The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC



Upcoming Fixtures

Thu 28/03
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
China Super League
Sichuan Jiuniu v Cangzhou Mighty Lions
Premier League 2, Division 1
Crystal Palace U21 v Tottenham U21

Full Fixture List

Follow the Fishy on Twitter
NewsNow logo

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







 

Town's Giants Of The Past - Part 3

By: David Harbord
Date: 20/05/2004

I was first hooked by the Mariners as a youngster in 1959 and they have been playing with me on the end of a line ever since, writes David Harbord.

Home > Features > 2004 Features > Giants From Grimsby's Past


From Rafferty, Cockerill and Jobling through to Jevons, Crane and Coldicott I have been buffeted alongside the boat, mainly through very stormy waters, and only occasionally in calm seas.

I went into journalism as soon as I left school and within a couple of years I was working with Charlie Ekberg at Humber Press and one of our main duties was to report on all Grimsby's home matches for the national Sunday papers.

It was very rare for a paper to send their own reporter to Blundell Park so we had an awful lot of writing to do...500 words for the News of the World, 450 for the Sunday Mirror and People, 350 for the Sunday Express, 250 for the Sunday Telegraph, a running report for the Green 'Un etc. Each paper had to have a different angle and they all wanted their copy filed within 10 minutes of the final whistle!

There was no such thing as laptops in those days, of course. It was all bashed out on a typewriter and rung through by dodgy phones from our draughty press box near the players' tunnel.

Charlie took the main brunt of the writing but, because there was so much that had to be compiled by the whistle, he had to start his reports at half-time and hope there wasn't a goal rush in the last 10 minutes!

One occasion stands out during a particularly boring 0-0 draw when legendary centre-forward George McLean got the ball just below the press box and put his foot on it, tempting the opposition to take it off him. Charlie's voice rang out: "For God's sake, George, do something, I've got 500 words to write for the News of the World." (I suspect the language was a little fruitier).

George looked up, shrugged his shoulders, called back: "I'm doing my best, Charlie" and carried on down the wing.

I have been exiled in London for many years now, but I am still in journalism, as deputy editor of the Daily Star Sunday and I am delighted to say my sister-in-law, Michelle Lalor, is editor of the Grimsby Telegraph.

Working on a Saturday prevents me from seeing many matches but I am proud to say I was at Wembley for both of those memorable games a few years ago and many of my friends now admit they look for Grimsby's results on a Sunday morning. Many of them know little about football, which is probably just as well!

I do not intend to get into the politics of Grimsby's dire present state..I will leave that to others more qualified and nearer to the goings-on at Blundell Park. And I have no illusions that the problems will soon be solved.

It has never been an easy trip being a Mariners supporter, but I would not have missed it for the world.

Best wishes to everybody in the same boat!




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
Prediction Thread Barrow A32wuffing28/03 22:19
Dn35 podcast drinking game5Brummie Codfather28/03 22:05
David Artell Interview Dn35 Podcast16WesternMariner28/03 21:26
Just Back 170diehardmariner28/03 20:03
New Training Ground.!!57Sigone28/03 19:38
Youth players out on loan21diehardmariner28/03 16:54
"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