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Cod Head of the Week: Jon Lilley

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 04/06/2009

THE latest Cod Head of the Week is Jon Lilley, who has been supporting the Mariners since the late 70s. Town won a trophy at Jon's first game in 1979. It's been downhill ever since.

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We regularly need new Cod Heads, so would appreciate contributions from lifelong supporters of the Mariners. This week's Cod Head is Jon Lilley.

Fishy:
Tell us a bit about yourself.

Jon:
My name is Jon Lilley, I am 35 yrs old, married with 2 kids 9 and 3.

Fishy:
When did you first start supporting the Mariners, and what was your first game?

Jon:
I think my first game would be late 70's with my dad. We beat Sheff Utd 4-0 and I was stood on a crate in the Pontoon. If I remember rightly that was a championship winning game. After that I think my dad signed me up for the Ams system and I could get in every home game for 80p

Fishy:
Who is the best player you ever saw wearing a Grimsby Town shirt?

Jon:
The best player I think I ever saw in a Town shirt was super Clive Mendonca (my wife had a thing for him as well but it had nothing to do with football) closely followed by Kevin Drinkell

Fishy:
If there is one game you were allowed to go back in time and watch what would it be and why?

Jon:
The game I would like to go back and watch again would be the Auto Windscreen Final at Wembley vs Bournemouth. I have to admit I shed a tear when Burnett scored the winner

Fishy:
What are your favourite and least favourite away grounds?

Jon:
My favourite away ground is probably Sunderland's stadium of Light. I went there the season it opened and I thought it was light years ahead of Blundell Park. The worst ground is probably Halifax or the old Donny ground.

Fishy:
What, in your opinion, are GTFC's best and worst seasons since you have been supporting them?

Jon:
Best season for Town was 97/98 the 2 Wembley wins topped it off. Worst apart from the last few weeks have to be this season just gone.Until the likes of Sweeney and Conlon came in I couldn't see us escaping non-league obscurity.

Fishy:
What is the most eventful day you have ever had in the course of following the Mariners?

Jon:
The most memorable away game for me was Brentford away, I think it was 98/99. I'd got home from leave in the navy late Friday night, did the usual JD's Pier etc and that night myself and Matty Portlock decided we would get the 0600 train Saturday morning to Brentford. I got the train for nothing with my force's railcard and Matty got on for a junior (don't know how as he was 24 clutching a crate of dumpy bottles). We arrived at Kings Cross just after 0900 having seen off the crate of bottles and it took us until opening time to get across to Brentford where we found a nice little pub which topped us up with snakebite and blacks. How we actually got into the game and remember what happened I don't know. It was a 2-0 win for Town and a lad called Keith took pity on us and gave us a lift home. Obviously we slept all the way and then proceeded up Meggies to top up

Fishy:
What is the strangest thing you have ever done at a game?

Jon:
Strangest thing ever done at a game I think was at the 7-1 defeat at Sheff Weds (Oster wonder goal) and I ran on the pitch when we scored was grabbed by a steward and the wife had my other arm and a bit of a tug of war ensued . Obviously the wife won but a swift bit of clothes swapping ensued to avoid arrest

Fishy:
What is the worst game you've ever been to?

Jon:
I can't remember what season but it was home v Swansea. Apparently Town won 1-0 and Gilbert scored but it rained that hard all game that I couldn't see a thing

Fishy:
Who is the greatest ever GTFC manager?

Jon:
Greatest Town manager in my era has to be Buckley but hopefully Newell will surpass what he did for Town

Fishy:
What's the most amusing chant you've heard at a game?

Jon:
Amusing chant bit of a hard one. Aldershot fans this year sticks out " It's blue it's square, you're going down to there, conference conference" did amuse me.

Fishy:
How many games a season do you get to now, and what do you do while Town are playing games that you can't get to?

Jon:
I don't get to as many games as I would like nowadays as if I go I have to take the kids with me. My daughter is not really that bothered but my son is always well up for it although he managed to sleep through the entire Aldershot game, and woke up as we scored in the 81st minute. I spend Saturdays when not at games looking after the kids watching Sky Sports Centre

Fishy:
Name your all-time starting eleven since you have been watching Town?

Jon:
1 Batch
2 Agnew
3 McDermott
4 Tilson
5 Futcher
6 Burnett
7 Ford
8 Cockerill
9 Mendonca
10 Drinkell
11 Emson

Jon Lilley

If you would like to be a Cod Head please send an e-mail at once to Rob Sedgwick.

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