One for our younger Fishy members.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1196-may-2015/12417-get-with-the-programme-grimsby-v-sheffield-utd

What a game; what a day.

Quoted from Belfast Town

One for our younger Fishy members.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1196-may-2015/12417-get-with-the-programme-grimsby-v-sheffield-utd

What a game; what a day.

That Sheff Utd game and the Exeter game ( '72 ) have to be two of the most enjoyable and memorable occasions most of us here will ever experience at BP

Top drawer performances from top of the table teams both times and so deserved all the accolades too

Just hope that our newer / younger supporters get to witness if only once what I have had the privilege to see more than once.....GTFC as champions

UTM GTID

That was my first "proper" season at BP. I naively thought silverware was something that came along regularly. Wasn't the auto windscreen the next trophy we won 18 years later? Probably wouldn't have come back if I'd known  :-/

It was my first ever Town game. Dad gave me the choice of this or going to watch the gimps. Thank god I chose Town. Bl88dy Sliding Doors moment. Sends the shivers down my spine to think of my life if I had made the wrong choice.

I didn't.

UTM

It was a great day watching Town win the title in front of a electric atmosphere in BP ( reminds me of the Everton cup game)

I see Towns two goalscorers that day are at the Carr Lane Social Club tomorrow night -

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Town-legend-Waters-makes-return-Blundell-Park/story-28233823-detail/story.html?

Was in the Pontoon, great day.

At the end of the game the Sheff Utd fans threw coins at our handicap supporters as they had to stay behind so the fans did not mix outside.

Joe Waters ran full length of the pitch to score a belter. Games like that hooked me as a kid and 30 odd years later I can still recall shoving my feet through the picket fence at the front of the Pontoon to get a better view.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Was in the Pontoon, great day.

I was there in the Ponny too,

It was not you who pis sed down my leg was it Arry ?  ;D

Quoted from grimsby pete

I was there in the Ponny too,

It was not you who pis sed down my leg was it Arry ?  ;D

Apologies, I was desperate and didn't want to lose my place.  :P

I can still 'taste' the atmosphere of that game.

I was 16 years of age and stood in the Barratt Stand. Dear old Charles Ekberg was commentating that day and went through the possible scenarios of who would win the 3rd Division Championship (us or Blackburn Rovers).

A win was the requirement to guarantee the title and what a win it was.

As my bookmarked status below has always stated .......... 1979/80.....now that was a team!

Quoted from promotion plaice

It was a great day watching Town win the title in front of a electric atmosphere in BP ( reminds me of the Everton cup game)

I see Towns two goalscorers that day are at the Carr Lane Social Club tomorrow night -

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Town-legend-Waters-makes-return-Blundell-Park/story-28233823-detail/story.html?

What a night, Mick Brolley scoring both.

I can still see the headlines on the back page of the Daily Mirror the day after, it read- "Brolley reigns"

I think it was October 1979, but not certain.

UTM

Quoted from mariner tommy

What a night, Mick Brolley scoring both.

I can still see the headlines on the back page of the Daily Mirror the day after, it read- "Brolley reigns"

I think it was October 1979, but not certain.

UTM

In the Pontoon for that one as well.

Quoted from arryarryarry

In the Pontoon for that one as well.

Lots of us were 'Arry....we used to be packed in there like sardines for the big games back then

Made for a fantastic atmosphere though...no comparison at all with today's seating arrangements in the Pontoon

Also that season, apart from beating Sheffield United in the last game, this is how good we finished the season-
We lost eight games in the league up to mid November, then after that we only lost two more league games for the rest of the season.
We went top of the league in March, after drawing with Hull City away, and stayed there till May.
We had a 15 game unbeaten run to the end of the season.
Also getting to round 5 of the league cup, only losing to Wolves in the 2nd replay.
The only fly in the ointment was losing to Liverpool, away 5-0  in the FA Cup 3rd round.
Probably has to be my favourite season supporting town, of all time. Even though 71-72 took some beating.
Great, great times.

They will return.

UTM

I remember the day very much. I was celebrating my 18th Birthday that day and I remember the Sheff Utd supporters continuing to sing throughtout the game even though they got a hammering

Quoted from mariner tommy

Also that season, apart from beating Sheffield United in the last game, this is how good we finished the season-
We lost eight games in the league up to mid November, then after that we only lost two more league games for the rest of the season.
We went top of the league in March, after drawing with Hull City away, and stayed there till May.
We had a 15 game unbeaten run to the end of the season.
Also getting to round 5 of the league cup, only losing to Wolves in the 2nd replay.
The only fly in the ointment was losing to Liverpool, away 5-0  in the FA Cup 3rd round.
Probably has to be my favourite season supporting town, of all time. Even though 71-72 took some beating.
Great, great times.

They will return.

UTM

Also my favourite season supporting Town, I went to all the games you picked out.

I cannot remember for the life of me where the second Wolves replay was, I think it may have been at Derby was it ?

UTM

Quoted from mariner tommy

I cannot remember for the life of me where the second Wolves replay was, I think it may have been at Derby was it ?

UTM

Yes the Baseball Ground, I nearly got mixed up with the Southampton replay at Filbert Street, its an age thing.

Has any on here ever seen the TV footage of the Town 4 v 0 Sheff Utd game?    

Random footage often turns up on Mariners World & YouTube. But have never seen this.

It was before my time - but remember writing to Goals on Sunday years ago when they used to ask for fans to request  to view a game from years ago. Never got it! 😥

GTID

Quoted from promotion plaice

Yes the Baseball Ground, I nearly got mixed up with the Southampton replay at Filbert Street, its an age thing.

Yep, you're so right there, thanks

UTM

We where stood in the main just near the tunnel/dug out Area. I just remember Kev Drinkall being absolutely unplayable that day. We had won promotion the week earlier at Mansfield and we walked to BP that day nervous about whether we could land the title or not but after the first 10 mins it was never in doubt.

Over the years I have had more happier times than sad at BP but this I think was my favourite and against a Yorkshire Team too. As mad as it sounded I remember thinking the crowd was a bit small after the Everton & Wolves games earlier that's season..........That sounds mad now.  

Very apt that this programme is featured considering Joe Waters and some of the lads from that era are back in town.

Quoted from arryarryarry

In the Pontoon for that one as well.

So was I  ;)

Quoted from arryarryarry

Apologies, I was desperate and didn't want to lose my place.  :P

In the old Ponny before the Bradford fire,

It was always catching fire as fans put their ciggies out,

We just peed on it and put it out. ;D

Remember hearing the wall of noise BEFORE the game walking up to the ground.

Crushed in the Pontoon  but that incessant chant of "Mariners,Mariners,Mariners" that started in the ponny and went right around the ground was so intimidating to any side it was worth a goal.

What a fantastic side that was best midfielder in Joey Walters and Kev Drinkall was the best striker I have ever seen grace BP and that includes sir Matt Tees and Super Clive.

Of course the Sheffield sides always packed the away end which made for a cracking atmosphere something we really miss here now.

Started watching Town in the Lawrie Mac era. Then we had this great team in 79/80 and was still to hear of Alan Buckley and the great teams he built. OOH! if only you young 'uns could have seen a team of this calibre............

I have some photos but need help posting them any advice?

Quoted from mariner tommy

Also that season, apart from beating Sheffield United in the last game, this is how good we finished the season-
We lost eight games in the league up to mid November, then after that we only lost two more league games for the rest of the season.
We went top of the league in March, after drawing with Hull City away, and stayed there till May.
We had a 15 game unbeaten run to the end of the season.
Also getting to round 5 of the league cup, only losing to Wolves in the 2nd replay.
The only fly in the ointment was losing to Liverpool, away 5-0  in the FA Cup 3rd round.
Probably has to be my favourite season supporting town, of all time. Even though 71-72 took some beating.
Great, great times.

They will return.

UTM

The Hull away game was played in March due to the original game being postponed due to frosty weather on New Years day I think. We got a late, late equalizer and I think we all knew from that moment we would go up.

Of course it was played at the old Boothferry park which was a lovely big old fashioned ground and they were thousands of us in there willing us to put one over the old enemy - our true rivals not these  Scunny or Imps imposters.

It was a fantastic season - only spoiled for me when I couldn't go to the Liverpool away game when I attended a family wedding. Luckily someone sneeked a radio into church so I knew the score!

Another time when we played Hull away I postponed my honeymoon  so I could go but that of course would be expected for any true fan. A few days earlier I had the reception at Blundell Park!!

I sincerely hope all the younger fans will enjoy days/seasons like the ones a lot of us have been priveleged to see.

Great memories for me. I feel that these are the sort of memories that so frustrate some of us old git's on here now that we are having to watch us playing teams like Dover and Braintree every week.

Very eventful weekend for me, I met my wife to be the on the Thursday prior to the match at the Flamingo. Fantastic game on the Saturday and first date that night at Clouds !

I recall everyone singing "Oh Deano" during the song Gino by Dexy's Midnight Runners that night !

Fantastic memories and still married after 35 yrs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

The Hull away game was played in March due to the original game being postponed due to frosty weather on New Years day I think. We got a late, late equalizer and I think we all knew from that moment we would go up.

Of course it was played at the old Boothferry park which was a lovely big old fashioned ground and they were thousands of us in there willing us to put one over the old enemy - our true rivals not these  Scunny or Imps imposters.

I nearly got squashed at that game so many town fans for the area behind the goal until they open the bit on the side,

I was not so big then ( fat )  ;D

Quoted from Sir Matt Tease

Great memories for me. I feel that these are the sort of memories that so frustrate some of us old git's on here now that we are having to watch us playing teams like Dover and Braintree every week.

Very eventful weekend for me, I met my wife to be the on the Thursday prior to the match at the Flamingo. Fantastic game on the Saturday and first date that night at Clouds !

I recall everyone singing "Oh Deano" during the song Gino by Dexy's Midnight Runners that night !

Fantastic memories and still married after 35 yrs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was a regular in the Flamingo on a Thursday night.

This bunch of home-grown boys, such as Kevin Drinkell, Tony Ford, The Moore Brothers, Gary Lund, Paul Wilkinson, Bob Cumming and the fantastic little Irishman Joe Waters as our captain, took the whole Football League by storm, sweeping all before them with a highest place of 5th in the old 2nd Division during that period. Although McMenemy’s team and the ones later assembled by Alan Buckley were all great teams, this one from about 1978 to the early 80s was easily the best and most talented Grimsby Town team I have ever seen. And best of all, they hardly cost a penny as most of them were nurtured through Town’s youth scheme by Tom Casey and later John Newman, followed by George Kerr who once said it got to the stage where he didn’t even need to talk tactics or tell the players what to do – they were so instinctively capable.

No play offs in those days,

We might have got back into the top division if there was.

I remember when George was sacked and Dave Booth took over. We signed Chris Nicholl and for the first time ever I began to think the club was really going to go for promotion to the top flight. We had the new stand, backing from big local & national businesses and class players. All the local lads were desperate to play for the club too. That was followed by the arrival of Andy Peake from Leicester and Paul Emson coming home from Derby. The only fly in the ointment was signing Jimmy Gilligan from Watford! ;D

Quoted from A Brace Of Tees

This bunch of home-grown boys, such as Kevin Drinkell, Tony Ford, The Moore Brothers, Gary Lund, Paul Wilkinson, Bob Cumming and the fantastic little Irishman Joe Waters as our captain, took the whole Football League by storm, sweeping all before them with a highest place of 5th in the old 2nd Division during that period. Although McMenemy’s team and the ones later assembled by Alan Buckley were all great teams, this one from about 1978 to the early 80s was easily the best and most talented Grimsby Town team I have ever seen. And best of all, they hardly cost a penny as most of them were nurtured through Town’s youth scheme by Tom Casey and later John Newman, followed by George Kerr who once said it got to the stage where he didn’t even need to talk tactics or tell the players what to do – they were so instinctively capable.

Not so sure myself. At their height, the Buckley side played some of the best football i've ever seen and Whymark was the best player i ever saw in a Town shirt, with Futch not far behind. Tough call.

A great couple of interviews with Joe and George on Mariner Player, some great memories of the team at that time.

I suppose it's hard sometimes to accept where we are now looking back on a team that did so well in the Championship etc

But at least we have those memories!


Anyway time for my incontinence tablets...nurse!

Quoted from Teesknees

A great couple of interviews with Joe and George on Mariner Player, some great memories of the team at that time.

I suppose it's hard sometimes to accept where we are now looking back on a team that did so well in the Championship etc

But at least we have those memories!


Anyway time for my incontinence tablets...nurse!

Don't let's forget though that we had been in a relative "footballing wilderness" for 16 years before we became the champions beating Sheff Utd...

Since we'd been relegated in '64 we only had the '72 McMenemy season to really fire us up. Sure there were a few tasty cup ties along the way before the 79-80 season ( West Ham for example in the FLC who we took to a replay and of course the big FAC day out in Coventry) but my first few years at BP saw more downs than ups

I'll never forget our first game back up with the "big boys of the 2nd division"...away to Shrewsbury and I thought that day it had never been any better. The highest I had ever seen Town in the FL and so proud to be part of the fans that welcomed them out that afternoon.

We didn't win but when Drinks got the equaliser in a 1-1 draw, I knew my Town had lifted us back up where we belonged and for the most part of the next 23 years, we stayed there on merit. Sure we punched above our weight a lot, but we feared no-one

And of course, even when we went off course for a few years, we still bounced right back with double promtions under AB and then the double Wembley wins of '98

The feeling following Town now is a bit similar in some respects...yes we've fallen to our lowest level ever but the backing that we get from the fans now and the team spirit we have now isn't too dissimilar to what we saw back then...

Maybe, just maybe, the tide has turned.... We Are Town!

UTM GTID

"We went top of the league in March, and stayed there till May.
We had a 15 game unbeaten run to the end of the season."

Is that the right time of the season to go top and have the unbeaten run to remember ???

And that day is still the last Championship winning game!  :o

That year there was loads of big games in the cups and the league title and yes it may feel hard to believe but if we get promoted this year to me it would be right up there with that season.

One game that does stand out was beating Wimbledon at Plough Lane 6 - 3 (think it was 1 - 1 at half time) took us ages to get there and back but the pies where great.

On the way home on the M1 we got stopped by the coppers as the scarves where hanging out of the car window........we pulled over thinking we where going to get pinched but all they wanted to know was which game we had been to and what the score was, clearly football is not the only place where times have changed.  

  

Quoted from A Brace Of Tees

This bunch of home-grown boys, such as Kevin Drinkell, Tony Ford, The Moore Brothers, Gary Lund, Paul Wilkinson, Bob Cumming and the fantastic little Irishman Joe Waters as our captain, took the whole Football League by storm, sweeping all before them with a highest place of 5th in the old 2nd Division during that period. Although McMenemy’s team and the ones later assembled by Alan Buckley were all great teams, this one from about 1978 to the early 80s was easily the best and most talented Grimsby Town team I have ever seen. And best of all, they hardly cost a penny as most of them were nurtured through Town’s youth scheme by Tom Casey and later John Newman, followed by George Kerr who once said it got to the stage where he didn’t even need to talk tactics or tell the players what to do – they were so instinctively capable.

Bob wasn't home grown je was from Airdrie but he did come through the Town's youth set up after signing from Baillieston. Hardest man I've ever seen on a football pitch ever.

Quoted from jock dock tower

Bob wasn't home grown je was from Airdrie but he did come through the Town's youth set up after signing from Baillieston. Hardest man I've ever seen on a football pitch ever.

Agreed, apart from Pat Piggott !

Quoted from jock dock tower

Bob wasn't home grown je was from Airdrie but he did come through the Town's youth set up after signing from Baillieston. Hardest man I've ever seen on a football pitch ever.

Norman Hunter will testify to that......... Also think he finished Allan Clarkes career with a fair but crunching tackle.

Bobby was also one of the best players of that era especially running at defenders and cutting in. Chipped in with a fair few goals too.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Norman Hunter will testify to that......... Also think he finished Allan Clarkes career with a fair but crunching tackle.

Bobby was also one of the best players of that era especially running at defenders and cutting in. Chipped in with a fair few goals too.

My all time favourite Town player.

If he couldn't go round a player, he'd go through him.

I wonder how long he would last on the pitch in this day and age.

I can remember one game when Joe Waters was taken out badly by an opponent and someone shouted "It was Number 5 Bobby". Sure enough a few minutes later said number 5 was writhing around in agony after Bobby had introduced himself to him.  :)

Bobby was not that tall but could jump well,

Score a few with his head as well as both feet.

One of my memories of that fantastic season was from
the away game at Bramhall Lane and reading in the matchday
programme their manager ( Harry Haslam, I think ) writing that
" Today's opponents had no right to be up there "

I don't know whether our players read them but we didn't half
stuff those words down his throat a few months later.

Quoted from Caveman

One of my memories of that fantastic season was from
the away game at Bramhall Lane and reading in the matchday
programme their manager ( Harry Haslam, I think ) writing that
" Today's opponents had no right to be up there "

I don't know whether our players read them but we didn't half
stuff those words down his throat a few months later.

Remember that game well....we drew 1-1 around Christmas / New Year time

A couple of weeks after we'd dumped them out of the cup at BP too

Pretty good atmosphere on the day but nowhere near as good as that last game of the season!  ;)

Not sure whether Haslam was still in charge but I'm pretty sure Sheffield United were relegated the very next season. Perhaps we just didn't deserve to be two leagues higher than them :)

Quoted from A Brace Of Tees

This bunch of home-grown boys, such as Kevin Drinkell, Tony Ford, The Moore Brothers, Gary Lund, Paul Wilkinson, Bob Cumming and the fantastic little Irishman Joe Waters as our captain, took the whole Football League by storm, sweeping all before them with a highest place of 5th in the old 2nd Division during that period. Although McMenemy’s team and the ones later assembled by Alan Buckley were all great teams, this one from about 1978 to the early 80s was easily the best and most talented Grimsby Town team I have ever seen. And best of all, they hardly cost a penny as most of them were nurtured through Town’s youth scheme by Tom Casey and later John Newman, followed by George Kerr who once said it got to the stage where he didn’t even need to talk tactics or tell the players what to do – they were so instinctively capable.

Don't forget Terry Donovan a home grown product who signed for Villa for a 6 figure sum but had a promising career cut short by numerous knee injuries.

The side of 78 - 81 where all good players but the team ethic was one of the best I have seen at BP both on and off the pitch.

The club was buzzing then and a lot of the off the field stuff such as players training at local schools, always in the GET for good things like players presenting trophies at kids football doo's where all masterminded by Alec King who was a bit ahead of his time TBH.

Some of the stuff now going on is similar so who knows maybe just maybe "this is our time"!!!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Agreed, apart from Pat Piggott !

Bloody Nora. That name still sends a shiver down my spine. I remember playing a Sunday League cup tie against him as a 19 year old drafted into defence because I was a bit quick in those days. Our first encounter after about two minutes left me feeling I'd been run over by a steamroller. I think we lost by 9 or 10 and he had one of his many field days...

Quoted from barralad

Bloody Nora. That name still sends a shiver down my spine. I remember playing a Sunday League cup tie against him as a 19 year old drafted into defence because I was a bit quick in those days. Our first encounter after about two minutes left me feeling I'd been run over by a steamroller. I think we lost by 9 or 10 and he had one of his many field days...

;D ;D ;D ;D

I thought it might ring a bell with a few. When Town had a colts team in the Saturday League for a year or two under Ray Gooch Pat was drafted in to "look after" them on the pitch. Nobody dared rough up the lads while Pat was on the field. ;)

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

;D ;D ;D ;D

I thought it might ring a bell with a few. When Town had a colts team in the Saturday League for a year or two under Ray Gooch Pat was drafted in to "look after" them on the pitch. Nobody dared rough up the lads while Pat was on the field. ;)

The only player of my generation who came close to P.P. was Bernard(?) Mooney who would almost literally run through a brick wall to score a goal. Any human opponents who got in the way were history. Great character though and definitely someone you'd rather play with than against. He played for a lot of teams but I think when I played against him he was at Healing.