 | ||||
| Full name | Grimsby Town Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Mariners | |||
| Founded | 1878; 147 years ago (1878)[1] | |||
| Ground | Blundell Park | |||
| Capacity | 9,546[2] | |||
| Coordinates | 53°34′12″N0°2′47″W / 53.57000°N 0.04639°W /53.57000; -0.04639 | |||
| Owner(s) | 1878 Partners (63.1%)[3] The Mariners Trust (13.5%) Mike Parker (10.5%) Other Shareholders (12.9%)[4] | |||
| Chairman | Andrew Pettit | |||
| Manager | David Artell | |||
| League | EFL League Two | |||
| 2024–25 | EFL League Two, 9th of 24 | |||
| Website | gtfc | |||
 Current season | ||||
Grimsby Town Football Club is a professionalassociation football club based inCleethorpes,North East Lincolnshire, England, that competes inEFL League Two, the fourth level of theEnglish football league system.
Nicknamed "the Mariners", the club was founded asGrimsby Pelham Football Club in 1878, changed its name to Grimsby Town a year later, and moved to its current stadium,Blundell Park, in 1898. Grimsby Town is the most successful team of the three professional clubs in historicLincolnshire, being the only one to play top-flight English football. It is also the only club of the three to reach anFA Cup semi-final (doing so on two occasions, both times during the 1930s). It has also spent more time in the English game's first and second tiers than any other club from Lincolnshire. Notable former managers includeBill Shankly, who went on to guideLiverpool to three League titles, two FA Cups and aUEFA Cup triumph, andLawrie McMenemy who, after securing promotion to the then Third Division in 1972, moved toSouthampton where he won theFA Cup in 1976.Alan Buckley is the club's most successful manager; he had three spells between 1988 and 2008, guiding the club to three promotions and two appearances atWembley Stadium during the1997–98 season, winning both theFootball League Trophy and theFootball League Second Division play-off Final. In 2008, Buckley took Grimsby to the capital again, but lost out toMK Dons in the final of the Football League Trophy. The Mariners had also reached theFootball League Two play-off Final in 2006 at theMillennium Stadium inCardiff, but lost the match 1–0 toCheltenham Town. Later trips to Wembley in 2013 and 2016 saw them defeated in theFA Trophy final byWrexham andFC Halifax Town respectively, having also lost at the venue in the 2015National League play-off final toBristol Rovers before finally gaining promotion by winning the 2016 final againstForest Green Rovers. Grimsby were again relegated out of the Football League in 2021, but secured an immediate promotion at the first attempt with victory overSolihull Moors in the2022 National League play-off final at theLondon Stadium. In 2022–23, Grimsby Town became the first team in FA Cup history to beat five teams from higher divisions following a 2–1 win atPremier League side Southampton to advance to the quarter-finals, before eventually losing toBrighton & Hove Albion.
Grimsby Town's relegation in 2010 made them the sixth club to compete in all top five divisions of English football (afterWimbledon,Wigan Athletic,Carlisle United,Oxford United andLuton Town, and beforeLeyton Orient,Notts County andOldham Athletic). Grimsby's 1939 FA Cup semi-final attendance of 76,962 versusWolverhampton Wanderers is still a record atManchester United'sOld Trafford stadium. In 1954 they became the first English club to appoint a foreign manager, HungarianElemér Berkessy. The club's record appearance holder isJohn McDermott, who made 754 appearances between 1987 and 2007, while their leading scorer isPat Glover, with 180 goals (1930–39).
Grimsby Town was formed in 1878 after a meeting held at the Wellington Arms public house in Freeman Street, Grimsby.[5] Several attendees included members of the local Worsley Cricket Club who wanted to form a football club to occupy the empty winter evenings after the cricket season had finished.[1]
The club was originally called Grimsby Pelham, this being the family name of theEarl of Yarborough, a significant landowner in the area.[5] In 1880 the club purchased land at Clee Park which was to become their ground until 1889 when they relocated toAbbey Park, before moving again in 1899 to their present home,Blundell Park. The original colours were blue and white hoops, which were changed to chocolate brown and blue quartered shirts in 1884.[6]
In 1888 the club first played league football, joining the newly formed 'Combination'. The league soon collapsed and the following year the club applied to join theFootball League, an application that was refused. Instead the club joined theFootball Alliance. In 1890 the club became a limited company and in 1892 finally entered the Football League, when it was expanded to two divisions.[7][8] The first game was a 2–1 victory overNorthwich Victoria.
The1901–02 season saw promotion to the First Division, having finished as champions;[9] two seasons later they were relegated[10] and within a decade they would be a non-League side again, failing re-election in 1910 and falling to theMidland League.[11] However, they finished as champions at the first attempt and at the subsequent re-election vote, replaced local rivalsLincoln City in the Football League.[12]
Grimsby Town andHull City were the only two professional teams which had official permission to play league football onChristmas Day because of the demands of the fish trade, but that tradition has now disappeared following the dramatic reduction of their trawler fleets in recent years.[13]
This was the most successful period in the club's history. The first full season afterWorld War I the club were relegated to the new Third Division;[14] in the initial 1920–21 season they played against the former members of theSouthern League who had been invited to form the new division, but after a year an equivalent Third Division North was created and Grimsby moved across to that. By 1929 they were back in Division One,[15] where they stayed (with a brief break from 1932 to 1934) until 1939, obtaining their highest-ever league position, 5th in Division One, in the 1934–35 season.[1] In 1925 they adopted the black and white stripes as their colours.[6][16]
Three Grimsby Town players, forwardJackie Bestall, goalkeeperGeorge Tweedy and defenderHarry Betmead each received a solitaryEngland cap during the period 1935–1937. They remain the only players from the club to have received full England honours.
Grimsby reached the semi-final of theFA Cup in 1936, the game was played atHuddersfield Town'sLeeds Road, but lost 1–0 toArsenal,[17] with the goal coming fromCliff Bastin five minutes before half time.[18]
On 20 February 1937, the club's record attendance of 31,651 was recorded when the club metWolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup.[19]
Grimsby also reached the semi-final of the FA Cup on 25 March 1939, Grimsby played Wolverhampton Wanderers, in a FA Cup semi-final atOld Trafford. The attendance of 76,962 remains Old Trafford's largest ever attendance.[20][21] The Mariners lost the game 5–0 after goalkeeperGeorge Moulson was injured early in the match. With the rules forbiddingsubstitutes for injuries, Grimsby had to play with 10 men and an outfield player in goal.[20]
With the resumption of the Football League for the 1946–47 season afterWorld War II the club was relegated at the end of the 1947–48 season and has never returned to the highest level.[22][23] Much of the 1950s and 1960s were spent alternating between the Second Division and the Third Division North, later the Third Division. From July 1951 to January 1953 they were managed byBill Shankly.[24][25] His main problems were that Grimsby had been relegated twice in recent seasons, dropping from the First to the Third Division, and some good players had been transferred before he arrived.[26] Shankly believed he still had good players to work with and was able to buy some additional players on the transfer market for low fees.[27]
Grimsby made a strong challenge for promotion in 1951–52 but finished second, three points behind Lincoln City (only one team was promoted from Division Three North, with one from Division Three South).[28]
"Pound for pound, and class for class, the best football team I have seen in England since the war. In the league, they were in they played football nobody else could play. Everything was measured, planned and perfected and you could not wish to see more entertaining football".
— Bill Shankly, in his autobiography in 1976.[27]
Grimsby's aging team made a bright start in 1952–53 with five straight wins but eventually slipped and finished in 5th place.[26] In 1953–54, Shankly became disillusioned when the board could not give him money to buy new players. He was reluctant to promote some promising reserves because of loyalty to the older players (a fault that was to resurface at Liverpool years later) and he finally resigned in January 1954, citing the board's lack of ambition as his main reason.[29] Shankly's record in league football at Grimsby was 62 wins and 35 defeats from 118 matches.[29] Shankly went on to win the Football League, FA Cup andUEFA Cup withLiverpool.[30]
Grimsby became the first English football club to appoint a foreign manager with the appointment of HungarianElemér Berkessy in 1954. Shortly afterwardsAllenby Chilton became Grimsby's first player-manager, he joined late in the 1954–55 season from Manchester United. However, Chilton was unable to stop Grimsby from being relegated.[31] But the following season, Chilton led Grimsby to the Division Three North title – the only club ever to go from relegation to promotion in one season.[32] Chilton continued as manager at Grimsby Town until April 1959 when he joinedWigan Athletic as manager for one season during 1960–61.[24]
In 1968 Grimsby slipped into the Fourth Division for the first time.[33] The following season the club had to apply for re-election to the league having finished second from bottom.[34] It was in this season that the lowest-ever attendance for a Football League match atBlundell Park was ever recorded; 1,833 saw a 2–0 defeat toBrentford.[citation needed]Arthur Drewry, a local businessman, married the daughter of Grimsby Town's chairman, and subsequently served as a director of the club before his own chairmanship.[35] Drewry became President of theFootball League and Chairman ofthe Football Association after Grimsby, before he was elected as the 5th President ofFIFA.[35]
Grimsby Town broke their transfer record in 1972 with a fee of £20,000 for the signing ofPhil Hubbard.[36] In the same year 22,489 people witnessed a home victory againstExeter City that saw the club promoted asDivision Four Champions.[37] This turnaround was credited to the appointment ofLawrie McMenemy as manager.[38]
The club stayed in Division Three until relegation in 1977 but were promoted again in 1979.[39][40] A year later they finished asThird Division Champions under the stewardship ofGeorge Kerr and returned to the second tier of the English game, a level they had not been at for 16 years.[41][42]
A popular myth has it that in 1976 the localMember of Parliament and thenForeign SecretaryAnthony Crosland invited the thenUnited States Secretary of StateHenry Kissinger to watch the Mariners playGillingham.[43][44][45] Despite this being widely reported in the media, with some outlets claiming Kissinger subsequently became a Grimsby fan, in reality Kissinger's Boeing 747 simply stopped off for a two-hour breakfast discussion with Crosland on the issue ofRhodesia at nearbyRAF Waddington before flying directly to Nairobi.[46][47] However, Crosland's decision to force the US foreign policy leader to fly from London to Lincolnshire for their Saturday morning meeting was influenced by his desire to stay in his constituency and watch his local football team.
The first season back (1980–81) saw the club finish 7th.[48] Work started that year on a new £1 million stand, originally called the Findus Stand (now known as the Young's Stand) after the former Barrett's Stand had been declared unsafe, the stand opened for the first time on 29 August 1982, as the Mariners played hosts to Leeds United.[1] In the 1983–84 season the club finished 5th in the Second Division after spending most of the latter part of the campaign in the top three promotion places.[49] This was their highest league finish since the 1947–48 season.[23] Grimsby Town's stay in the Second Division ended in 1987, having spent much of the 1986–87 season in the top half of the table, but a run of 8 losses and 2 draws in the final 10 games saw them fall from 8th to 21st before they could return to second tier again.[50]
1987–88 saw Grimsby Town suffer a second consecutive relegation, placing them in the Fourth Division.[51] The club's financial situation was also dismal, and as the1988–89 season began, the task at Grimsby was to avoid relegation to theFootball Conference, avoid expulsion from the FA and avoid going out of business completely. This was achieved, finishing 9th.[52] Following the resignation ofDave Booth in 1986 (to pursue outside business interests) the club had two managers in two years (Mick Lyons and Bobby Roberts).Alan Buckley was appointed after the 1988 relegation and by 1991 had led the club to two successive promotions with the chairman at that time beingPeter Furneaux.[53][54] Grimsby were to remain in football's second flight for six years.[55] Buckley's crop of players consisting of some of the most popular and biggest cult heroes in the club's history; players such asShaun Cunnington,Keith Alexander,Mark Lever,Dave Gilbert,Steve Livingstone,Paul Futcher,Paul Groves andClive Mendonca made the club a solid second-tier side (the Second Division became Division One in 1992 upon the creation of thePremier League from the old First Division). In1992–93, Grimsby finished 9th in the new Division One, and until well into April they were in the hunt for a play-off place that would have given them the chance of a third promotion in four years.[56] They dipped to 16th place a year later, though they were never in any real danger of relegation.[57]
The Mariners began to produce homegrown talent from the club's youth academy, includingJack Lester,John Oster,Gary Croft andPeter Handyside. Buckley departed Grimsby in October 1994 to joinWest Bromwich Albion and he was replaced by defenderBrian Laws.[58] Laws steered Grimsby to a 10th-place finish in his first season as manager.[59] During his tenure, Laws became famous for a changing-room altercation after a defeat at Luton with Italian strikerIvano Bonetti, which left the latter with a fractured cheekbone, and caused the popular player to leave the club at the end of the season.[60][61] Grimsby finished 17th and were in the battle to avoid relegation right up to the penultimate game of the season.[62] In the1996–97 season the Mariners were relegated from Division One.[55] Despite flowing goals from Clive Mendonca, notably good performances from John Oster and newcomerKingsley Black, Grimsby failed to save themselves.[citation needed] The club had suffered from the losses of Gary Croft, who made a £1.7 million move toBlackburn Rovers and ever present goalkeeperPaul Crichton.[63]
The1997–98 season saw the return of Alan Buckley as manager, after an unsuccessful period atWest Bromwich Albion, for Grimsby Town's most successful post-war season. In the summer of 1997, Buckley succeeded in bringing in players to the club who were to be instrumental in the club's upcoming season; former skipperPaul Groves was re-signed from West Bromwich Albion, andKevin Donovan andDavid Smith also joined the club from Albion.[citation needed] The mid-season capture ofHuddersfield Town midfielderWayne Burnett proved to be a great bit of business for Buckley.[64] After a seemingly poor start to the League campaign, performances improved, which propelled the club into a promotion battle withWatford,Bristol City and an expensively assembledFulham (at the time the only club at this level to have spent seven-figure sums on players), with Grimsby finishing the season in 3rd place.[65]
A good run in theLeague Cup saw the Mariners knock holdersLeicester City and fellow Premier League sideSheffield Wednesday out of the competition before finally losing out toLiverpool.[66] A decent run of form had ignited the careers of such younger players asDaryl Clare,Danny Butterfield andJack Lester who were becoming an integral part of theBlundell Park set-up. The Mariners went on to dumpBurnley out of theFootball League Trophy Northern section area final, which would see the club book its first trip toWembley Stadium.[67] The club were drawn against Southern section championsAFC Bournemouth and in a tight game, an equaliser from substituteKingsley Black took the game into extra time, and in the 112th minute Grimsby secured the game courtesy of agolden goal from Wayne Burnett.[67] This was the first major trophy awarded to the club following its first appearance at Wembley. It took only four weeks for Grimsby to return to the stadium though, this time to faceNorthampton Town in the Division Two play-off Final.[67] Town won the game 1–0 thanks to a first half Kevin Donovan goal which gave the club a historic Wembley double and the Mariners promotion back to Division One.[68]
The1998–99 season saw Grimsby Town finish in 11th place, but the1999–2000 season saw Grimsby struggle and finish 20th, avoiding relegation at the expense of Buckley's old clubWalsall. The2000–01 season saw a boardroom change with Doug Everitt taking over from Bill Carr. Everitt dismissed manager Alan Buckley just two games into the season, replacing him withLennie Lawrence, who earlier in his managerial career had guided bothCharlton Athletic andMiddlesbrough into the top flight. The new manager chopped and changed the playing squad around and brought in some expensive loan signings from abroad such asZhang Enhua,[69][70]Menno Willems signing fromVitesse for 160K,[71]David Nielsen andKnut Anders Fostervold. Despite this, the club struggled to avoid relegation, only securing their place in Division One on the last day of the season with a win over promotedFulham.[72]
The Mariners started the 2001–02 season strongly, topping the league table after five games. The club advanced to the third round of theLeague Cup where they met holdersLiverpool atAnfield. In one of the club most famous victories, Grimsby held the Premier League team to a 0–0 draw after 90 minutes taking the game into extra time.[73] DespiteGary McAllister scoring a penalty following aDavid Beharall handball to put the Reds 1–0 up, loan signingMarlon Broomes equalised before ex-Everton youth playerPhil Jevons hit a 35-yard strike into the top corner ofChris Kirkland's goal to give the club a historic victory.[73][74] Grimsby's push for promotion faltered and the team's form declined rapidly, with Lawrence being dismissed halfway into the season.Paul Groves, theskipper, was chosen to replace him and he steered them to a 19th in the final table, enough to avoid relegation, but a disappointing end to a season which had begun so promisingly.[citation needed] The season was overshadowed by the collapse ofITV Digital putting enormous strain on finances for the club.[75]
The2002–03 season would bring relegation with the Mariners finishing bottom of Division One and relegated after five successive seasons at this level. At the time only one of their previous 12 seasons had been spent below the second tier of English football.
The sudden collapse ofITV Digital had left the club with debts of over £2 million, £700,000 of which was owed to theInland Revenue[76][77] and a further substantial amount to their bankers,Lloyds Bank. The collapse had seen a lot of the smaller clubs playing in the second tier of English football struggle to make ends meet. Coupled with this, it meant first-team players such asDanny Coyne andGeorges Santos moved on to other clubs.[78][79] For the new season, the club also had to supply its own kits following the closure of long serving kit suppliers Avec Sportswear. Grimsby Town played the season using the brand "Grimsby Town Sports".
Groves was dismissed in February 2004 following a poor stretch of games that had seen the club drop down the table,[80] his replacementNicky Law was sacked himself only a few months later as Grimsby were relegated for a second consecutive season.Russell Slade was appointed as the new manager in May 2004.[81]
In 2005, directorJohn Fenty became the controlling shareholder in the club after a search for outside investors failed, and a sale of shares to the local public was poorly received. He owned a 51% majority stake in the club and had made significant loans to the club to ensure its continued operation. FormerLeicester City chairmanJohn Elsom also joined the board of directors along with racehorse stable trainer and owner Michael Chapman in December 2002.[82][83]
Having guided Grimsby to a mid table finish in his first season, Russell Slade began the2005–06 season with a good start to the season and much improved results and performances had seen Grimsby Town rise to the top ofFootball League Two. A good run in theLeague Cup saw Town beatDerby County away atPride Park in round one, and defeatPremier League sideTottenham Hotspur at home in the second round, withJean-Paul Kamudimba Kalala hitting an 87th-minute winner.[84] The Mariners eventually suffered elimination byNewcastle United in the third round, losing 1–0 at home. Grimsby would fall out of the promotion places on the final day of the season and after defeatingLincoln City in the play-off semi-finals they would lose 1–0 toCheltenham Town in the final at theMillennium Stadium.[85] On 31 May, manager Russell Slade left the club after failing to agree terms on a new contract.[86]
Slade's AssistantGraham Rodger was his replacement but by November he had been dismissed following a poor start to the season, he was replaced by Alan Buckley who arrived back with The Mariners for a third time but could only produce a bottom half finish in League Two. During the2007–08 season the club enjoyed a good run in theFootball League Trophy and on 4 March 2008 Grimsby booked their place at the newWembley Stadium after beatingMorecambe in a two-legged Northern Final. APaul Bolland goal in the away first leg was enough to see Town through. They went on to playMK Dons in the Final on 30 March,[67] losing 2–0 afterDanny Boshell missed an early penalty.[87] The season ended with eight straight defeats. After a 13–game winless streak in the league stretching from 22 March 2008, on 15 September 2008 Alan Buckley was sacked as manager for a second time.[88] The board appointedMike Newell as manager.[89] The Mariners would finish 22nd in League Two narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day.
Following another slow start to the season, and despite previous backings from the Grimsby Town board, on 18 October 2009 the club's official website declared they had sacked Mike Newell due to "irretrievable breakdown".[90][91]Neil Woods was controversially made permanent manager on 23 November 2009.[92][93] The other main candidate for the job was former boss Russell Slade, but the board decided upon Woods ahead of Slade.[92] Almost immediately Woods was dealt a blow when the club decided to do a U-turn and sell captainRyan Bennett toPeterborough United for £500,000 despite rejecting this offer in the summer and the player only recently signing a new four-year deal. Grimsby under Woods struggled and despite winning four and drawing one of their last six games to give them a chance of league survival going into the last game of the season, they were defeated 3–0 byBurton Albion,[94] and thus were relegated from the Football League for the first time in nearly 100 years.[95]
Neil Woods was relieved of his duties on 24 February 2011 after 15 months in charge,[96] leaving the club in 9th position in theConference National. On 23 March 2011, formerBoston United managerial duo ofRob Scott andPaul Hurst were announced as the new joint managers.[97] They finished the2010–11 season in 11th on 62 points.[98][99] On 19 September 2011,John Fenty resigned as chairman of Grimsby Town with immediate effect, a position he had held for 7 years.[100][101]
Following an 11th-place finish in 2012, the Mariners enjoyed a positive cup run in the 2012–13 seasonFA Trophy and reached the final atWembley Stadium where they playedWrexham on 24 March 2013. Grimsby went ahead in the second half with 20 minutes left to go, through an Andy Cook strike. However, they conceded a penalty with 9 minutes left andWrexham equalised. This took the game to extra time, and then penalties, where Grimsby lost the shoot-out 4–1. Grimsby finished the season in good form, with a 9-match unbeaten run, finishing the season with a 3–0 win againstNewport County.[102] This led them to finish in 4th place with 83 points.[103] They faced Newport County again straight away in the play-off semi-finals, where they were knocked out by a 1–0 loss in both legs. The managerial duo was broken up on 6 September 2013 due to Rob Scott being suspended andPaul Hurst was placed in sole charge of the team.[104]
Grimsby came third in the Conference Premier 2014–15 season, and secured a play-off spot.[105] Grimsby reached the2015 Conference Premier play-off final againstBristol Rovers in front of a Conference record 47,029 crowd at Wembley Stadium.[106][107] The game was forced to penalties whereJon-Paul Pittman missed the penultimate penalty in their 5–3 shootout.[106][107][108]
Grimsby would play in the final of the FA Trophy,[109] but lost 1–0 toFC Halifax Town.[110] The week before, Grimsby Town beatForest Green Rovers 3–1 in the2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium, seeing Grimsbypromoted back toLeague Two after a six-year absence from theFootball League.[111][112]
After promotion, manager, Paul Hurst, released a number of players, many of whom were pivotal to the previous season's promotion push.[113] On 24 October 2016, Paul Hurst was appointed asShrewsbury Town manager,Chris Doig also left Grimsby and made Hurst's assistant at Shrewsbury, thus leavingDave Moore andStuart Watkiss as caretaker managers.[114] On 7 November 2016,Marcus Bignot, then manager of non-League side,Solihull Moors, was officially announced as the new Grimsby Town manager, along with the appointment of Micky Moore as his assistant.[115] On 10 April 2017,Marcus Bignot was sacked.[116] His replacement wasRussell Slade, who joined the club for the second time as manager on 12 April 2017.[117] The Mariners would finish 14th, with a total of 62 points.[118]
Slade was sacked on 11 February 2018 after the team failed to win in 12 league games, with eight losses; he left the team 17th in League Two.[119] Paul Wilkinson took over as caretaker manager following the sacking.Michael Jolley was appointed as the new manager on 2 March 2018 and twice secured Grimsby'sFootball League status as well as securing cup runs that culminated in anFA Cup tie away atCrystal Palace and aLeague Cup tie atChelsea. Jolley left the club by mutual agreement and was replaced on a temporary basis by assistant managerAnthony Limbrick.[120]
On 29 December 2019,Ian Holloway joined Grimsby Town as manager, at the same time becoming a shareholder in the club.[121] On 23 December 2020, just under one year later, Holloway left the club abruptly in controversial circumstances, announcing onTwitter that he was resigning with immediate effect. His decision was down to several boardroom issues, a big loss in form and his unwillingness to work with a consortium looking to buy out John Fenty.[122]Ben Davies was caretaker manager for two games.[123][124]
On 30 December 2020,Paul Hurst was re-appointed as permanent manager,[125] but could not prevent the club from being relegated back to theNational League following a 3–2 defeat toExeter City, after a five-year stay in the Football League.[126]
On 5 May 2021, local businessmenJason Stockwood andAndrew Pettit under their company 1878 Partners completed their takeover of the football club after buying out majority shareholder John Fenty.[127]
In the2021–22 season, Grimsby finished 6th in the National League.[128] They defeatedNotts County, in the quarter-final of the play-offs 2–1,[129] andWrexham in the semi-final 5–4.[130][131] In the2022 National League play-off final, they defeatedSolihull Moors 2–1 after extra time to win promotion back toLeague Two at theLondon Stadium.[132]
On 1 March 2023, Grimsby advanced to thequarter-finals of theFA Cup for the first time since1939 by beatingPremier League sideSouthampton 2–1 away from home, becoming the first club in the competition's history to knock out five teams from a higher division.[133]
On 27 August 2025, Grimsby eliminatedManchester United in the second round of theEFL Cup, winning 12–11 on penalties following a 2–2 draw at Blundell Park in one of the biggest cupupsets of all time.[134][135] They followed that up with a 1–0 away win overChampionship sideSheffield Wednesday on 16 September 2025,[136] before losing 5–0 at Blundell Park toBrentford in the fourth round on 28 October.[137]
The original 1878 kit of Grimsby Pelham, featured a shirt with narrow horizontal stripes in royal blue and white, with long white shorts and black socks.[6] Between 1884 and 1910, various kit colours were introduced, with the most common colours being variations of paleblue and chocolatebrown, worn with white shorts and black socks. Other kits from this period include:
Black andwhite vertical stripes were adopted in 1910 and with a few exceptions, they have rarely been missing from the kit design ever since and have become one of the most recognisable features of the club.[6] The 1911 kit included the black and white striped t-shirt, white shorts and black socks.[6] Exceptions from the traditional bar-stripe kit:
Since the introduction of the black and white bar stripes in 1910, the GTFC kits have featured exclusively red, black and white.[6] The only exceptions to this are the corporate colours used in a sponsor logo and the yellow/gold trim used between 2001 and 2003. The official GTFC club logo first appeared on the club kit in 1974.[6]
Grimsby Town announced for their game on 26 February 2023, that they would wear a special one-off shirt that promotes green energy, with the sponsor being labelled "Europe's Green Town" in nod towards the "Food Town" sponsorship of the 1990s.[138]
| Kit suppliers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Supplier | |
| 1975–1976 |  Litesome | |
| 1976–1978 | Bukta | |
| 1978–1981 | Admiral | |
| 1981–1983 |  Adidas | |
| 1983–1986 | Hobott | |
| 1986–1987 | En-s | |
| 1987–1993 | Ribero | |
| 1993–1994 | Admiral | |
| 1994–1996 |  Diadora | |
| 1996–1998 | Lotto | |
| 1998–2003 |  Avec | |
| 2003–2004 | GTS(own brand) | |
| 2004–2008 |  Nike | |
| 2008–2021 | Errea | |
| 2021–2024 | Macron | |
| 2024– | Umbro | |
| Shirt sponsors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Sponsor | Sponsor Business Category |
| 1979–1984 |  Findus | Frozen food |
| 1984–1986 | Nisa | Retail convenience stores |
| 1986–1987 | Bluecrest | Frozen food |
| 1987–1993 |  Ciba-Geigy | Pharmaceuticals |
| 1993–1995 | Ciba | Pharmaceuticals |
| 1995–1998 | Europe's Food Town | Frozen food |
| 1998–2003 | Dixon Motors | Vehicle retailer |
| 2003–2004 | Jarvis | Rail freight |
| 2004–2022 | Young's | Frozen food |
| 2022– | myenergi | Renewable energy |
| 26 February 2023[138] | Europe's Green Town | None(Special one-off shirt promoting green energy) |
| Dates | Ground |
|---|---|
| 1878–1879 | Clee Park |
| 1879–1880 | Lovett Street |
| 1880–1889 | Clee Park |
| 1889–1899 | Abbey Park |
| 1899–present | Blundell Park |
Grimsby Town play their home games atBlundell Park inCleethorpes. This is the club's fourth stadium. They originally played at Clee Park until 1879, they then moved to Lovett Street for a single season, before returning to Clee Park for a further nine years. The Mariners then moved toAbbey Park until 1899 before a move to Blundell Park, the club's current stadium.[1]
In 1953 the club introduced its first floodlights to the ground and with that enabling Grimsby Town to play night-time fixtures.[139] Tall floodlights were purchased second hand fromWolverhampton Wanderers in 1958 and installed in 1960 at a cost of £9,000 which was raised by the supporters club, they have illuminated matches ever since when required. However, in 2019, these original lights were replaced with newer, brighter lights. Three of the four original pylons remain.[5][140] The stadium has had an all-seated capacity of just 8,777 in recent years, being in and around 27,000 before the stadium was made all seated in 1995. The club's demise from the second tier of English football, down to the fourth meant the expansion seating was removed. This brought the overall capacity down from around 12,000 to what it is today. Situated inside the Findus Stand at Blundell Park, is "McMenemy's Function Suite", named after former managerLawrie McMenemy.
Since the late 1990s, there have been plans for a new 20,200-seat stadium at nearbyGreat Coates – tentatively titled the Conoco Stadium after a naming rights deal with the American energy corporationConocoPhillips.[141] There have been numerous delays to the development of the new stadium. The plans have been met with resistance from many residents of the local area surrounding the proposed stadium site, but other factors have also slowed progress. One of the most notable difficulties for the club was in demonstrating how it planned to finance the scheme. As a result, they later amended their proposal to include a retail park on the site, which would help to fund the development. This raised other problems, due to a rival proposal by the property developerHenry Boot, who are continuing with plans for their own retail park, which will be in direct competition with the Grimsby Town site and which has also been approved by the local council. Henry Boot attempted to have the football team's development plan stopped, by asking for it to be sent for judicial review by the Government, however their attempt failed. Currently, the Grimsby Town stadium development proposal has satisfied all the conditions that were imposed by planning officials and consent for the project has been granted. Initial estimates had suggested that the club would be able to move to the new stadium for the start of the 2011–12 season. However, as a result of the ongoing global recession, the club has halted all progress on the new development and it is unlikely that any work will begin until an upturn in the economy.
As of the 2012–13 season, the GTFC Supporters Trust known as the 'Mariners Trust' has taken over responsibility for the operation of most of the bars at the stadium, which hopefully will lead to refurbishment, and new ideas from fans as to how the bars operate.
Plans were underway to relocate the club to land at the side of thePeaks Parkway in Grimsby.[142] As of 2020, new plans have been agreed with the council, Grimsby Town FC and The Freemen of Grimsby to build the stadium on recently cleared land off Freeman Street.
| Club | Last Match | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Scunthorpe United | L 3–0 | 2020–21 |
| Hull City | L 3–0 | 2020–21 |
| Doncaster Rovers | W 2–1 | 2024–25 |
| Lincoln City | W 2–1 | 2025–26 |
| Boston United | W 6–0 | 2006–07 |
| Barnsley | W 6–1 | 2003–04 |
| Rotherham United | L 2–1 | 2009–10 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | W 2–0 | 2003–04 |
| Sheffield United | L 4–2 | 2016–17 |
Grimsby Town’s geographical position places them among several regional rivals, particularly clubs from the former county ofHumberside. Traditionally,Hull City—based across theHumber Estuary—have been seen as Grimsby’s main rivals. However, differing fortunes have meant the two clubs have rarely met in recent decades; their last league encounter came in 1987, with only occasionalEFL Trophy meetings since.
Scunthorpe United, Grimsby’s nearest professional neighbours, are now generally considered the club’s primary rivals. Although Scunthorpe historically played in lower divisions, the balance shifted in the 2000s when Grimsby’s decline coincided with Scunthorpe’s rise. Meetings between Hull, Scunthorpe, and Grimsby are often dubbed theHumber derby, though long periods have been known to pass without league fixtures between all three sides.
Lincoln City also provides a local derby known as theLincolnshire derby, but the rivalry is relatively minor from Grimsby’s perspective. While many Lincoln fans see Grimsby as their main rivals, the feeling isn’t always fully returned. As with other regional opponents, the two clubs have often been in different divisions for long spells.
Due to Grimsby’s extended time in the second tier during their history, many fans view clubs likeSheffield United,Sheffield Wednesday, andBarnsley as more traditional rivals. Grimsby also share smaller historical rivalries withDoncaster Rovers andRotherham United depending on divisional overlap.
Within the Borough ofNorth East Lincolnshire, non-league sides such asGrimsby Borough andCleethorpes Town occasionally meet the Mariners in pre-season or county cup competitions, but these fixtures lack the intensity of professional rivalries.
The Mighty Mariner is Grimsby Town's mascot. He wears the club's home strip and normally parades in front of the Pontoon Stand as well as tormenting the opposition's fans. He also plays football with the mascots and warms up the Grimsby Town fans.[143] Up until 1998, there were two club mascots, Mighty and Mini Mariner, and until then they used to wear yellow fishing rain coats, before Mini was dropped, and Mighty was given the home strip to wear. Formerly, the mascot was a character named "HarryHaddock", so-called after Grimsby's fishing industry, who is actually a rainbow trout.
The newly rebranded Mariners Trust[144] has been working with the fans and the club on a number of projects and events with the aim of improving the match day experience for the fans. It has a new Junior Mariners section, works with similar GTFC-friendly organisations like the internet mariners and the PPAG and is run by volunteers of 400+ members and continues to encourage GTFC fans to join and get involved. Since the late 1990s Grimsby Town have had aScandinavian supporters group based inNorway andSweden.[145] Mariners fans since 2006 have also had a friendship with the supporters of Belgian clubEendracht Aalst.[146]
Actor and comedianSacha Baron Cohen who is most widely known for creating and portraying the charactersAli G andBorat was spotted at Grimsby Town's home game againstCambridge United during the 2013–14 season. He watched The Mariners 1–0 defeat before talking to fans in the Blundell Hotel dressed in a Grimsby shirt and hat.[147] Cohen had been in the town to think of ideas for a new film and had also visited the town's fish docks. In December 2013 it was announced that Cohen would be appearing in a new film calledGrimsby.[148] Notable Mariners fans includeSoccer AM presenter and comedianLloyd Griffith, American actor and television presenterAdam Richman. Despite not being from Grimsby or England, theMan v. Food presenter said he is a supporter of the club, and was involved in aBBC Radio 5 Live phone-in before the 2013FA Trophy final between Grimsby andWrexham.[149] In 2015 Richman contributed to a fan fundraiser "Operation Promotion" and in June 2020 became a club shareholder.[150]
Grimsby-born actorThomas Turgoose, who starred as the lead role character Shaun Fields in the drama filmThis Is England and the TV follow-up'sThis Is England '86,This Is England '88 andThis Is England '90, is a season ticket holder.[151] He appeared as a guest onSky showSoccer AM in 2007 sporting a Grimsby Town shirt.
Other famous fans include politicianNorman Lamont, former professionalsnooker playersMike Hallett andDean Reynolds, singer and songwriterElla Henderson andBBC weather presenterKeeley Donovan.[152]
Grimsby Town supporters are known for bringing inflatable fish, named "HarryHaddock", to important matches. The tradition began during the 1980s when a trend of bringing inflatable toys (such as bananas or dinosaurs) to games swept across English football terraces. A local newspaper columnist suggested that Grimsby fans adopt a blow-up fish as their symbol, given the area's connection to commercial fishing; hundreds of fans would later queue to purchase a supply of toys and the fish have appeared in the stands ever since, now sold in the club shop and online. A controversy arose during the Mariners' 2023 FA Cup run whenSouthampton F.C. initially prohibited Grimsby supporters from bringing in Harrys citing a club policy. Following a substantial online outcry and several petitions, Southampton relented and allowed more than five hundred Harry Haddocks into the ground.[153]
In May 2019, it was announced that Grimsby Town would enter the world of female football with the launch of its first ever affiliated women's team with trials being held at the academy team's training base atOasis Academy Wintringham.[154] The 2019/20 season saw the team venture into league football in the Lincolnshire Women's League, the then 7th tier of women's football with their first ever league fixture being againstAppleby Frodingham Ladies[155] led by newly appointed manager Dale Houlston.[156]
In a season that was cut short in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Grimsby Town Women remained undefeated.[157] They also reached the League Cup final and the Lincolnshire Women's County Cup final however none of those cup finals took place because of the pandemic.
During the summer of 2020, the FA announced that following a restructure to the leagues, Grimsby Town Women would be promoted to the 6th tier of the women's football pyramid, meaning that the team commenced the 2020–21 season in the East Midlands Women's Regional Football League, Division 1 North.[158] The 2020–21 season also saw Grimsby Town Women enter The FA Women's Cup for the very first time.
Grimsby Town Women commenced the 2021–22 season well and led the league. In November of this season, manager Dale Houlston resigned his position, having played 7 games, winning 6 and drawing just 1. Hayley Cox was named as the new manager. By the end of the season, they had managed to achieve second place in the league.
The 2022-23 season was just as successful for Grimsby Town Women as they secured the league title and promotion to the East Midland's Premier Division.[159]
After promotion, Grimsby Town Ladies played tougher opposition in the 2023-24 season and were relegated however they did pick up some silverware, winning the Marsh Sports County Plate in a 10-0 victory over HBW United Ladies.[160][161] On the conclusion of the season, the club parted company with manager Hayley Cox.[162]
On 23 August 2024, Ben Challen was appointed as the new Women's First Team Head Coach having taken charge on an interim basis in June.[163] He stepped down from the role in April 2025 to focus on his work with the Emerging Talent Centre at the club.[164]
Ben Thomas took over as Women's First Team Head Coach on 11 June 2025, having previously served as Assistant Head Coach under his predecessor.[165]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Board and management officials[edit]
| Coaching staff and support staff[edit]
|
| Year | Chairman |
|---|---|
| 1878–1885 |  Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Baronet[168] |
| 1885 | Henry Smethurst |
| 1885–1889 | Charles Carter |
| 1889 | Edward Heneage |
| 1894–1896 | Frederick Coulson |
| 1896–1900 | Christmas White |
| 1900 | William Bellamy |
| 1901–1903 | Frederick Coulson |
| 1905–1906 | John Thompson |
| 1906–1908 | William Goodwin |
| 1908–1920 | Alfred Cooper |
| 1920–1923 | James Plaistow |
| 1928–1931 | Joseph Stookes |
| 1931–1954 | George Pearce |
| 1954–1968 | Frederick Would |
| 1968–1969 | Roy Osmond |
| 1969 | Frederick Would |
| 1969–1979 | Henry Hamilton |
| 1979–1985 | Richard Middleton |
| 1985 | Dudley Ramsden |
| 1985 | Thomas Bygott |
| 1985–1987 | Walter Ramsden |
| 1987–1994 | Peter Furneaux |
| 1994–1999 | Bill Carr |
| 1999–2001 | Doug Everitt |
| 2001–2004 | Peter Furneaux |
| 2004–2011 | John Fenty |
| 2011–2020 | John Fenty(de facto) |
| 2020–2021 | Philip Day |
| 2021–2024 | Jason Stockwood |
| 2024– | Andrew Pettit |
| Person | Grimsby record | Claim to fame |
|---|---|---|
 Elemér Berkessy | Manager, 1954 | Became the first foreign manager in English football with Grimsby. |
| Jackie Bestall | Player, 1926–1938 (427 games, 76 goals) | 1Englandcap (6 February 1935, vsIreland, 2–1,Goodison Park). Has the smallest road in Grimsby and Cleethorpes named after him, the only Town footballer to be honoured in this way. |
| Harry Betmead | Player, 1930–1947 (296 games, 10 goals) | 1 England cap (20 May 1937, vs Finland, 8–0, Helsinki) |
| Garry Birtles | Player, 1989–1991 (69 games, 9 goals) | Won theEuropean Cup title twice withNottingham Forest underBrian Clough, as well as winning theFirst Division, EnglishLeague Cup and theUEFA Super Cup with Forest. He also spent two years playing forManchester United. |
 Kingsley Black | Player, 1996–2001 (141 games, 8 goals) | Won theLeague Cup withLuton Town in 1988. Played in the top flight for both Luton andNottingham Forest. Also earned 30 caps forNorthern Ireland, scoring once. |
| Ivano Bonetti | Player, 1995–96 (22 games, 4 goals) | Played in the ItalianSerie A forJuventus,Sampdoria andTorino amongst others. Became famous for the "plate of chicken" incident which occurred when Grimsby managerBrian Laws launched a plate of chicken at Bonetti during a half time team talk. |
| Alan Buckley | Manager, 1988–1994, 1997–2000, 2006–2008 | Club's most successful manager winning 3 promotions and 1 cup, including the Wembley Double1997–98 season. |
 Danny Coyne | Player, 1999–2003 (181 games) | Welsh international goalkeeper 1996–2007, 11 caps. Won two Player of the Season awards before moving to thePremier League withLeicester City. |
| Gary Croft | Player, 1992–1996 & 2005–2007 (248 games, 4 goals) | Became the record signing when sold toBlackburn Rovers for £1.6 million in 1996, until the sale ofJohn Oster a year later. Became the first footballer to play with anelectronic tag after being charged with driving offences whilst playing forIpswich Town. |
| Tony FordMBE | Player, 1975–1986 & 1991–94 (423 games, 58 goals) | Holds all-time record, 931, for matches played in the English league by an outfield player. Youngest player to play for the club aged 16 years 143 days, 4 October 1975. |
 Hughie Gallacher | Player, 1937–1938 (12 games, 3 goals) | 20 Scotland caps, 23 Scotland goals, member of theWembley Wizards who beat England 5–1 in 1928 |
| Pat Glover | Player, 1929–1938 (227 games, 180 goals) | Welsh international striker (1931–1937), 7 caps. Holds club records for most league goals in a career and in a season (42) as well as most international caps whilst a Grimsby player. |
| Paul Groves | Player, 1992–1996 & 1997–2004 (377 games, 71 goals) Manager, 2001–2004 | Wembley Double-winning captain from the 1997–98 season. |
| Dean Henderson | Player (loan), 2016-2017 (7 games) | England goalkeeper, 2 caps. Winner of the2024–25 FA Cup and2025 FA Community Shield withCrystal Palace. |
| Phil Jevons | Player, 2001–2004 (63 games, 18 goals) | Scored a 35-yard winning goal in extra time to give Grimsby a 2–1 victory overLiverpool atAnfield. |
| John McDermott | Player, 1987–2007 (647 games, 10 goals) | Club's all-time leading appearance holder with 755 games in all competitions. |
| Lawrie McMenemy | Manager 1971–1973 | Was the manager ofSouthampton when they won theFA Cup in 1976. |
| Clive Mendonca | Player, 1991–1997 (187 games, 64 goals) | Winner of Grimsby's BBC cult heroes poll in 2004.[169] Scored a hat-trick inCharlton Athletic's 1998 play-off final win. |
 David Nielsen | Player, 2000–2001 (17 games, 5 goals) | Won theDanish Cup withFC Copenhagen in 1997. Also played top-flight football inDenmark forAalborg BK, andFC Midtjylland, as well asLyngby FC,IK Start andSK Brann inNorway. |
| John Oster | Player, 1996–1997 & 2002–2003 (42 games, 10 goals) | Having started his career with the club, he went on to play International football forWales, and also played in the EnglishPremier League withEverton,Sunderland andReading as well as being the club's record sale at £2 million in 1997. |
 Michael Reddy | Player, 2004–2007 (104 games, 23 goals) | Is currently the only Grimsby player to be named in thePFA Team of the Year |
| Bill Shankly OBE | Manager, 1951–1953 | Liverpool Manager 1959–1974, 3League titles, 2FA Cup wins, 1UEFA Cup win. |
| Graham TaylorOBE | Player, 1962–1968 (189 games, 2 goals) | England Manager 1990–93, W 18 D 13 L 7. |
| George Tweedy | Player, 1932–1952 (347 games) Caretaker Manager 1950–51 | 1 England cap (2 December 1936, vs Hungary, 6–2,Highbury) |
| Billy Walsh | Manager, 1954–1955 | Played forManchester City and international football for four different teams, England Schoolboys, both Ireland teams, theFAI XI and theIFA XI, andNew Zealand |
 Zhang Enhua | Player, 2000–2001 (17 games, 3 goals) | Was the international captain ofChina, which included appearing in2002 FIFA World Cup. In all Enhua featured 68 times, scoring 7 for his country. |
More clubs have lost their managers after meeting Grimsby Town than after playing any other club.[170]
League
Cup
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