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It's a bit of an ongoing cycle down the 180 isn't it?

Appoint relatively high profile manager - doesn't work- sack manager - appoint internally - it doesn't work - sack manager - appoint relatively high profile manager.....

The constant thread is the lack of time given to any manager, even in the modern game their turnover is horrendous.

Regardless of your views on Hurst, personally he wasn't my cup of tea in terms of his style, but he's definitely one for bringing a bit of stability and shoring things up.  It's stability that Scunny quite clearly needed, especially if it's true about the budget getting slashed.

Not sure quite what Swann expects to happen but it definitely isn't working.  I get the impression that he believes that because he's spunked so much money up the wall previously, there's a god given right for success now.

They will be non league within two seasons , it looks to me like Swann has lost interest can’t wait to gloat like they did when we went out of the league

Quoted from Les Brechin

Have appointed Russ Wilcox until the end of the season. I don't think too many Scunny fans will be happy with that.

As an aside, I didn't know that Kevin Pressman was at Scunny.

https://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/news/2020/february/club-statement/

Yeah, I went with a mate to the Scunny match who works for one of the sponsors and Pressman was in McMenemy's before the match.

Regarding Wilcox, it sounds like quite a few Scunny fans wanted him in until the end of the season going off RH messages.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

They will be non league within two seasons , it looks to me like Swann has lost interest can’t wait to gloat like they did when we went out of the league

I think this is unlikely, I wouldn't get our hopes up. They're not our cup of tea at all, of course, but I don't think they're THAT sh#t. Be interesting to see what the future holds for them though. The new stadium never happened, then the regeneration of Glanford Park didn't happen either. Their future is maybe even more unpredictable than our own, for once.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Regardless of your views on Hurst, personally he wasn't my cup of tea in terms of his style.

Wasn't your ear cup of tea ho ho etc

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

Quoted from BIron

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

I agree with you on Hurst, he could have done well there if given several full seasons. Not sure what he would have done about the lowering of the playing budget, which was always inevitable, but he does have a good eye for non-league players who are good enough for the league.

I'm delighted we got Holloway, he was my No. 1 choice but deep down I assumed he was beyond us, but I don't mind admitting that Hurst would have been right up there on my list. Mind you, there are PLENTY on here who don't agree with me on that.

Quoted from BIron

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

Sounds like we could have some good deals on season tickets here next season. ;) :)

Quoted from Les Brechin

Sounds like we could have some good deals on season tickets here next season. ;) :)

Christ it will never get that bad! ;D

If you want to watch entertaining attacking football Biron, you always be welcome at Blundell Park >:(

Mr BIron, a bit chalk and cheese when listening to Hurst and Adkins, I would not know their coaching abilities but pre match pep talk or doing the media rounds Adkins has it in spades.

Quoted from mimma

If you want to watch entertaining attacking football Biron, you always be welcome at Blundell Park >:(

Appreciate the offer but i will pass on that one, thank you.The season isn't over yet, a lot can happen between now and May as we have seen since we beat you just before Christmas.

UTI

Quoted from Gaffer58

Mr BIron, a bit chalk and cheese when listening to Hurst and Adkins, I would not know their coaching abilities but pre match pep talk or doing the media rounds Adkins has it in spades.

Nigel Adkins is a messiah in these parts, a true club legend. Genuinely cared about the town and the supporters, something that seems to be lost on our current regime these days. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he was Southampton manager on a train. I was on the way to University in Sheffield and i spent the full hour talking to him about football. He could have easily not gave me the time of the day but i believe he genuinely enjoyed talking football with me.

Can only dream of having a manager like him and a football owner like Steve Wharton in the future. Gave me the greatest youth supporting Scunny.

UTI

Quoted from BIron

Nigel Adkins is a messiah in these parts, a true club legend. Genuinely cared about the town and the supporters, something that seems to be lost on our current regime these days. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he was Southampton manager on a train. I was on the way to University in Sheffield and i spent the full hour talking to him about football. He could have easily not gave me the time of the day but i believe he genuinely enjoyed talking football with me.

Can only dream of having a manager like him and a football owner like Steve Wharton in the future. Gave me the greatest youth supporting Scunny.

UTI

Did you manage to get a word in? ;)

Quoted from BIron

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

You can always join the revolution down the road UTMM

Quoted from BIron

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

Must say it is nice for a change to have a Scunny fan on here that wants to have a genuine discussion rather than troll or goad.

Quoted from BIron

Nigel Adkins is a messiah in these parts, a true club legend. Genuinely cared about the town and the supporters, something that seems to be lost on our current regime these days. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he was Southampton manager on a train. I was on the way to University in Sheffield and i spent the full hour talking to him about football. He could have easily not gave me the time of the day but i believe he genuinely enjoyed talking football with me.

Can only dream of having a manager like him and a football owner like Steve Wharton in the future. Gave me the greatest youth supporting Scunny.

UTI

I can barely imagine what sort of conversation you might have got if it had been Hurst on that train! I suspect you may have slept most of the way to Sheffield. ;D

If Adkin's radio interviews are anything to go by, he only made one single point in that hour😁

Never heard anyone labour a point for as long as he did.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Sounds like we could have some good deals on season tickets here next season. ;) :)

I’m gonna get a season ticket at Scunny instead. In the away end.

Quoted from BIron

We should never have sacked Hurst, personally I felt he was doing a solid job and given time he will have got us promoted with the right backing. Whilst his persona was very dull, His recruitment skills definitely couldn't be questioned. Made some good signings. Man management skills, he managed to get KVV performing consistently when other managers couldn't due to his attitude.

Wilcox is the right man short term but certainly not long term. We have been there and done that with him. Either way, under Swann there is a big danger we will fall out of the football league. Grateful for the money he has provided us but he has made us become a sacking club, fallen out with our local council and players. Even the most loyal Scunny fans are starting to boycott games. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

I don't want to worry you but a lot of what you say above was the sort of horrible set variables that led to us having a 10 year downward spiral into the abyss.

Quoted from BIron

. I am a season ticket holder and won't be renewing it next season until Swann changes his ways or leaves. UTI

Who would be a club owner?

You put literally millions of pounds in, season after season, Get a no hope, poorly supported club into the Championship and give them days out at Wembley and then as soon as you have a poor season or two, the fans want rid. Thanks a pant load.

Scunts need to grasp the fact that the are essentially a bottom division club. Any time spent in the second or third tear is a great achievement, not the norm.

Get real guys. Welcome back to your natural place in the pecking order.

Quoted from RonMariner

Who would be a club owner?

You put literally millions of pounds in, season after season, Get a no hope, poorly supported club into the Championship and give them days out at Wembley and then as soon as you have a poor season or two, the fans want rid. Thanks a pant load.

Scunts need to grasp the fact that the are essentially a bottom division club. Any time spent in the second or third tear is a great achievement, not the norm.

Get real guys. Welcome back to your natural place in the pecking order.

Ron, you’re wrong on so many levels, do your research before coming out with a dig like that. Swann has never taken us to the Championship and Swann has never taken us to Wembley. It was under Wharton’s ownership when we achieved all that. Not sure if you read one of my other posts where I said although I am grateful for the money he has spent, the constant sackings and falling out with people is killing us. Always get one idiot don’t you, get your facts right next time.

UTI

Quoted from Marinerz93

I don't want to worry you but a lot of what you say above was the sort of horrible set variables that led to us having a 10 year downward spiral into the abyss.

Thanks for that, already struggling to sleep!

Quoted from davmariner

Must say it is nice for a change to have a Scunny fan on here that wants to have a genuine discussion rather than troll or goad.

Thank you for your kind words, appreciate it. I’m all for the banter but it is good to have a football debate with rival fans. Majority of you lot have surprised me to be honest how friendly you’ve been to say I’m Scunny. I dealt with one idiot called Ron is it? A minority. UTI

Not sure what the turning point was for Scunny. They seemed to be doing alright under Alexander - admittedly it looked like they'd fallen away from the L1 play-offs - but from my distance that sacking was pretty harsh.

It's not really got going for them since.

Quoted from BIron

Ron, you’re wrong on so many levels, do your research before coming out with a dig like that. Swann has never taken us to the Championship and Swann has never taken us to Wembley. It was under Wharton’s ownership when we achieved all that. Not sure if you read one of my other posts where I said although I am grateful for the money he has spent, the constant sackings and falling out with people is killing us. Always get one idiot don’t you, get your facts right next time.

UTI

My error on the Wharton stuff, I stand corrected.

The fact remains that Swann has pumped millions in, and the club would not have enjoyed its more recent league status with it.

Let's see where the club ends up if running within its means.

Quoted from RichMariner

Not sure what the turning point was for Scunny. They seemed to be doing alright under Alexander - admittedly it looked like they'd fallen away from the L1 play-offs - but from my distance that sacking was pretty harsh.

It's not really got going for them since.

They were still in the play-offs when Graham Alexander was sacked...

28/03/18 - Graham Alexander sacked - Position: 5th (League One)
05/05/18 - End of season Position 5th (League One) LOST IN PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL
24/08/18 - Nick Daws sacked - Position: 18th (League One)
24/03/19 - Stuart McCall sacked - Position: 18th (League One)
04/05/19 - End of season Position 23rd (League One) RELEGATED
13/05/19 - Paul Hurst appointed manager
30/01/20 - Paul Hurst sacked - Position 16th (League Two)
TODAY - Position 18th (League Two)

Every managerial decision he has made he got wrong. Be it sacking successful managers or making poor appointments (either poor managers or good managers who are unable to work with his interference).

Quoted from RonMariner

My error on the Wharton stuff, I stand corrected.

The fact remains that Swann has pumped millions in, and the club would not have enjoyed its more recent league status with it.

Let's see where the club ends up if running within its means.

It's possible to weigh up the positives (pumping money in) and negatives (creating instability by frequently and unjustly sacking managers, falling out with the local council) under an owner, and conclude that on the whole they're actually not very good. The idea that Scunthorpe would be out of the league without Swann's money is a nonsense. They've got a large enough fanbase to generate enough cash for a competitive League Two budget. The only reason their finances are in such a mess at the moment is because of Swann overspending on excrement players and wasting money paying off managers every 6-12 months.

Quoted from RonMariner

My error on the Wharton stuff, I stand corrected.

The fact remains that Swann has pumped millions in, and the club would not have enjoyed its more recent league status with it.

Let's see where the club ends up if running within its means.

All is forgiven! all I will say is the money is irrelevant if the man in charge doesn't know how to utilise man management. Wharton ran a tight ship but he had his best interests of the club at heart. So did Lawsy when he was managing us, he was quoted as saying he treat our transfer budget as if it was his own money.

Time will tell, certainly dark times for us and what looks like a bright horizon for you lot.

UTI

Quoted from BIron

All is forgiven! all I will say is the money is irrelevant if the man in charge doesn't know how to utilise man management. Wharton ran a tight ship but he had his best interests of the club at heart. So did Lawsy when he was managing us, he was quoted as saying he treat our transfer budget as if it was his own money.

Time will tell, certainly dark times for us and what looks like a bright horizon for you lot.

UTI

Cheers. And on the scale of things look how much that guy pumped into Rushden and Diamonds, and where are they now?

Quoted from Chrisblor

It's possible to weigh up the positives (pumping money in) and negatives (creating instability by frequently and unjustly sacking managers, falling out with the local council) under an owner, and conclude that on the whole they're actually not very good. The idea that Scunthorpe would be out of the league without Swann's money is a nonsense. They've got a large enough fanbase to generate enough cash for a competitive League Two budget. The only reason their finances are in such a mess at the moment is because of Swann overspending on excrement players and wasting money paying off managers every 6-12 months.

Chris, I think you misunderstood my post, or maybe I didn't make it clear. I was talking about their recent stay in L!, not suggesting they wouldn't be in the league at all.

But now you mention it, bigger clubs than them have gone out. Look at Notts County. Far bigger fan base. And of course one GTFC. How about Tranmere? Orient? Bristol Rovers? Luton? Chesterfield ? Wrexham?

So it's not certain by any means, but it is far from 'nonsense' to suggest it's a possibility.

Quoted from BIron

All is forgiven! all I will say is the money is irrelevant if the man in charge doesn't know how to utilise man management. Wharton ran a tight ship but he had his best interests of the club at heart. So did Lawsy when he was managing us, he was quoted as saying he treat our transfer budget as if it was his own money.

Time will tell, certainly dark times for us and what looks like a bright horizon for you lot.

UTI

The problem you've got B...iron, is the same we've had for 15 years...a man in charge of the club who knows nothing about owning a football club but believes he knows everything..
We've been lucky with Holloway coming in and putting his money where his mouth is and as such gives us that "behind the scenes" knowledge.
Swann has the attitude of "it's my way or the highway", unfortunately I believe that will lead you down one path and that's the one to the back waters of football...as I've said, the rivalry is bitter between GTFC and SUFC but I'd rather your rivalry than that of the 6 finger brigade of LCFC..

Quoted from RonMariner

Chris, I think you misunderstood my post, or maybe I didn't make it clear. I was talking about their recent stay in L!, not suggesting they wouldn't be in the league at all.

But now you mention it, bigger clubs than them have gone out. Look at Notts County. Far bigger fan base. And of course one GTFC. How about Tranmere? Orient? Bristol Rovers? Luton? Chesterfield ? Wrexham?

So it's not certain by any means, but it is far from 'nonsense' to suggest it's a possibility.

You missed Halifax and York otherwise spot on ;)

Also forgot our feeder club, Hartlepool.

Stockport? Darlington? Lincoln? Newport, Aldershot, Hereford even Barnet perhaps?

Not really 'nonsense' to think Scunthorpe could go out of the league at all is it?

My first ever away game was at Scunny when i was still at school. Was the infamous game when the train got trashed on the way back and made the papers. Scared and excited in equal measure but my god the adrenaline rush...

If Scunny nosedive, then so be it, but i wouldn't wish that on any team.

if I was a scunny fan i'd be more concerned with the 10 million loss in 2 seasons.

Quoted from ginnywings

My first ever away game was at Scunny when i was still at school. Was the infamous game when the train got trashed on the way back and made the papers. Scared and excited in equal measure but my god the adrenaline rush...

If Scunny nosedive, then so be it, but i wouldn't wish that on any team.

Apart from The illegitimate Franchise Scum that is!

Quoted from BIron

Christ it will never get that bad! ;D

Good man. Although we're local rivals, you have my respect for supporting your club through thick and thin.
When Dull City were first promoted to the Premier League, I saw a few Town supporters switch allegiance and start following them instead. Disgraceful.

Quoted from wigworld

Good man. Although we're local rivals, you have my respect for supporting your club through thick and thin.
When Dull City were first promoted to the Premier League, I saw a few Town supporters switch allegiance and start following them instead. Disgraceful.

You’re joking?! I want names and addresses, NOW!!

Quoted from Heisenberg

You’re joking?! I want names and addresses, NOW!!

Mr J Barlow,
HMP
Hull.

I used to sub contract to a guy that had a box at Hull where he would take clients. The big games were always taken up, but when they played the Bournemouth's of this world there were places up for grabs and I sometimes got an invite. Free prem football and food with after match meet and greet with players. Never went once and he thought I was crazy going to watch Town instead. He actually "supported" Liverpool he reckoned.

There was one chap used to live round the corner from me, he was a similar age and used to change his team like you'd change a pair of socks.

I remember in the mid 80's he used to wear an Everton top, then a bit later I saw him in a Man Utd shirt. Then he even has a Blackburn shirt on for the couple of seasons they were decent before reverting to a Man Utd shirt again.

Not seen him for years though but I would guess that he's had a Man City shirt recently and has probably bought a Liverpool one this season!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I can barely imagine what sort of conversation you might have got if it had been Hurst on that train! I suspect you may have slept most of the way to Sheffield. ;D

“It’s never easy making a journey like this, got to be respectful of what the train might do as it’s been on a good run, it was going ok till we lost us tickets” ;)

Quoted from Gaffer58

Also forgot our feeder club, Hartlepool.

Though we were their feeder club! According to them anyway.

But they did take Amond, Toto, and Magnay from us.

Quoted from RonMariner

Though we were their feeder club! According to them anyway.

But they did take Amond, Toto, and Magnay from us.

Are those players still with them ;)

Quoted from Les Brechin

There was one chap used to live round the corner from me, he was a similar age and used to change his team like you'd change a pair of socks.

I remember in the mid 80's he used to wear an Everton top, then a bit later I saw him in a Man Utd shirt. Then he even has a Blackburn shirt on for the couple of seasons they were decent before reverting to a Man Utd shirt again.

Not seen him for years though but I would guess that he's had a Man City shirt recently and has probably bought a Liverpool one this season!

We need to get him to BP - whoever he starts supporting can't stop winning ;)

I know a couple of blokes who bought season tickets at hull when they were in the premier , not to support hull but to watch premier quality football ... fuk that

I worked with 2 Scunts who bought season tickets whilst Hull were in the Prem for for the very same reason Dapperz says above, so low they can't even be classed as glory hunters.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

The problem you've got B...iron, is the same we've had for 15 years...a man in charge of the club who knows nothing about owning a football club but believes he knows everything..
We've been lucky with Holloway coming in and putting his money where his mouth is and as such gives us that "behind the scenes" knowledge.
Swann has the attitude of "it's my way or the highway", unfortunately I believe that will lead you down one path and that's the one to the back waters of football...as I've said, the rivalry is bitter between GTFC and SUFC but I'd rather your rivalry than that of the 6 finger brigade of LCFC..

Sad to read but can't help but agree with that. I am clinging on to a glimmer of hope that things will change but it is merely a glimmer of hope. I am encouraged by the Under 23 squad project that we have but at this present time, it is not something we need. As you lot are all too aware, League Two is a physical league .

Rivalry is bitter and can be very toxic but would we have it any other way? for me there is no game quite like it. Interesting to hear your views there.

Quoted from Marinerz93

I worked with 2 Scunts who bought season tickets whilst Hull were in the Prem for for the very same reason Dapperz says above, so low they can't even be classed as glory hunters.

That is disgraceful, whoever they are clearly weren't true supporters. I have supported Scunny since i was 6, my hometown team. I don't know anything different. Grew up seeing you lot in the Championship then was lucky enough to see us reach them heights ourselves.

Quoted from wigworld

Good man. Although we're local rivals, you have my respect for supporting your club through thick and thin.
When Dull City were first promoted to the Premier League, I saw a few Town supporters switch allegiance and start following them instead. Disgraceful.

Thank you, and you have my respect too. You're right, disgraceful that any true football supporter would do that. It makes you appreciate the good times even more when you have gone through the bad. Just like life in general!

UTI

Quoted from BIron

Sad to read but can't help but agree with that. I am clinging on to a glimmer of hope that things will change but it is merely a glimmer of hope. I am encouraged by the Under 23 squad project that we have but at this present time, it is not something we need. As you lot are all too aware, League Two is a physical league .

Rivalry is bitter and can be very toxic but would we have it any other way? for me there is no game quite like it. Interesting to hear your views there.

I detest 3 sets of fan`s in football Liverpool,Norwich and Scunny and oddly enough Liverpool and Scunny because of their gloating supporter base albeit on vastly different scales. I liked the OSG and never minded Scunny back then it all changed when you moved to GP you tried lording it over us with your newly built sardine tin . The FA Cup game here a few Seasons back I have never seen such hostility from our home support it was pure hatred and it seemed like the vast majority felt that way ? We had a lot of games vs Lincoln and though one or two incidents occurred I would like to think most Imps fans felt safe visiting Grimsby unless looking for trouble . I think the final tipping point for many was just prior to our relegation lots of Scunny fans came on this website and others declaring they were coming to support Barnet at BP. Not sure how many came they wisely kept a low profile but rest assured should Scunny find themselves in the same sh1t state I will be in Glanford Park to return the favour and I wont be alone we could probably fill the away end . The numbers of Northern sides in the lower leagues that have dropped into non league suggests your time is soon to come around and I can`t wait.UTM

Being a bit old school ,LCFC and SUFC have never really been that significant to me (only recent history put them above us) to me the only club i detest (apart from prem teams)is our six finger scum from across the river. utm

Having always lived in Brigg and Bottesford and doing 40 years on the steelworks I know quite a few scunts, so therefore I wouldn’t say the word is hate, but as Kevin Keegan (an old scunny player as well) would say “I would love it, just love it, if they were relegated” so yes they have always to me been our number 1 rivals.

Quoted from marinernige

Being a bit old school ,LCFC and SUFC have never really been that significant to me (only recent history put them above us) to me the only club i detest (apart from prem teams)is our six finger scum from across the river. utm

I too consider them the enemy , it’s all about how old you are I guess

Quoted from 1mickylyons

I detest 3 sets of fan`s in football Liverpool,Norwich and Scunny

Just out of interest, why Norwich?

Quoted from Les Brechin

Just out of interest, why Norwich?

Because they just don't cut the mustard??...🤔🤔

They stole Kevin Drinkell for a pittance!!!

If it came to it, I'd rather see Stevenage go down this year than Scunny. It's a shame that Bury's fuckup lost us a relegation spot.

We all hate scunny, I mean I hate Hull more but we’re a million miles away from the championship. I never regarded Lincoln as a derby nor could I care less about them.

I have friends who are scunny fans and whilst I’d happily laugh at their demise, as I’ve said previously, I’d rather have the fun and excitement of playing them twice a season, may be winning one or both than playing Stevenage...

Never seen Scunny as a rival growing up, same as Lincoln.

It took a good 15 years of watching Town to see us play either in the league.  Still not seen us play Hull in a league fixture.

Rivalry for me was always Sheffield Wednesday or Barnsley.  West Brom for a bit in the mid-90's,

It feels a 'new' set of rivalries in Scunny and Lincoln for me but it's a good 15 years now that we've been either at their level or bemoaning their success.

Maybe I need to come back down to earth but I really struggle to see the likes of Scunny and Lincoln as rivals.  Hell, don't even get me started when we start to feel that Stevenage, Hartlepool, Cheltenham and Forest Green Rovers are some sort of rivals to us...

Went to school in Brigg, in the mid 90s so we were the "bigger" team then - didn't really think of them as rivals other than when we played them in the AWS (I think we had more there that night than they did? ).

There seemed to be more GTFC fans, than Scunny as well.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Never seen Scunny as a rival growing up, same as Lincoln.

It took a good 15 years of watching Town to see us play either in the league.  Still not seen us play Hull in a league fixture.

Rivalry for me was always Sheffield Wednesday or Barnsley.  West Brom for a bit in the mid-90's,

It feels a 'new' set of rivalries in Scunny and Lincoln for me but it's a good 15 years now that we've been either at their level or bemoaning their success.

Maybe I need to come back down to earth but I really struggle to see the likes of Scunny and Lincoln as rivals.  Hell, don't even get me started when we start to feel that Stevenage, Hartlepool, Cheltenham and Forest Green Rovers are some sort of rivals to us...

I am not having a go at you here but I think it's really interesting....

Stevenage, Cheltenham and Forest Green are rivals because they are in the same division as us and we have to play them twice a year. If we were in FGR's position right now we would seriously be looking at a play off run and we'd love that! We would be fancying promotion if we were in Cheltenham's position. Lincoln are a bigger club than us by any measure you want to mention - league position, number of season ticket holders, turnover, facilities (particularly their training ground). Up to this season I'd have said the same about Scunthorpe and you can't deny it about Hull (I struggled to write that).

You don't "feel" that they are rivals but based on fact they are. There is nothing wrong with your feelings though! Football is a game that's all about emotion, passion and feelings.

What we are in danger of here is doing what Wolves, Man City and their like did to us in the glory days - we loved all the sh*t they gave us about being 'bigger' clubs because of their history, their fan base and the size of their grounds. And we loved it because we often played them off the park and shut them up where it mattered.

We don't get a single point for having been to Wembley umpteen times, having the record attendance at Old Trafford, having had Hall, Betmead and Buck in our team or Bill Shankly as a former manager. We get points for beating Colchester on a cold Tuesday night in February in front of a pathetic home crowd.

I don't have the same views as almost everyone.
I want all Lincolnshire clubs to be in the football league, and hopefully Boston in the future.
Yes, let's have local rivalry, but not to the extent of vitriol.
RR will back me up in confirming that the local derby matches were always against Hull City.
Special trains from Cleethorpes/Grimsby direct to Boothferry Park.
Once you were in the ground, you could see further trains arriving with supporters.
One of my memories going via the ferry, saw a rather large red faced man, wearing a Grimsby Town rosette on one lapel, and a Hull City rosette on the other.
Good times.

Life without a local rival is very boring. Imagine our time in non-league again but without those Christmas and New Year games against Lincoln. It would've been barren.

Attendances go up for local derbies - we'll no doubt sell all 2,000 tickets for the game at Scunny in just over two weeks (we took more than that to Bradford!).

I guess it costs more to bring extra police and stewards in but I'm sure that's outweighed by extra ticket sales.

Don't understand why rivalries have to get so intense and heated though. Why one person needs to lamp another person — just because they happen to have been born the other end of the road — is a mystery to me.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I am not having a go at you here but I think it's really interesting....

Stevenage, Cheltenham and Forest Green are rivals because they are in the same division as us and we have to play them twice a year. If we were in FGR's position right now we would seriously be looking at a play off run and we'd love that! We would be fancying promotion if we were in Cheltenham's position. Lincoln are a bigger club than us by any measure you want to mention - league position, number of season ticket holders, turnover, facilities (particularly their training ground). Up to this season I'd have said the same about Scunthorpe and you can't deny it about Hull (I struggled to write that).

You don't "feel" that they are rivals but based on fact they are. There is nothing wrong with your feelings though! Football is a game that's all about emotion, passion and feelings.

What we are in danger of here is doing what Wolves, Man City and their like did to us in the glory days - we loved all the sh*t they gave us about being 'bigger' clubs because of their history, their fan base and the size of their grounds. And we loved it because we often played them off the park and shut them up where it mattered.

We don't get a single point for having been to Wembley umpteen times, having the record attendance at Old Trafford, having had Hall, Betmead and Buck in our team or Bill Shankly as a former manager. We get points for beating Colchester on a cold Tuesday night in February in front of a pathetic home crowd.

Oh I don't disagree with anything you've said. We are where we should be and there's no arguing that. I was more just bemoaning, out loud, our relative fall from grace.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I am not having a go at you here but I think it's really interesting....

Stevenage, Cheltenham and Forest Green are rivals because they are in the same division as us and we have to play them twice a year. If we were in FGR's position right now we would seriously be looking at a play off run and we'd love that! We would be fancying promotion if we were in Cheltenham's position. Lincoln are a bigger club than us by any measure you want to mention - league position, number of season ticket holders, turnover, facilities (particularly their training ground). Up to this season I'd have said the same about Scunthorpe and you can't deny it about Hull (I struggled to write that).

You don't "feel" that they are rivals but based on fact they are. There is nothing wrong with your feelings though! Football is a game that's all about emotion, passion and feelings.

What we are in danger of here is doing what Wolves, Man City and their like did to us in the glory days - we loved all the sh*t they gave us about being 'bigger' clubs because of their history, their fan base and the size of their grounds. And we loved it because we often played them off the park and shut them up where it mattered.

We don't get a single point for having been to Wembley umpteen times, having the record attendance at Old Trafford, having had Hall, Betmead and Buck in our team or Bill Shankly as a former manager. We get points for beating Colchester on a cold Tuesday night in February in front of a pathetic home crowd.

Very well said! was a similar response i made to someone on here not long ago. As a Scunny supporter we often get taunted by you lot for attendances. Ask a Bournemouth supporter if they really give a toss about attendances? I'd rather have a successful team to support. Have to say i am looking forward to our rematch in a few weeks time. It is all doom and gloom at the moment though, i can't see no more than 5,000 Scunny fans there.

UTI

Quoted from BIron

Very well said! was a similar response i made to someone on here not long ago. As a Scunny supporter we often get taunted by you lot for attendances. Ask a Bournemouth supporter if they really give a toss about attendances? I'd rather have a successful team to support. Have to say i am looking forward to our rematch in a few weeks time. It is all doom and gloom at the moment though, i can't see no more than 5,000 Scunny fans there.

UTI

I think that's impressive that an extra 2,500 Scunny fans on top of your average would come to see Town play at your place ;)

Quoted from Marinerz93

I think that's impressive that an extra 2,500 Scunny fans on top of your average would come to see Town play at your place ;)

I'll tell you what was more impressive? managing to beat you in your own backyard despite being battered all game. ;D King Kev.

Just over a week until we lock horns again. ....

UTI

Quoted from BIron

;D King Kev.

Imaginative nickname. I prefer ‘Ginger Pig’.

Always thought the whole bashing a club about poor attendances or banging on about your own is pointless...

Christ Newcastle have had massive gates for years...they’ve won excrement all...

Let’s just be happy we can have a game against scunny. Whilst some don’t see it as a derby, it’s more of a derby than playing Lincoln has ever been...

Quoted from BIron

I'll tell you what was more impressive? managing to beat you in your own backyard despite being battered all game. ;D King Kev.

Just over a week until we lock horns again. ....

UTI

I think we’ll count that one as a bite then 😄.

Unfortunately I think Van Veen B@stard will be well up for this one. Keep him quiet (easier said than done) and we should be ok.

Another civil Scunny fan here.

Looking forward to the game in a couple of week's time. I have never understood the desire from some of our fans to see you suffer and get relegated from the league. I want Scunny to do well and doing well while beating you lot would be the icing on the cake. I'd rather have us challenging for promotion, from league one say, with you lot on the fixture list than playing the likes of Crawley Town instead. Rivalries make football more interesting, but you can't have rivalries if you never play each other.

I am a relatively young fan, most of my time (since the late 90s) has seen us eclipse you, so I have been accustomed to you being poorer than us. However, my Granddad would drill it in to me that Grimsby are the one, stemming from his time in the 60s and early 70s when it was a regular fixture. Unfortunately since fortunes have been different for both clubs and the games became far more rare a sense of rivalry was lost until the dawn of the internet allowed bickering between fans to happen, even though many Scunny fans would have longed for the days when we were comparative so that we could play our derby game again.

In the meantime we've had Hull in the late 90s/early 00s. Such games were highly anticipated, though it always felt like we were trying too hard to make something click between the clubs, especially as Hull fans always seem to have their eyes fixed on Leeds for their hatred. Such games were enjoyable, because we'd often win and listening to whinging Hull fans bemoaning a loss to a small club was always funny.

Our rivalries v Donny and Lincoln don't seem to ignite that same feeling.

So, Grimsby it is, and hopefully it will become more regular, and in a higher division, to make the seasons that more exciting.

On a side note, I've noted surprise from some regarding how BIron didn't resort to taunting.

I realise that many do just that, and playing along can be part of the fun, if done respectfully. I find the inbred/gypsy and other such taunts tiresome in these things, but joking along can be amusing if done correctly and in good nature. My Grimsby supporting friend found it amusing when I was asking how their game against the Dog and Duck went during the non-league years.

Still, behind it all, every Scunny and Grimsby fan supports their club because of dedication and are similar in mindset. It'd be so easy to support Liverpool or any other good club, but we realise that there is more to life than winning. Our clubs are both crap, we lose a lot more often than Liverpool, but we are far more resilient. It's a different mindset to those who support the big clubs, who wail and howl if they don't finish top four. Just look at Man Utd fans. Spoiled for years, they now shriek about how it's not good enough when they're a top half Premier League team, and one which can still qualify for European competitions. They act as if it's the worst thing ever, but Donny, Chester, Hereford, Darlington, York, Chesterfield, Torquay, Bury, Stockport and Leyton Orient would all tell them how melodramatic they are being. Both our clubs are far more at risk of real oblivion than them, yet we stick through it all. It's a testament to our character, and one that should be recognised by all of us. Behind the gloating and taunting we should hopefully recognise that there is a more commendable streak in our personalities in this regard, and that we are more alike than we are with the Kent based 'red.'

Quoted from Lee Hodges Burger

On a side note, I've noted surprise from some regarding how BIron didn't resort to taunting.

I realise that many do just that, and playing along can be part of the fun, if done respectfully. I find the inbred/gypsy and other such taunts tiresome in these things, but joking along can be amusing if done correctly and in good nature. My Grimsby supporting friend found it amusing when I was asking how their game against the Dog and Duck went during the non-league years.

Still, behind it all, every Scunny and Grimsby fan supports their club because of dedication and are similar in mindset. It'd be so easy to support Liverpool or any other good club, but we realise that there is more to life than winning. Our clubs are both crap, we lose a lot more often than Liverpool, but we are far more resilient. It's a different mindset to those who support the big clubs, who wail and howl if they don't finish top four. Just look at Man Utd fans. Spoiled for years, they now shriek about how it's not good enough when they're a top half Premier League team, and one which can still qualify for European competitions. They act as if it's the worst thing ever, but Donny, Chester, Hereford, Darlington, York, Chesterfield, Torquay, Bury, Stockport and Leyton Orient would all tell them how melodramatic they are being. Both our clubs are far more at risk of real oblivion than them, yet we stick through it all. It's a testament to our character, and one that should be recognised by all of us. Behind the gloating and taunting we should hopefully recognise that there is a more commendable streak in our personalities in this regard, and that we are more alike than we are with the Kent based 'red.'

Totally agree. Apart from being aged 1 to 3 I was born and bred in Grimsby (though I was actually born in Cleethrorpes, but never lived there). As you say it would be so easy to support Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea etc but my club is part of me and means far more to me that just a football club. You don't choose your team, your team chooses you.

Quoted from Lee Hodges Burger

Another civil Scunny fan here.

Looking forward to the game in a couple of week's time. I have never understood the desire from some of our fans to see you suffer and get relegated from the league. I want Scunny to do well and doing well while beating you lot would be the icing on the cake. I'd rather have us challenging for promotion, from league one say, with you lot on the fixture list than playing the likes of Crawley Town instead. Rivalries make football more interesting, but you can't have rivalries if you never play each other.

I am a relatively young fan, most of my time (since the late 90s) has seen us eclipse you, so I have been accustomed to you being poorer than us. However, my Granddad would drill it in to me that Grimsby are the one, stemming from his time in the 60s and early 70s when it was a regular fixture. Unfortunately since fortunes have been different for both clubs and the games became far more rare a sense of rivalry was lost until the dawn of the internet allowed bickering between fans to happen, even though many Scunny fans would have longed for the days when we were comparative so that we could play our derby game again.

In the meantime we've had Hull in the late 90s/early 00s. Such games were highly anticipated, though it always felt like we were trying too hard to make something click between the clubs, especially as Hull fans always seem to have their eyes fixed on Leeds for their hatred. Such games were enjoyable, because we'd often win and listening to whinging Hull fans bemoaning a loss to a small club was always funny.

Our rivalries v Donny and Lincoln don't seem to ignite that same feeling.

So, Grimsby it is, and hopefully it will become more regular, and in a higher division, to make the seasons that more exciting.

That is a fair enough post but you will also appreciate that a lot of Town fans with longer memories have seen the Mariners being well above Scunthorpe on every level for decades.

The two clubs have had contrasting fortunes in a 15 year period which has been irritating to say the least.

I have nothing against the Iron apart from wanting to beat you when we meet and you have certainly been a more professional and better organised club than GTFC for some time, but we feel we are at last emerging from a long and dispiriting time.

My late father use to tell me he remembered Town reserves playing Scunthorpe in the old Midland league before they were admitted to the league, sometime in the fifties I believe.

My first away match was scunny on a Christmas day about 1960 ish.

To me the real derbies that matter are scunny and dull. For some reason Lincoln didn't have the same passion as these two did. I can still remember catch the train and ferry to go to old Bothferry Park. Car deck was rammed with Town fans, no cars could get on.

Happy days

Never hated any club apart from dirty Leeds when they were dirty barstools.

Always enjoyed our derby games with sunny and Lincoln and more so when we had won.

Always tried to ignore the trolls when they come on here but have bitten a few times.

It's not nice going out the league and it is getting harder and harder to get back so hope sunny are here to play us for years to come.

That's if they can keep up with us as we go up the league's .😀

Quoted from Lee Hodges Burger

On a side note, I've noted surprise from some regarding how BIron didn't resort to taunting.'

Welcome! You make some very interesting points.

I would just say though, that while Biron has made many measured and well meaning comments on here, his early posts included calling some of us 'Bitter Codheads'. He also gloated about 'the look on our faces' when you scored at BP, and also said that he 'loved every minute' of us being out of the league. So his halo might be slipping slightly! But he was very generous about my highly inaccurate post, and so I think I'll forgive him the occasional resort to the dark side!

I think both of our clubs will face an interesting time ahead, and it will be good to share perspectives from both sets of fans. The games between our clubs are always major local events that we all look forward to and I would much rather watch us play you, than the likes of Stevenage, Morcambe and other non entities masquerading as football clubs.

I have never really seen Hull as our rivals as we are so seldom in the same division, and Doncaster just doesn't seem to have the same interest. So when I think of local derby's its really your lot and the imps. Always a good day out, providing of course that we win!

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

That is a fair enough post but you will also appreciate that a lot of Town fans with longer memories have seen the Mariners being well above Scunthorpe on every level for decades.

That's precisely what I meant when I said our paths diverged after the early 70s. Hard to keep that much of a rivalry going when there are few fixtures and no means of easy communication between fans.

Ron - Fair. I am only aware of comments made in this thread, which seem reasonable.

I'd go easy on the likes of Morecambe and Stevenage. While not clubs I particularly care about, and clubs which don't get the pulses racing when facing them, I have respect for them in that they made it into the league based on hard work without being a vanity project in the mould of Forest Green or Salford. Plus, I have a friend who supports Morecambe.

We have a bit of history regarding Stevenage which you may not be aware of. Serious mistreatment of some of our female fans by their stewards a while back. So we really want to see them go.

Out of interest, would you consider that your club has been something of a vanity project for Wharton and Swann? I ask because I understand that they have both pumped in many millions recently.

Oh yes, I remember that now you mention it. That was shocking.

Wharton was quite good with not letting finances run away with things, so I don't think he deserves bracketing as a chairman who flashed the cash. Swann has pumped money in the hope of improving our lot, while touting a new ground/redevelopment to make things more sustainable. It hasn't come to fruition, at least not yet, but can see the parallels with Crawley and co. It is a concern, but would argue that Swann has now stopped the endless pool of money, so our status as the 'lower league Man City' was never going to last.

All this ignores the major cause. That being the issue of spiralling costs. In a sport driven by a desire to succeed, it is becoming more costly to fund a team capable of success. This leads to fans demanding more money, more money is reliant on having rich owners willing to splash the cash, with increased risk of failure (e.g. Darlo, Bury), and the decreased likelihood of teams succeeding based on anything more organic. You only have to look at the league tables, especially in league one and the championship, to see the big clubs/recently relegated clubs often doing well, while smaller teams suffer. All because they can afford the best players. In the 90s Crewe, Bury, Stockport, Walsall, Port Vale and yourselves all saw 2nd tier glory. In the 00s there was Gillingham, Doncaster, Crewe still, Colchester and ourselves. This decade there has been Peterborough, at the start of the decade and with some backing, Yeovil, very briefly, and Burton, but no others. Look at the top spots now and with the exception of Wycombe it's all big clubs or recently relegated clubs like Rotherham. The feeling that a little club can pull off a shock is diminishing, leaving clubs vulnerable to overspending to succeed. Fleetwood have a chance of the playoffs, but with substantial investment. Thirty years ago Fleetwood could have had a chance of success without the same investment (admittedly they'd have needed some given the stature of their town and fanbase, but not at the gulf as it is today), not so now, and the competitiveness of the sport is worse for it. As is the health of club ownership, as clubs try to spend more to please the fans eager for success or end in oblivion like Bury.

Some good points in there Lee Hodges Burger, regarding Darlington's downfall, I think that it was a couple of things, The Chairman at the time, was according to some of the Darlington fans only involved because of the development opportunities that could have come with the new ground. A ground that was far too big for Darlington (30,000) on the gates they could get and when the development opportunity went so did the Chairman., leaving them with players they couldn't afford.

Lee Hodges Burger, not being derogative or anything but ‘Lower league Man City’ Now that made me laugh.😂😂😂😎
UTMM

Quoted from Lee Hodges Burger

Another civil Scunny fan here.

Looking forward to the game in a couple of week's time. I have never understood the desire from some of our fans to see you suffer and get relegated from the league. I want Scunny to do well and doing well while beating you lot would be the icing on the cake. I'd rather have us challenging for promotion, from league one say, with you lot on the fixture list than playing the likes of Crawley Town instead. Rivalries make football more interesting, but you can't have rivalries if you never play each other.

I am a relatively young fan, most of my time (since the late 90s) has seen us eclipse you, so I have been accustomed to you being poorer than us. However, my Granddad would drill it in to me that Grimsby are the one, stemming from his time in the 60s and early 70s when it was a regular fixture. Unfortunately since fortunes have been different for both clubs and the games became far more rare a sense of rivalry was lost until the dawn of the internet allowed bickering between fans to happen, even though many Scunny fans would have longed for the days when we were comparative so that we could play our derby game again.

In the meantime we've had Hull in the late 90s/early 00s. Such games were highly anticipated, though it always felt like we were trying too hard to make something click between the clubs, especially as Hull fans always seem to have their eyes fixed on Leeds for their hatred. Such games were enjoyable, because we'd often win and listening to whinging Hull fans bemoaning a loss to a small club was always funny.

Our rivalries v Donny and Lincoln don't seem to ignite that same feeling.

So, Grimsby it is, and hopefully it will become more regular, and in a higher division, to make the seasons that more exciting.

Nice to see another Scunny fan on here! Lee Hodges was one of my favourite players growing up, he befriended my Dad and we actually went to his house once and Andy Dawson and Brian Quailey were there cooking tea!

UTI

Quoted from BIron

Nice to see another Scunny fan on here! Lee Hodges was one of my favourite players growing up, he befriended my Dad and we actually went to his house once and Andy Dawson and Brian Quailey were there cooking tea!

UTI

Ahem! Sorry to break up the Iron love-in, but general chit-chat between you two should be left to another board, don't you think?!

You've been told.

UTM

I actually want to know what Andy Dawson was cooking. I can just see the brother of Michael and, er, the other one with a poached egg in front of Home and Away.

"I would just say though, that while Biron has made many measured and well meaning comments on here, his early posts included calling some of us 'Bitter Codheads'. He also gloated about 'the look on our faces' when you scored at BP, and also said that he 'loved every minute' of us being out of the league. So his halo might be slipping slightly! But he was very generous about my highly inaccurate post, and so I think I'll forgive him the occasional resort to the dark side!"

A back handed compliment but all the same i'll take it. A back to reality check for you lot on Saturday whilst the Iron grounded out a much needed 1-0 win over Forest Green. Derby Day looming large.

UTI

Quoted from Heisenberg

Ahem! Sorry to break up the Iron love-in, but general chit-chat between you two should be left to another board, don't you think?!

You've been told.

UTM

Not interested in the Scunny forum, i have enough dialogue with my own mates. Enjoy making my presence on here and interacting with the enemy, find it more interesting hearing from the opposition. Some of you have been great to be fair. You've been told? who are you the Fishy police?

UTI