The Location Issue

This obsession with players living local is weird. It means intercourse all. In a 16 year teaching career I’ve spent 3 years working locally and have spent almost the entire time living in Grimsby. Did it mean I cared less or bought in to community actions less? Not at all.

Even Man City’s players don’t live in Manchester.

There definitely scope in building an out of town training facility, many a reason including space and opportunities to develop and grow but the owners have an idea and a plan as to why they want it locally and they’re sticking to it. They’ll be the ones that die by their decisions, long term, it doesn’t really impact the fans…

Quoted from aldi_01

This obsession with players living local is weird. It means intercourse all. In a 16 year teaching career I’ve spent 3 years working locally and have spent almost the entire time living in Grimsby. Did it mean I cared less or bought in to community actions less? Not at all.

Even Man City’s players don’t live in Manchester.

There definitely scope in building an out of town training facility, many a reason including space and opportunities to develop and grow but the owners have an idea and a plan as to why they want it locally and they’re sticking to it. They’ll be the ones that die by their decisions, long term, it doesn’t really impact the fans…

Probably want players living locally so its easier to stalk them and take secret pictures of them like that poster did for Charles Vernam

Quoted from aldi_01

This obsession with players living local is weird. It means intercourse all. In a 16 year teaching career I’ve spent 3 years working locally and have spent almost the entire time living in Grimsby. Did it mean I cared less or bought in to community actions less? Not at all.

Even Man City’s players don’t live in Manchester.

There definitely scope in building an out of town training facility, many a reason including space and opportunities to develop and grow but the owners have an idea and a plan as to why they want it locally and they’re sticking to it. They’ll be the ones that die by their decisions, long term, it doesn’t really impact the fans…

If the ambition is to attract better players and go up the leagues then an out of town facility would seem to be more sensible. If community inclusion is the priority then a town based training centre makes sense. Whilst the two aren’t mutually exclusive, the reduction of travel by half an hour each way should surely be more attractive to players based in Leeds, Sheffield, Hull etc?

Quoted from SteffiMariner

I'm sorry but Grimsby is a excrement hole. It doesn't have a tenth of what people would describe as a decent place to live. It's no coincidence that those that leave Grimsby generally don't come back, and those that do, come back to die. The location is shite, we are 45 minutes away from anywhere, The attraction to get people here is not living here, but what you can do whilst you are here - playing in front of vocal home and away support, being lauded like gods when you play well, etching youself into folk lore. It doesn't matter if they are living in Immingham or Inverness, if they don't buy in to the "Grimsby mentality", they won't succeed.

160,000 people odd live in North  East Lincolnshire.  All types of people,  of all professions including footballers. You paint too bleak a picture.

Obviously it is true that Grimsby would not be the first choice if people could live anywhere in the country, but that is not the choice.

League 2 quality footballers do not have that choice; they have a choice of perhaps one club who are willing to pay the transfer fee (if applicable) or maybe a couple of clubs who are willing to match their terms. It then comes down to a choice between the clubs who are bidding.

If they choose Grimsby for footballing or monetary reasons, then aren't going to live on the East Marsh where I grew up; depending on their individual circumstances they will rent or buy in the outlying areas or commute if within travelling distance and I imagine they will get all the assistance from the club they need.

Quoted from aldi_01

This obsession with players living local is weird. It means intercourse all. In a 16 year teaching career I’ve spent 3 years working locally and have spent almost the entire time living in Grimsby. Did it mean I cared less or bought in to community actions less? Not at all.

Even Man City’s players don’t live in Manchester.

There definitely scope in building an out of town training facility, many a reason including space and opportunities to develop and grow but the owners have an idea and a plan as to why they want it locally and they’re sticking to it. They’ll be the ones that die by their decisions, long term, it doesn’t really impact the fans…

There is another alternative.  GTFC relocates. Wimbledon moved 60 miles and became MK Dons and everybody loves them.
We could have a stadium like Billy Smarts Circus, call ourselves GT Wandering Mariners, and put up BP Stadium Tent up for a season outside a local community. Preferably near the player's homes.
Not only can we pick our players, who could walk to work, but not pay taxes etc like the travellers. It's bound to be a winner.
13.5 hrs to go.

Quoted from SteffiMariner

I'm sorry but Grimsby is a excrement hole. It doesn't have a tenth of what people would describe as a decent place to live. It's no coincidence that those that leave Grimsby generally don't come back, and those that do, come back to die. The location is shite, we are 45 minutes away from anywhere, The attraction to get people here is not living here, but what you can do whilst you are here - playing in front of vocal home and away support, being lauded like gods when you play well, etching youself into folk lore. It doesn't matter if they are living in Immingham or Inverness, if they don't buy in to the "Grimsby mentality", they won't succeed.

And yet here you are, can't live in Grimsby, can't live without Grimsby. Seeing anyone for your affliction?

I drove to Grimsby from Sheffield yesterday. At 9.30 I was stuck in a long queue just past Donny which went beyond the junction with the A180. In order to make my 11.30 appointment in Victoria St. I had to leave the M18 at Armthorpe and wend my way across country to use the old A18.

I made my appointment but I guess any players heading to training or to be photographed kissing the Town badge would have been very late.

Accidents, bridge repairs, closure of the Humber Bridge etc. all impact this route fairly often. I should say that the queue heading West was equally long so if a training ground was, say near the closed Donny airport, then the lads from Humberside would have been severely delayed too!

Quoted from Croxton

I drove to Grimsby from Sheffield yesterday. At 9.30 I was stuck in a long queue just past Donny which went beyond the junction with the A180. In order to make my 11.30 appointment in Victoria St. I had to leave the M18 at Armthorpe and wend my way across country to use the old A18.

I made my appointment but I guess any players heading to training or to be photographed kissing the Town badge would have been very late.

Accidents, bridge repairs, closure of the Humber Bridge etc. all impact this route fairly often. I should say that the queue heading West was equally long so if a training ground was, say near the closed Donny airport, then the lads from Humberside would have been severely delayed too!

Yes, but there isn't a day that there isn't traffic problems around Manchester. There are road works every day on the M62 and M60 motorways, the other motorways are as bad (M63 etc) It can take two hours to get from Stockport to Rochdale or Salford to Bury.

Quoted from GrimPol

There is another alternative.  GTFC relocates. Wimbledon moved 60 miles and became MK Dons and everybody loves them.
We could have a stadium like Billy Smarts Circus, call ourselves GT Wandering Mariners, and put up BP Stadium Tent up for a season outside a local community. Preferably near the player's homes.
Not only can we pick our players, who could walk to work, but not pay taxes etc like the travellers. It's bound to be a winner.
13.5 hrs to go.

Then there are those who didn't as in AFC Wimbledon who plays down the road from the old ground.

Quoted from DB

Then there are those who didn't as in AFC Wimbledon who plays down the road from the old ground.

Yep. Grimsby Borough or Cleethorpes Town would pick up a few more fans. They might get big enough to move into the BP Stadium.

Only 10.5 hrs to go.