was very happy to find out there is a professional football club just down the road.

87 - 88 I think. My Dad has some old tickets knocking around somewhere. I seem to vaguely recall Fulham?
Maybe..

Quoted from Sir Matt Tease

Was that a Saturday night game? Think I was at that game we signed Keith Cockburn left winger from Bradford PA and he scored that night on his debut. Do not believe his career with us lasted too long.

That was it, Cockburn did score for Town. Its amazing what you can recall when prompted !!!!

I went to an abysmal away game in August 1969 at Bradford Park Avenue as I was living over there at the time. I must have been the only Town fan there and it finished 1-1 with a Bobby Ross penalty. Cockburn was playing for Bradford and he was by far their best player. Later on in the season the club went bust and had to sell assets which is how we came to get the lad for a knockdown price. I always thought he was a fair player but he never seemed to settle or get many opportunities.

The first time I ever recall being take to a game at BP was I believe February 64 stood with my dad in the Imperial Corner

I can't say which game it was with 100% certainty but I think it was a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield

The very first game I ever went to on my own was Easter Saturday, April 1965

A 1-0 home defeat to Workington.... went in the Pontoon because it seemed such an attraction for a young boy and I'm still there in the Pontoon 50 odd years later

UTM GTID

Town v York City 77-78 season. Mariners won (3-2 I think).  I was 10 and lived down Barcroft St at the time.  I must have nagged my mum and dad for ages before my mum finally relented.  I think she had thought there was too much trouble at football matches. I already had a Town shirt though I think. Black collar and cuffs and white sleeves. Stood in the Imperial Corner. But by the end of the season we had found our place at the back of the Pontoon. My dad and I didnt miss a home game after that for a few seasons. I think my dad enjoyed it but by the time i was about 14/15 i wanted to go with my mates as you do and he stopped going.

My dad wasnt a Town fan or I am sure I would have gone sooner. It wasnt my first football match I had already been to Blackpool and Fleetwood Town.

Quoted from BottesfordMariner

Town v York City 77-78 season. Mariners won (3-2 I think).  I was 10 and lived down Barcroft St at the time.  I must have nagged my mum and dad for ages before my mum finally relented.  I think she had thought there was too much trouble at football matches. I already had a Town shirt though I think. Black collar and cuffs and white sleeves.

My dad wasnt a Town fan or I am sure I would have gone sooner. It wasnt my first football match I had already been to Blackpool and Fleetwood Town.

Was a young Nathan Pond playing for them?  ;D

Quoted from Les Brechin

Was a young Nathan Pond playing for them?  ;D

probably Les. lol

That was in the Cheshire League in those  days......my first game was v Nantwich Town!!

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

The first time I ever recall being take to a game at BP was I believe February 64 stood with my dad in the Imperial Corner

I can't say which game it was with 100% certainty but I think it was a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield

The very first game I ever went to on my own was Easter Saturday, April 1965

A 1-0 home defeat to Workington.... went in the Pontoon because it seemed such an attraction for a young boy and I'm still there in the Pontoon 50 odd years later

UTM GTID

Probably in need of a hot meal and bath by now. Was it you who started the fire underneath to keep warm?  :)

1954-or55    Town 0  Tranmere 1     Allenby Chilton-male private Connor etc  Could just see over fence in barrets stand

When was it we use to have the old metal tunnel? I can't remember the game but I have an old memory of watching the team run out of that. The next time I went, a few years later, it had been replaced by the more modern style one.

The one thing I’m getting  here is how old some of you (we) are , I didn’t imagine some of the more ‘controversial’ posters to be going to their first games in the 50’s and 60’s . I just mentally pictured you as younger !

Quoted from supertown

The one thing I’m getting  here is how old some of you (we) are , I didn’t imagine some of the more ‘controversial’ posters to be going to their first games in the 50’s and 60’s . I just mentally pictured you as younger !

Probably because we've watched enough crap for a lifetime and hoped we wouldn't have to watch too much more. :-/

Quoted from supertown

The one thing I’m getting  here is how old some of you (we) are , I didn’t imagine some of the more ‘controversial’ posters to be going to their first games in the 50’s and 60’s . I just mentally pictured you as younger !

Because we are better at remembering games from 50/60 years ago than we are at remembering what happened last Saturday.

Did someone say there was a protest or something at BP? I agree with them. It's time Would and his mates cleared off and took Allenby Chilton with 'em.

There's not been much memorable stuff since the early 2000's

May not have been the first but I remember Dad and Uncle from Immingham taking brother and I to watch Town play Stoke at Blundell Park in 1962. Town defence ensured that Sir Stanley Matthews was able to keep his kit clean. We would be twelve. I think Violet scored their goal in a 1-1 draw. Same Uncle was on the commitee which ran Immingham Town I believe.

Too busy playing for School and Youth Club to get to many games and Dad worked Saturdays.
Moved to Habrough close to the Station but failed to take advantage of the fact. Looking back, my knees tell me we should have worked less and had more fun!
Meeting my wife at 16 didn't help either

We moved away from Grimsby in 1954 when I was seven. I went with my Dad to several games before we left, I don't specifically remember any league games, but do remember some evening games Town versus "Old England" and similar. Presumably in those pre-minimum-wage days even old international players had to augment their incomes by playing in those games, they must be turning in their graves now.
One game I do remember was, ironically, one I wasn't at. I remember being very upset that a friend's birthday party at the Winter Gardens took precedence over Town's cup tie against Fulham, the more so when Dad, who did go, told me that it ended 5-5, with Fulham equalising late on thanks to an uncharacteristic error by the normally dependable Clarrie Williams.
Having been at Yeovil last week, no wonder we oldies hanker for the "good old days"!

Grimsby 3 Hartlepool 0 in 1977. Joe Waters hat trick. My dad is from Hartlepool and we left before the end he was so disgusted  :)

I remember nothing of the game but I did learn a few new swear words.

21st. April 1951.

Home to West Ham.
We lost 1-0 and finished bottom of Division 2 ( The Championship as it now is).
There were only about a dozen of us in the boy's pen, paying 3d.
But the attendance was over 10,000.

Quoted from ginnywings

Probably in need of a hot meal and bath by now. Was it you who started the fire underneath to keep warm?  :)

Very funny Ginny   ;D

I did think there was something not quite right about my sentence ( and no I don't mean having to endure Town all these years!!) and you saw through it

As for a bath, guess it has to beat the shower we usually have on display  ;)

Norwich 4-0 Grimsby, 2002. Was 5 and apparently cried when the 4th goal went in. Doubt we'll be playing at Carrow Road again anytime soon!

Quoted from supertown

The one thing I’m getting  here is how old some of you (we) are , I didn’t imagine some of the more ‘controversial’ posters to be going to their first games in the 50’s and 60’s . I just mentally pictured you as younger !

There are a few grumpy old men on here.

Maybe because we have seen so much better than the last few years.

2-1 defeat to Ipswich in 1991 for me. Diddy scored for us. Nice to see the broad age range of posters on here. Worth noting for those who suggest criticism of the club only comes from a certain demographic.

I (vaguely ) remember sitting in the Osmond Stand with my mum
watching Town play Notts County. I don't remember much much
about the match but it would be round about the date WW2 ended..

I started going regularly during our last season in Division One
and clearly recall the first match when we beat Aston Villa 3 - 0.
I was in the boys' paddock for that game, but watched the rest of the
of the season from the Constitutional Corner.

We had to go over an hour before kick-offs so I could get up against
the fence near the corner flag..

That win over was one of very few that season

Quoted from Vance Warner

2-1 defeat to Ipswich in 1991 for me. Diddy scored for us. Nice to see the broad age range of posters on here. Worth noting for those who suggest criticism of the club only comes from a certain demographic.

Interesting that both you and GTFC97's first games were away (in East Anglia, coincidentally, unless you're related!). Are you second generation exiles?

Remember both of the games mentioned. As well as better results at those grounds.

Quoted from Caveman

I (vaguely ) remember sitting in the Osmond Stand with my mum
watching Town play Notts County. I don't remember much much
about the match but it would be round about the date WW2 ended..

I started going regularly during our last season in Division One
and clearly recall the first match when we beat Aston Villa 3 - 0.
I was in the boys' paddock for that game, but watched the rest of the
of the season from the Constitutional Corner.

We had to go over an hour before kick-offs so I could get up against
the fence near the corner flag..

That win over was one of very few that season

Bet that seems really lucky in retrospect!

Town 4, Stockport 1 , September 1971. I was 12 ( late bloomer ).We won the next three games I want to as well, so I knew it would be like that forever! Turned out not to be the case.

Town 3 Swindon 2 May 1968
Att 4798

cant remember my first game. Was in the 60s sometime. Remember some of the team though. Rathbone. Kennedy i think was manager

When I was 3 years old, my parents took me to a home game against Norwich on 5th April 1999, which we lost 1-0.  Delia Smith was apparently sat a few rows down in the directors' box.

The first game that I actually remember going to was the 6-5 win against Burnley on 29th October 2002.  Unbelievable night.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Because we are better at remembering games from 50/60 years ago than we are at remembering what happened last Saturday.

Did someone say there was a protest or something at BP? I agree with them. It's time Would and his mates cleared off and took Allenby Chilton with 'em.

Don't worry mate,  Shanks will turn it round for us.  I've got faith in him  ;)

Quoted from MarinerDevil

When I was 3 years old, my parents took me to a home game against Norwich on 5th April 1999, which we lost 1-0.  Delia Smith was apparently sat a few rows down in the directors' box.

Abdul's fact of the day: the bloke who scored that goal is now a priest. One of those same time tomorrow.

Quoted from Abdul19

Abdul's fact of the day: the bloke who scored that goal is now a priest. One of those same time tomorrow.

Strange as ex Newcastle striker gavin peacock is too

Quoted from carrot top

Town 3 Swindon 2 May 1968
Att 4798

What a game to pick carrot top....

Relegated to Division 4 by the absolute slimmest of margins ( before goal difference / goals scored etc )

Wasn't it something like 0.00000000000000001 % that we went down by?  ;)

16 Feb 1980  2 v 0 Swindon

Not sure of the game, but it was towards the end of the 70/71 season, we all know what happens the next season and I was hooked, until just this season, unfortunately 🤔

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

What a game to pick carrot top....

Relegated to Division 4 by the absolute slimmest of margins ( before goal difference / goals scored etc )

Wasn't it something like 0.00000000000000001 % that we went down by?  ;)

It was 0.008 goal average and we went down. We would have been relegated anyway if Peterborough hadn’t cooked their books. They finished in the top half but were relegated for their irregularities

Quoted from promotion plaice

I can't honestly remember who we played but it would have been a game in the late seventies.

Same here it was probably a cup match in the mid-sixties remembers standing with the old men in imperial ave corner also the Barrat stand but really started going regularly in the season of 68/9 old div4 Stuart Brace Matt Tees era.

I was about ten went with my dad that season then later with my best mate at school after my dad died in 72. The crowds were not massive you could walk around at halftime to the Osmond stand there was no segregation.


That old wooden Barret stand had holes in the bottom of it if you were a small kid you could sneak in for free lol. The downside was the river of pee that ran down the terracing when it was full despite the Open sewer for peeing in at the back it was just a wall lol.


I clearly remember stood next to Lincoln fans in the Osmond some friendly banter but nothing worse.

To be honest we were shat that season finishing below Scunny and Lincoln lol nothing changes. To be fair though I have seen some superb football at B.P. The McMenemy/George Kerr era and of course the Buckley years.

John McDermott testimonial against Leeds in 1996 as a 10 year old, I was more excited about seeing Ian Rush play for Leeds as I was a big Liverpool fan as a boy but quickly grew out of that after watching a few town games. I’m so glad I was converted to a town fan, I’ve seen some great games mixed in with all the dross. I couldn’t imagine being a plastic premiership fan

March 15 1958.

Mariners 1 Sheffield United 3. Stood in the corner terrace at the Pontoon end where it is now open space. It was the comeback game of Tommy Briggs. Not a great game. Hard pitch and bouncy ball.I had just turned 10. I thought I was really big having visited the metropolis of Grimsby! In the summer my primary school outing was to Grimsby and I have vivid memories of all the trawlers and seeing the fish being sold. We were invited to have a tour around HMS Zest, a naval frigate that was in port and then did the paddle boat trip out to Spurn Head. There were several large ships waiting for the tide to come up the Humber. Thought it was all brilliant. What changes there have been though in the intervening 60 years.

In October 1958 saw my second match a 2-2 draw against the might of Fulham FC. They were a big draw with many star names and this time I was in the John Smith's where the blokes pushed me to the front. I could touch the players when there was a throw in near me. They had Johnny Haynes, Bedford Jezzard, Tony Macedo and Jimmy Hill in their team and they played very cultured football, It was a pulsating game before 16,000 and the Mariners played really well. After this game I was hooked. I'll never forget that day as on the way home a car drove into the back of us somewhere near Louth. Luckily no-one was hurt and the damage to the Ford Prefect 10 (I think) was not bad enough to stop us getting back to Skegness. Black and white blood ever since.