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Quoted from LH

There's a rumour about that the bus is late again!

The team bus 'hopes' to arrive for 2.45pm. (Today i assume)

Is this the 3rd time in a short spell when we have been late.

Somebody has to take responsibility for this. Anyone can get caught in traffic but it doesnt seem to happen to any other teams on such a regular basis ;)

Three times in two years now, sounds a bit like we need a coach company that does its homework in advance of setting out IMO, JTs there did he fly or is he just better at organisation?

Just said on RH, that the bus is stuck in traffic on the M1 between J24 and J25. The problem is, the driver is now over his driving time, and will needs a 45 min break!!

Quoted from Garth

JTs there did he fly or is he just better at organisation?

Perhaps he should be driving the bus :)

Pretty embarrassing. Once, ok, twice, not a good advert for the club, three?

More embarrassing for the coach company.

So glad I didn't bother going. Maybe I'm a bit stupid but having travelled back to gy from the south mids for nigh on 30 years now, isn't the easiest way to Nuneaton via the a46?

It may be because there are players to pick up en route.

Teams in macca parslow magnay Pearson Thomas mackreth Brown disley Arnold shop Pittman

Maybe the coach/bus should leave a bit earlier in future,

Just a thought . ;D

Hopefully the club will now put an emergency travel plan in place, the closure this morning on the M180 was well publicised which should have set alarm bells ringing.
If the players who live away from the immediate area congregate at different service stations en route then surely in this day and age they be notified that the coach is diverting and they can make their way to a second rendevous point or the ground itself.

Watson's not even on the bench. This would have been a perfect game to give him a run-out in (even as a sub). What's the point in signing players if you're not going to play them?

It seems the coach, like the manager, has no plan B

Whatever the excuse, us fans are here milling about and kicking our heels but the professionals can't make it. Total balderdash. Rang nuneaton and told definitely 3.15 kick off, we knew different. Some people believed it and went in the ground. Stinks.

I've been saying we need a new coach for months but nobody believes me!

3 times in how many months? If going slightly off route to pick players up is the problem let's stop it and managers for that matter.

Quoted from Chrisblor

I feel sorry for anyone who booked train tickets in advance!

I feel for the people heading back to Grimsby on what will be the last train from Nuneaton the 19.58, it involves a 2h10m rail replacement bus drive from Donny due into Grimsby at 00.40!!

2nd to last train back is the 18,22 at this rate match might not be even over!

Traffic is traffic , can't blame the club for other persons having accidents . Unfortunate , unavoidable . Setting off six hours before kick off for a 2 hour journey nothing wrong with thst .

Quoted from poomehellt

I feel for the people heading back to Grimsby on what will be the last train from Nuneaton the 19.58, it involves a 2h10m rail replacement bus drive from Donny due into Grimsby at 00.40!!

2nd to last train back is the 18,22 at this rate match might not be even over!

Yeh me too

Quoted from DocTower

Traffic is traffic , can't blame the club for other persons having accidents . Unfortunate , unavoidable . Setting off six hours before kick off for a 2 hour journey nothing wrong with thst .

Some common sense, at last, about a situation that is out of the clubs control. Sure , the club could have left earlier but who's to know they wouldn't have got caught up in another traffic jam or even involved in a RTA? Too many fans seem to want to blame the club for anything that happens, even those that are unpredictable. The saddening thing is that this was a road traffic accident and although I don't know the outcome it is quite possible there were casualties or even, God forbid , fatalities ! All this right on Christmas as well. This puts delaying the match or inconveniencing the fans in a different perspective , especially if one of their " nearest and dearest " had been involved.

I drove past this incident just after it happened. The car was very beaten up all over but what struck me was a severe impact close to the rear nearside passenger door. The bit that shocked me most was a child seat seen just inside the car and a stretcher with what appeared to be a small child receiving treatment.

I am not normally easily upset but the sight of this really upset me and did so for several hours after. A friend of mine has other information that suggests a 2 year old lost their life in this accident, although this is speculation and not confirmed, I really hope that is not the case.

The road condition was the worst I have ever seen. Police seemed to be patrolling slowly with blue lights on in an effort to warn drivers that the conditions were treacherous.

I passed one car on its roof in lane 1 just after the first Scunthorpe junction (Forest Pines) before coming across the accident that ultimately closed the road. I probably passed just before it was closed. Several other shunts could be seen on the hard shoulder. The outside lane was like glass, not sure if it was gritted or not but it was like an ice rink.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I've been saying we need a new coach for months but nobody believes me!

I blame the driver
[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/34o29n7.jpg[/IMG]

Quoted from promotion plaice

I blame the driver
[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/34o29n7.jpg[/IMG]

Is this the Maidstone guys Dad ????? You want some ???? ;D

Quoted from ivanosandwich

I am not normally easily upset but the sight of this really upset me and did so for several hours after. A friend of mine has other information that suggests a 2 year old lost their life in this accident, although this is speculation and not confirmed, I really hope that is not the case.

Sadly it's true :(
[url=http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Boy-2-killed-M180-crash/story-25712100-detail/story.html]http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Boy-2-killed-M180-crash/story-25712100-detail/story.html[/url]

Quoted from promotion plaice

I blame the driver
[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/34o29n7.jpg[/IMG]

Homeeeeeeeee

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

3 times in how many months? If going slightly off route to pick players up is the problem let's stop it and managers for that matter.

Agree totally. the club/manager should insist that all squad players stay in Grimsby on the night prior to a game, then there would be no need to divert to pick up players en route to the game. I know you can't legislate for traffic hold ups but at least it would give the driver options. Should do it for home games also, didn't one of our players fail to make the start of a home game last season because he got stuck in traffic on the M62?

Terrible news about the little lad who lost his life in the accident,

Hurst said its just bad luck we have been delayed 3 times,

It's only a matter of time before the league start to fine us or even take points off us if it happens again,

I can not think of any club that has been late twice for a game never mind 3 times,

As a professional club we must look at this so we can avoid it happening again,

Somebody said we left 6 hours before KO for a 2 hour journey,

I am sure the team was not held up for 4 hours ,

Never mind what Hurst says, sort it out Mr Fenty,

Funny how John and most of the fans can get to these games in time.

Quoted from rancido

Some common sense, at last, about a situation that is out of the clubs control. Sure , the club could have left earlier but who's to know they wouldn't have got caught up in another traffic jam or even involved in a RTA? Too many fans seem to want to blame the club for anything that happens, even those that are unpredictable. The saddening thing is that this was a road traffic accident and although I don't know the outcome it is quite possible there were casualties or even, God forbid , fatalities ! All this right on Christmas as well. This puts delaying the match or inconveniencing the fans in a different perspective , especially if one of their " nearest and dearest " had been involved.

I can't believe someone would give you an x for posting this Rancido :B

Given the latest information, now confirmed about the young lad having lost his life and how this will impact on his immediate family for ever I find it completely despicable that someone has such a callous outlook on life and death. Shame on them

Quoted from rancido

Some common sense, at last, about a situation that is out of the clubs control. Sure , the club could have left earlier but who's to know they wouldn't have got caught up in another traffic jam or even involved in a RTA? Too many fans seem to want to blame the club for anything that happens, even those that are unpredictable. The saddening thing is that this was a road traffic accident and although I don't know the outcome it is quite possible there were casualties or even, God forbid , fatalities ! All this right on Christmas as well. This puts delaying the match or inconveniencing the fans in a different perspective , especially if one of their " nearest and dearest " had been involved.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Terrible news about the little lad who lost his life in the accident,

Hurst said its just bad luck we have been delayed 3 times,

It's only a matter of time before the league start to fine us or even take points off us if it happens again,

I can not think of any club that has been late twice for a game never mind 3 times,

As a professional club we must look at this so we can avoid it happening again,

Somebody said we left 6 hours before KO for a 2 hour journey,

I am sure the team was not held up for 4 hours ,

Never mind what Hurst says, sort it out Mr Fenty,

Funny how John and most of the fans can get to these games in time.

As it was said on the post match interview it was not the Scunthorpe accident that made them late but the second accident on the M1 just before the M66, unless you have a crystal ball who knows what the best way to get to a match would be.
we where lucky and chose the a46 and got there in time, but one accident on those single lane roads and we would have been stuffed.
for me 6 hours before KO is more than enough time to travel 120 miles

It's incompetence on the behalf of the coach company esp as it's happened 3 times this season . Any transport company with an ounce of professionalism should have transport managers who keep an eye on what's happening on the routes there vehicles are taking and reroute if necessary . Esp if they are time critical EG 3pm ko .

Quoted from cleethorpes_mariner

for me 6 hours before KO is more than enough time to travel 120 miles

Obviously not , once is understandable, twice is unlucky, 3 times is just bad management ,

I am not calling the club, the coach company are the ones to blame

Four times and I bet we get a fine.

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

It's incompetence on the behalf of the coach company esp as it's happened 3 times this season . Any transport company with an ounce of professionalism should have transport managers who keep an eye on what's happening on the routes there vehicles are taking and reroute if necessary . Esp if they are time critical EG 3pm ko .

Can they predict when and where there will be a fatal crash too?

Quoted from Les Brechin

Can they predict when and where there will be a fatal crash too?

No Les but as a professional company they should take all factors into consideration including motorway closures,

It's better to get to your destination one hour earlier than planned rather than 10 minutes late.

As I have said on other posts, John Fenty and most fans get to the ground in plenty of time so you would expect the coach company to do the same,

How many other clubs have had a game postponed or delayed other than us in the last 18 months ?

Quoted from grimsby pete

No Les but as a professional company they should take all factors into consideration including motorway closures,

It's better to get to your destination one hour earlier than planned rather than 10 minutes late.

As I have said on other posts, John Fenty and most fans get to the ground in plenty of time so you would expect the coach company to do the same,

How many other clubs have had a game postponed or delayed other than us in the last 18 months ?

So how do you allow for ANOTHER accident on your chosen alternative route? Some of the thinking on this really pi**es me off. For some destinations there are a limited number of routes. It just seems that a lot of posters want to use this unfortunate incident to beat the club up AGAIN. One previous poster suggested that all the players should depart from Grimsby and stay in the town the previous night - FFS. More unnecessary cost for what could be a highly unlikely incident and another reason why some players might not want to play for us. The fact that it has happened to us three times in 2 seasons is very unlucky but spread those times over the last 30 or 40 seasons and all of a sudden it doesn't seem so bad , statistically.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I can't believe someone would give you an x for posting this Rancido :B

Given the latest information, now confirmed about the young lad having lost his life and how this will impact on his immediate family for ever I find it completely despicable that someone has such a callous outlook on life and death. Shame on them

Unfortunately that is the attitude of some posters on here Les. Very sad but true.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Can they predict when and where there will be a fatal crash too?

No of course not but simple traffic flow websites immediately show where problems are occurring giving plenty of time to divert . The very unfortunate crash on the m180 happened before the team bus left GY so the coach company would've had plenty of time to check . I can do it on my phone ffs as I drive round the country so I'm sure a professional coach company can . However looking at the state of their buses I'm not surprised really .

Quoted from rancido

So how do you allow for ANOTHER accident on your chosen alternative route? Some of the thinking on this really pi**es me off. For some destinations there are a limited number of routes. It just seems that a lot of posters want to use this unfortunate incident to beat the club up AGAIN. One previous poster suggested that all the players should depart from Grimsby and stay in the town the previous night - FFS. More unnecessary cost for what could be a highly unlikely incident and another reason why some players might not want to play for us. The fact that it has happened to us three times in 2 seasons is very unlucky but spread those times over the last 30 or 40 seasons and all of a sudden it doesn't seem so bad , statistically.

If you read this post and my other posts on this subject,

You will find I put the blame on the coach company NOT the club,

If the club need to get to a certain destination at a certain time,

The coach company decide what time the coach departs NOT the club.

Quoted from grimsby pete

It's only a matter of time before the league start to fine us or even take points off us if it happens again,

Saturday had nothing to do with the league.

Quoted from Abdul19

Saturday had nothing to do with the league.

That allows us another late arrival then. ;D

Quoted from grimsby pete

No Les but as a professional company they should take all factors into consideration including motorway closures,

It's better to get to your destination one hour earlier than planned rather than 10 minutes late.

As I have said on other posts, John Fenty and most fans get to the ground in plenty of time so you would expect the coach company to do the same,

How many other clubs have had a game postponed or delayed other than us in the last 18 months ?

I can't remember the teams involved but I'm sure there was a similar incident just after the Macclesfield game but they managed to play the following day as I can remember people saying how come they could arrange for a referee a day later when apparently none were available for us.

I can also remember the season before last when Ebbsfleet played away at Barrow in midweek and the Ebbsfleet coach was caught up in traffic on the M6 and the game didn't kick off until 9.30pm.

Quoted from Les Brechin

[/b]

I can't remember the teams involved but I'm sure there was a similar incident just after the Macclesfield game but they managed to play the following day as I can remember people saying how come they could arrange for a referee a day later when apparently none were available for us.

I can also remember the season before last when Ebbsfleet played away at Barrow in midweek and the Ebbsfleet coach was caught up in traffic on the M6 and the game didn't kick off until 9.30pm.

Not sure if such evidence is admissible Les when the case in point is all about trying to prove that we as a club are not quick enough off the mark when it comes to transport plans, the proverbial slow coaches you could say ;)

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Not sure if such evidence is admissible Les when the case in point is all about trying to prove that we as a club are not quick enough off the mark when it comes to transport plans, the proverbial slow coaches you could say ;)

I wasn't trying to make any point. Pete asked if any other teams have had games delayed/postponed and I was just answering his question,

I am not blaming our club like I have said a few times,

BUT

It's only a matter of time ( no pun intended ) that if this continues we will be fined or forfeit  the points,

Some clubs have had no problems for years , some have had one hold up.

We have had 3 in 18 months,

Who has the contract and should we be using another coach company, ?

A mate of mine was the controller at Granville Tours when Laurie Macmenemy  was manager,

Big Mac used to say to my mate, " we do not have to leave until x amount of time to get to there"

My mate would reply " you manage the team and leave the traffic arrangements to me  :) "

So if this coach company are professional they should be doing the same,

They should look at the route , calculate how many hours it would take to get there, give extra time for pick ups on the way,

Put extra time in for hold ups and plan a route B if they find out a problem in time to divert,

  Factor all these things in and tell the club what time the coach will leave the first departure point

It's not rocket science,

Just had a thought that would solve this issue,

When a floodlight bulb goes out , John Fenty climbs up and replaces it,

John gets to all away games on time,

SO,

Get John to drive the coach, sorted 8)

Quoted from grimsby pete

Just had a thought that would solve this issue,

When a floodlight bulb goes out , John Fenty climbs up and replaces it,

John gets to all away games on time,

SO,

Get John to drive the coach, sorted 8)

You are joking Pete? He'll get more points than Town. LOL!

UTM!

Quoted from grimsby pete

If you read this post and my other posts on this subject,

You will find I put the blame on the coach company NOT the club,

If the club need to get to a certain destination at a certain time,

The coach company decide what time the coach departs NOT the club.

And if you read my post I said " Some posters " and certainly didn't name you. Everyone seems to forget about the limitations on a driver being at the wheel. They are compelled by law to take definite breaks after a certain length of time driving. If a coach is held up for 60 mins that is still counted as driving time. As I understand it the coach was held up by a second incident which all adds up. It's easy for posters on here to say they can check on their mobiles for any traffic incidents but have they any experience in traffic control or transport logistics? As the saying goes " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

From what I understand the coach went a certain way to pick players up on route, and it was known that there was a problem before they picked the said players up on that route. So why did they not avoid that route and contact the players to make there own way to Nuneaton either in there own cars or Taxis using back roads that a coach would not be able to take?

Sheffield / Rotherham area mini bus pick up for those over that way, and meet up en route to make a personnel transfer.

If staff live away from this town by choice, then they should pay for the mini bus & driver !

Bus company to supply second driver - to cover any times when the allotted time may expire for driver 1.

It's not rocket science, just needs better planning for each venue / route.

If you want all your best players there and available, and also let them and the manager live out of the area, they must put up with some inconvenience to be able to fully represent the club and arrive on time for all away games.

Question - if the player is injured badly enough not to be able to drive home from a drop off, and has parked a car en route, who would pay / organise the vehicle pick up on a return journey?

Club cost as part of any contract agreements??

Quoted from rancido

And if you read my post I said " Some posters " and certainly didn't name you. Everyone seems to forget about the limitations on a driver being at the wheel. They are compelled by law to take definite breaks after a certain length of time driving. If a coach is held up for 60 mins that is still counted as driving time. As I understand it the coach was held up by a second incident which all adds up. It's easy for posters on here to say they can check on their mobiles for any traffic incidents but have they any experience in traffic control or transport logistics? As the saying goes " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

This

and with the ever increasing traffic on the roads today the problems are only likely to get worse.

Quoted from rancido

And if you read my post I said " Some posters " and certainly didn't name you. Everyone seems to forget about the limitations on a driver being at the wheel. They are compelled by law to take definite breaks after a certain length of time driving. If a coach is held up for 60 mins that is still counted as driving time. As I understand it the coach was held up by a second incident which all adds up. It's easy for posters on here to say they can check on their mobiles for any traffic incidents but have they any experience in traffic control or transport logistics? As the saying goes " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

You quoted my post so I assumed you was referring to me.

If only we hadnt stopped using Peter Sheffield's...those where the days...never late then...grumble grumble...
mind you in 1978 there were only a fraction of the cars on the road and no such thing as roadworks..lol.

Quoted from moosey_club

If only we hadnt stopped using Peter Sheffield's...those where the days...never late then...grumble grumble...
mind you in 1978 there were only a fraction of the cars on the road and no such thing as roadworks..lol.

[quote=3172]
If staff live away from this town by choice, then they should pay for the mini bus & driver !

/quote]

If your employer offered you a years contract and then expected you to move home would you? Being out on a geographical limb we already struggle to attract the right calibre of players. A lot of players in their mid/late twenties and beyond have families. The financial realities of short term contracts at this level dictate the behaviour.
Alas it might not be "rocket science" but it is never quite as simple as it seems... :-/

Quoted from barralad

[quote=3172]
If staff live away from this town by choice, then they should pay for the mini bus & driver !

/quote]

If your employer offered you a years contract and then expected you to move home would you? Being out on a geographical limb we already struggle to attract the right calibre of players. A lot of players in their mid/late twenties and beyond have families. The financial realities of short term contracts at this level dictate the behaviour.
Alas it might not be "rocket science" but it is never quite as simple as it seems... :-/

Well mate - perhaps the long-term strategic answer to this particular topographical-demographic conundrum is simply to take the fantastic new stadium idea to the extreme and build the Youngs/J Fenty Superbowl Arena somewhere near Doncaster...or Milton Keynes maybe. They have excellent transportation links.

Only joking. Or am I?

I'll get me coat.

It would be a valid point if it weren't for the fact that many people on here are expected to move house potentially every 3 years, or even less. The military have a habit of pesky postings to the nether regions of the country and moving house isn't really a choice. It's a necessity. Footballers are paid, dare I say, more handsomely than most airmen, sailors and soldiers so yeah, make them move to the area their employer is and if they can't or won't, don't employ them.
Town have a few local guest houses that they use to house the younger or single players, I remember Ryan Bennett saying he had done great times as a young player in those digs, perhaps we offer a relocation package that isn't as attractive to some more senior players? Who knows what goes on in contract negotiations?!

Quoted from Biccys

It would be a valid point if it weren't for the fact that many people on here are expected to move house potentially every 3 years, or even less. The military have a habit of pesky postings to the nether regions of the country and moving house isn't really a choice. It's a necessity. Footballers are paid, dare I say, more handsomely than most airmen, sailors and soldiers so yeah, make them move to the area their employer is and if they can't or won't, don't employ them.
Town have a few local guest houses that they use to house the younger or single players, I remember Ryan Bennett saying he had done great times as a young player in those digs, perhaps we offer a relocation package that isn't as attractive to some more senior players? Who knows what goes on in contract negotiations?!

That couple of sentences encapsulates the problem for me. The military provide accommodation for not only single servicemen but families. The support networks are there. As you say many postings are a minimum of three years. Players signing contracts for one season at the fifth level of English professional football who have families will not want to relocate but, instead will stay in the Midlands etc. where there are several clubs within easy reach. I honestly believe that expecting players to relocate would signify the end of any possibility of ever getting back in the Football League

Quoted from barralad

I honestly believe that expecting players to relocate would signify the end of any possibility of ever getting back in the Football League

not relocating hasnt exactly worked out as yet has it ?

Maybe this season.....(again)....

Quoted from moosey_club

not relocating hasnt exactly worked out as yet has it ?

Maybe this season.....(again)....

Fair point-and I'm trying not to appear like a smart-ar*e lawyer here but I'm sure a while back we adopted such a policy-which didn't work either! We're all doomed I tell you! :)

Quoted from barralad

Fair point-and I'm trying not to appear like a smart-ar*e lawyer here but I'm sure a while back we adopted such a policy-which didn't work either! We're all doomed I tell you! :)

I'm sure Newell and Woods insisted players lived in or around Grimsby, definitely Newell anyway?

I don't give a monkeys where they live as long as we get promotion.

When I was a bricklayer I worked in London for a year and never moved lock, stock and barrel down there, so wouldn't expect players to move here for a years contract

Quoted from barralad

Fair point-and I'm trying not to appear like a smart-ar*e lawyer here but I'm sure a while back we adopted such a policy-which didn't work either! We're all doomed I tell you! :)

as its Panto season....

Oh no we didnt...

Quoted from moosey_club

as its Panto season....

Oh no we didnt...

:) ;D

Quoted from Tom13

I'm sure Newell and Woods insisted players lived in or around Grimsby, definitely Newell anyway?

I know Woods was quite enthusiastic about all the players living locally as it fostered a good tight knit atmosphere (well apart from when Lee Ridley and Lewis Gobern had their face off!)

On the travel issue, wasn't it when Newell was here that the bus driver got the heave ho? Seems things haven't really gone that well on that front then.... ::)