The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC



Upcoming Fixtures

Thu 28/03
Southern Premier South
Walton & Hersham v Harrow Borough
Chilean Primera
Audax Italiano v Coquimbo Unido
Argentine Copa de la Liga Profesional
Rosario Central v Barracas Central
USL League One
Charlotte Independence v Spokane Velocity
Chilean Primera
O'Higgins v Deportes Iquique
Club Friendlies
Flekkerøy v Jerv
Argentine Copa de la Liga Profesional
Instituto v Argentinos Juniors
Ecuador Serie A
LDU de Quito v Imbabura
Australia A-League
Adelaide United v Western United
Club Friendlies
HJK Helsinki v PK35
Japan J-League
Tokyo Verdy v Kyoto Sanga
Portuguese Liga Pro
Belenenses v Feirense
Club Friendlies
EIF v KäPa
PEPO v JIPPO
U18 Premier League North
Middlesbrough U18 v Sunderland U18

Full Fixture List

Follow the Fishy on Twitter
NewsNow logo

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







 

Rants And Raves Again!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 11/02/2004

WE present here the feedback submitted by subscribers to the Fishy. Although recent events have outdated part of them with Groves's departure, they are still relevant and we are committed to publish all feedback and articles submitted.

Home > Features > 2004 Features > Rants And Raves Again!


David Wilkinson writes;

The problem with Billo's personal vendetta against Paul Groves is that he is using this (his) website as a vehicle to promote his own ill informed views. How can he know about Paul Groves failings as a manager when he has never seen his team play?

How does he know there is a massive turning against Groves by the fans when he has never been to a match under Groves leadership and asked them?

Sure, when you are the other side of the world you can read reports and listen to commentaries, chat over the phone but you are in receipt of other people's opinions and, like all human beings, you select those which best match your own prejudice.

Paul Groves does have his supporters - but it may not matter, perhaps he will be sacked this week or perhaps he won't - and there are at least there are two sides to a story.

Perhaps Billo could have a little humility and temper his comments so that this website reflects both more informed opinion and a little less of the vitriol which is the more difficult to stomach when it is based on such little first hand knowledge.

(Sorry David, I have heard all this living in Australia nonsense before. If the man from Mars landed in England and looked at the league tables, the results and reports, the first thing he would say would be "Sack the manager whoever he is!"

Read the following comments and the Fishy MB, the letters to the GET and the OS MB and I think that somehow you will get the picture.

I have never been vitriolic towards Groves who, as a player, I have always admired. But as a manager I call it as I see it.)

But John Harris (aka The Ledge) says;

Billo, you are on the right track about Groves. The sad part is that he has been such a great servant to Town, that unless he goes soon, that will all be forgotten. The problem is that a Manager has to manage; unfortunately, Paul does not seem able to manage the group of players that he has put together.

In any business, once that failure is realised, new ideas are needed, and generally, the manager will have to be changed. I was one who really hoped that he would succeed as a Manager of Town, but sadly, that has not transpired. I don't really know who we could possibly approach to take over, but maybe someone like Graham Taylor would do the job till the end of the season, then reassess the situation.

Gary Cox was even more forthright in his view;

Grovesy it is time you looked at yourself in a mirror and admit to yourself that your time is up. I have supported you for a long time and hoped things would change but they haven't so pack up and go now.

Peter Atkinson gets the final word or words on the Groves subject with;

I have witnessed this weekend a pathetic excuse for a football team. There are so many words that can be used Gutless, shambolic, unprofessional, wasters, frauds and some rather more serious ones that I feel so apathetic about I cannot be bothered to use, rather like our team.

However the facts, 6 of the team who played on Sunday have had premiership experience, 2 of these have represented their country in competitive International fixtures. The rest with the exception of Thorpe and Edwards have experience in Division 1.

All purchased by Groves. So on the face of it the ingredients are there for a team who should, with the right coaxing and coaching be at worst languishing in mid table.

So what makes a team that at the beginning of the season looked so promising turn out performances that on Bradley pitches would lead to managers getting the sack.

No money is the one that annoys me most. Only a handful of clubs do have money the rest have to scrimp and scrape like us, however they do not seem to capitulate like us. They still show some pride. Absolutely no passion, no fire, no desire they didn't even kick anyone. They didn't even argue amongst themselves or shout or anything to show they cared or felt ashamed. I have never felt so embarrassed to be a Grimsby town supporter.

I may be mistaken but this season we have taken the two biggest defeats in the league and the manager has read the same old rhetoric from the league manager's handbook. We need to work harder in training. We need to be accountable blah blah blah. That may have been relevant after the first couple of defeats but we need more than that now.

Paul Groves will not walk away, he needs to be pushed. Who in their right mind would walk away from a job that pays nearly £200,000 a year salary. Not me for one.

The club must shoulder some of the blame as they lack commercial acumen and seem to be distant from the fans. The merchandise in the club shop is woeful for its variety and choice.

I wanted to purchase a full GTFC kit for my son and was told that it would cost £59.97. This is for a 4-year-old boy. He got an Arsenal away kit for £22, which has never been off his back. There will be some who will say I should have bought the GTFC kit regardless of the price, I disagree and will not act like a sheep and aimlessly give my money away to a club and team that shows no respect for me as a supporter whatsoever.

I am writing to trading standards under the trade description act that Grimsby town are in fact claiming to be a professional Football team. I also may write to the football league stating that GTFC are bringing the game into disrepute.

I have tickets for the rearranged matches against Luton and Bristol City because they were postponed. These will be my last games this season for both my son and I. We have not missed a single home game all season but that is about to change. I am not going to purchase another ticket this season until Groves goes and they start to look like a professional football team and show some more respect to the Town of Grimsby.

Paul B comments on the vacant managers job saying;

May I put my point across?

(By all means. Ed)

Who is available for the Job?

Clough? Get him he is the man for us.

Rodger? No chance we will go down.

Wilko? Yes he could do the job. Players respect him.

Swain? A bit hit and miss maybe a good idea!

Bonetti? The next Italy squad would be here tomorrow.

My team Banana Fitness we will do the job but only on a temporary basis.

Peter Atkinson pops in again with;

With all the speculation flying around about who will be our new manager let's change tack for a minute and view who could be playing and where. Here is the team that would encourage me to purchase a ticket for Saturday:-

Pettinger

Young Crane Edwards Barnard

Boulding Hamilton Campbell Crowe

Jevons Thorpe

Subs: Hockless, Anderson, Daws, Ward, Ford, Rowan, Onura, Davison

My reasoning for this is as follows;

Pace on the flanks.
Campbell playing box to box.
Hamilton holding role (last chance saloon for him)
Jevons up front where he belongs.
Pettinger fitter more mobile and hopefully wanting to make an impression.
Crane and Edwards best pairing available and superb on their day.
Young very promising and better than playing someone else out of position.
Barnard? Start to do your stuff (otherwise start drinking with Hamilton)

Bring it on. What do you think?


If you have a rant or two and you would also like the opportunity to air your views and opinions, Click here to submit them!




Add To Facebook


This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!


Related Stories


Forum Latest
Thread TitlePostsLatest Post
David Artell Interview Dn35 Podcast12HertsGTFC28/03 19:39
Prediction Thread Barrow A31kevikov28/03 19:38
New Training Ground.!!57Sigone28/03 19:38
Just Back 166jamesgtfc28/03 19:34
Youth players out on loan21diehardmariner28/03 16:54
Dn35 podcast drinking game4moosey_club28/03 15:59
"Beat the Clock"  Barrow22Grantham_Mariner28/03 15:18
Bradford KO time?4JK4728/03 13:13
Twenty First Group / Overseas Market31jimgtfc28/03 11:16
TV Games/Upcoming Fixtures4SiteBot28/03 03:30