Grimsby Town F.C. facts for kids

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Grimsby Town

Full name	Grimsby Town Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Mariners
Founded	1878; 147 years ago (1878), as Grimsby Pelham 1879; 146 years ago (1879), as Grimsby Town
Ground	Blundell Park
Ground Capacity	8550 (all seated)
Ground Coordinates	53°34′12″N 0°2′47″W / 53.57000°N 0.04639°W / 53.57000; -0.04639
Owner(s)	1878 Partners (63.1%) The Mariners Trust (13.5%) Mike Parker (10.5%) Other Shareholders (12.9%)
Chairman	Andrew Pettit
Manager	David Artell
League	League Two
2018–19	League Two, 17th of 24
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Grimsby Town Football Club is a professional football team. They are based in Cleethorpes, England. The club plays in League Two, which is the fourth level of English football.

The team is known as "the Mariners." It started in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham Football Club. A year later, they changed their name to Grimsby Town. In 1898, they moved to their current home, Blundell Park. Grimsby Town is the most successful team in historic Lincolnshire. They are the only club from the area to have played in England's top football league. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals twice in the 1930s.

Famous managers include Bill Shankly, who later led Liverpool to many titles. Lawrie McMenemy also managed them before winning the FA Cup with Southampton. Alan Buckley is the club's most successful manager. He helped the team get promoted three times. He also led them to two finals at Wembley Stadium in the 1997–98 season. They won both the Football League Trophy and a play-off final that year.

Grimsby Town has played in all top five divisions of English football. Their 1939 FA Cup semi-final against Wolverhampton Wanderers had 76,962 fans. This is still a record at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium. In 1954, they were the first English club to hire a foreign manager, Elemér Berkessy from Hungary. The player with the most appearances is John McDermott, with 754 games. The top scorer is Pat Glover, with 180 goals.

Discovering Grimsby Town's Football Journey

Early Years: How the Club Began (1878–1918)

Grimsby Town Football Club started in 1878. A group of people met at a pub in Grimsby. Many were from a local cricket club. They wanted to form a football club to play during the winter.

The club was first called Grimsby Pelham. This name came from the family name of the Earl of Yarborough. He owned a lot of land in the area. In 1880, the club bought land at Clee Park for their stadium. They moved to Abbey Park in 1889. Then, in 1899, they moved to their current home, Blundell Park. Their first team colours were blue and white hoops. In 1884, they changed to chocolate brown and blue shirts.

In 1888, the club joined its first league, the 'Combination'. This league soon ended. The next year, they tried to join the Football League but were not accepted. Instead, they joined the Football Alliance. In 1892, the Football League grew, and Grimsby finally joined. Their first game was a 2–1 win against Northwich Victoria.

In the 1901–02 season, Grimsby Town won their division. This meant they were promoted to the First Division. Two seasons later, they were moved down a division. Within ten years, they were out of the Football League. They joined the Midland League. However, they won that league in their first try. They then rejoined the Football League, taking the place of local rivals Lincoln City.

Grimsby Town and Hull City were the only professional teams allowed to play league football on Christmas Day. This was because of the local fishing industry. This tradition has now stopped.

Golden Era: Success in the Inter-War Years (1918–1945)

This time was the most successful for the club. After World War I, the club was moved to the new Third Division. By 1929, they were back in Division One. They stayed there, except for a short time from 1932 to 1934, until 1939. Their highest league position ever was 5th in Division One, in the 1934–35 season. In 1925, they started wearing their famous black and white stripes.

Three Grimsby Town players played for the England national team. These were Jackie Bestall, George Tweedy, and Harry Betmead. They are the only players from the club to have played for England.

Grimsby reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1936. They played Arsenal and lost 1–0. On 20 February 1937, a record 31,651 fans watched Grimsby play Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup.

They reached the FA Cup semi-final again on 25 March 1939. They played Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford. A huge crowd of 76,962 watched the game. This is still Old Trafford's biggest ever attendance. Grimsby lost 5–0. Their goalkeeper was injured early on. Back then, teams could not use substitutes for injuries. So, Grimsby had to play with 10 men and a player who wasn't a goalkeeper in goal.

Post-War Challenges and Changes (1946–1970)

After World War II, the Football League started again in 1946. Grimsby was moved down a division in 1948. They have not returned to the top level since. In the 1950s and 1960s, they often moved between the Second and Third Divisions. From 1951 to 1953, Bill Shankly was their manager. He later became very famous at Liverpool. Shankly thought his Grimsby team was one of the best.

In 1954, Grimsby became the first English club to hire a foreign manager. His name was Elemér Berkessy from Hungary. Soon after, Allenby Chilton became Grimsby's first player-manager. He helped Grimsby win the Division Three North title. They were the only club to go from being moved down to being promoted in one season.

In 1968, Grimsby dropped into the Fourth Division for the first time. The next season, they almost left the league entirely. This was also when the lowest number of fans ever watched a Football League match at Blundell Park. Only 1,833 people saw them lose to Brentford.

The 1970s Revival: A New Era (1970–1980)

Grimsby Town broke their transfer record in 1972. They paid £20,000 for Phil Hubbard. In the same year, 22,489 fans watched them beat Exeter City. This win meant the club was promoted as Division Four Champions. This success was thanks to their new manager, Lawrie McMenemy.

The club stayed in Division Three until 1977. They were moved down but were promoted again in 1979. A year later, they won the Third Division under George Kerr. They returned to the second level of English football after 16 years.

There is a popular story that in 1976, a local politician, Anthony Crosland, invited the US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, to watch Grimsby play. While Kissinger did not watch the game, Crosland did arrange a meeting in Lincolnshire. This was because he wanted to stay in his area and watch his local team.

Back in the Second Division (1980–1987)

In their first season back (1980–81), the club finished 7th. Work began on a new £1 million stand. It opened in 1982 when Grimsby played Leeds United. In the 1983–84 season, the club finished 5th in the Second Division. They were close to being promoted to the top league. This was their highest league finish since 1948. Grimsby Town's time in the Second Division ended in 1987. They had a bad run of games and were moved down a division.

Promotions and Wembley Glory (1987–1998)

In 1987–88, Grimsby Town was moved down a division again. This put them in the Fourth Division. The club also had money problems. In 1988–89, they had to avoid falling out of the Football League completely. They managed to finish 9th. Alan Buckley became manager after the 1988 relegation. By 1991, he had led the club to two promotions in a row. Grimsby stayed in the second tier of football for six years. Players like Shaun Cunnington, Keith Alexander, and Clive Mendonca made the club a strong team.

The Mariners also started to produce talented young players from their own academy. These included Jack Lester and John Oster. Buckley left in 1994. Brian Laws took over. During his time, Laws had a famous argument with Italian striker Ivano Bonetti. This led to Bonetti leaving the club. In the 1996–97 season, Grimsby was moved down from Division One.

The Amazing Double Wembley Season (1997–98)

The 1997–98 season was Grimsby Town's most successful since the war. Alan Buckley returned as manager. He brought in key players like Paul Groves and Kevin Donovan. The team played well and fought for promotion. They finished 3rd in the league.

Grimsby also had a great run in the League Cup. They beat Premier League teams Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. They finally lost to Liverpool. Young players like Daryl Clare and Jack Lester also played a big part. The Mariners then reached the Football League Trophy final. This meant their first trip to Wembley Stadium. They played AFC Bournemouth. The score was tied, and Wayne Burnett scored a "golden goal" in extra time to win the trophy.

Just four weeks later, Grimsby returned to Wembley. This time, they played Northampton Town in a play-off final. Kevin Donovan scored the only goal. This gave the club a historic "Wembley double" and promotion back to Division One.

Back in the Second Tier (1998–2003)

The 1998–99 season saw Grimsby Town finish 11th. But in the 1999–2000 season, they struggled. They avoided being moved down on the last day. In 2000–01, Alan Buckley was replaced by Lennie Lawrence as manager. Lawrence brought in new players, including some from abroad. The club still struggled but stayed in Division One.

The Mariners started the 2001–02 season very well. They were at the top of the league after five games. They also had a famous win in the League Cup. They played Liverpool at Anfield. The game went to extra time. Phil Jevons scored a fantastic 35-yard goal to give Grimsby a historic 2–1 victory. However, Grimsby's league form then dropped. Lawrence was fired, and captain Paul Groves took over. The season ended disappointingly. The club also faced money problems because of the collapse of ITV Digital.

The 2002–03 season saw Grimsby moved down to the bottom of Division One. They had spent five seasons at this level.

Falling Down the Divisions (2004–2010)

The collapse of ITV Digital left the club with over £2 million in debt. This caused many smaller clubs to struggle. Key players left the club. For the new season, Grimsby Town even had to make their own kits.

Manager Paul Groves was fired in 2004. His replacement, Nicky Law, was also sacked a few months later. Grimsby was moved down for a second season in a row. Russell Slade became the new manager in May 2004.

In 2005, John Fenty became the main owner of the club. He owned 51% and loaned the club money to keep it running. Russell Slade led Grimsby to a good start in the 2005–06 season. They rose to the top of Football League Two. They also had a good run in the League Cup. They beat Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur at home. They were knocked out by Newcastle United. Grimsby missed out on automatic promotion on the last day. They reached the play-off final but lost 1–0 to Cheltenham Town. Russell Slade then left the club.

Slade's assistant, Graham Rodger, took over but was soon fired. Alan Buckley returned for his third time as manager. In the 2007–08 season, the club reached the Football League Trophy final at the new Wembley Stadium. They lost 2–0 to MK Dons. Buckley was sacked again in 2008. Mike Newell became manager. Grimsby just avoided being moved down on the final day.

Newell was sacked in 2009. Neil Woods became manager. The club sold captain Ryan Bennett for £500,000. Grimsby struggled under Woods. Despite a late run of good results, they lost to Burton Albion and were moved out of the Football League for the first time in almost 100 years.

Non-League Football (2010–2016)

Neil Woods was removed as manager in February 2011. Rob Scott and Paul Hurst became joint managers. In September 2011, John Fenty stepped down as chairman.

In the 2012–13 season, the Mariners reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium. They played Wrexham. Grimsby scored first, but Wrexham equalized with a penalty. The game went to extra time and then penalties. Grimsby lost the shootout. Grimsby finished 4th in the league. They faced Newport County in the play-off semi-finals but lost both games. In September 2013, Rob Scott was suspended, and Paul Hurst became the sole manager.

Grimsby finished third in the Conference Premier in 2014–15. They reached the 2015 Conference Premier play-off final against Bristol Rovers at Wembley. It was a record crowd for a Conference game. The game went to penalties, and Grimsby lost.

Grimsby played in the FA Trophy final again but lost 1–0 to FC Halifax Town. However, the week before, Grimsby Town beat Forest Green Rovers 3–1 in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley Stadium. This win meant Grimsby was promoted back to League Two after six years away.

Back in the Football League (2016–2021)

After promotion, manager Paul Hurst released many players. On 24 October 2016, Paul Hurst left to manage Shrewsbury Town. Marcus Bignot became the new Grimsby Town manager. He was sacked in April 2017. Russell Slade returned for his second time as manager. The Mariners finished 14th.

Slade was sacked again in February 2018 after a long winless run. Michael Jolley was appointed manager. He helped Grimsby stay in the Football League twice. He also led them to FA Cup and League Cup matches against bigger teams. Jolley left the club in 2019.

On 29 December 2019, Ian Holloway became manager and a shareholder. He left the club suddenly in December 2020. This was due to issues with the club's board. Paul Hurst was re-appointed manager. However, he could not stop the club from being moved down to the National League again. This happened after a 3–2 loss to Exeter City.

Climbing Back to the Football League (2021–Present)

On 5 May 2021, local businessmen Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit took over the club. They bought out the main owner, John Fenty.

In the 2021–22 season, Grimsby finished 6th. They won their play-off games against Notts County and Wrexham. In the 2022 National League play-off final, they beat Solihull Moors 2–1 after extra time. This win meant they were promoted back to League Two at the London Stadium.

On 1 March 2023, Grimsby reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. This was their first time since 1939. They beat Premier League team Southampton 2–1 away from home. They became the first club in FA Cup history to beat five teams from higher divisions.

Team Colours and Kits

Grimsby Town's traditional home kit

Grimsby Pelham's first kit in 1878 was a shirt with narrow blue and white stripes. They wore long white shorts and black socks. Between 1884 and 1910, they used different colours. These were often shades of pale blue and chocolate brown.

In 1910, the club started using black and white vertical stripes. These have been their main colours ever since. The 1911 kit had the black and white striped shirt, white shorts, and black socks. Sometimes, they used different designs. For example, in 1935–1936, they wore a plain white shirt. In 2006–2007, they had black and white halves.

Since 1910, Grimsby Town's kits have mostly been red, black, and white. The club's official logo first appeared on the kit in 1974.

On 26 February 2023, Grimsby Town wore a special one-off shirt. It promoted green energy. The sponsor was "Europe's Green Town." This was a nod to their old "Food Town" sponsorship from the 1990s.

Kit suppliers
Dates	Supplier
1975–1976	Litesome
1976–1978	Bukta
1978–1981	Admiral
1981–1983	Adidas
1983–1986	Hobott
1986–1987	En-s
1987–1993	Ribero
1993–1994	Admiral
1994–1996	Diadora
1996–1998	Lotto
1998–2003	Avec
2003–2004	GTS (own brand)
2004–2008	Nike
2008–2021	Errea
2021–2024	Macron
2024–	Umbro

Shirt sponsors
Dates	Sponsor	Sponsor Business Category
1979–1984	Findus	Frozen food
1984–1986	Nisa	Retail convenience stores
1986–1987	Bluecrest	Frozen food
1987–1993	Ciba-Geigy	Pharmaceuticals
1993–1995	Ciba	Pharmaceuticals
1995–1998	Europe's Food Town	Frozen food
1998–2003	Dixon Motors	Vehicle retailer
2003–2004	Jarvis	Rail freight
2004–2022	Young's	Frozen food
2022–	myenergi	Renewable energy
26 February 2023	Europe's Green Town	None (Special one-off shirt promoting green energy)

Home Ground: Blundell Park Stadium

Dates	Ground
1878–1879	Clee Park
1879–1880	Lovett Street
1880–1889	Clee Park
1889–1899	Abbey Park
1899–present	Blundell Park

Grimsby Town plays its home games at Blundell Park in Cleethorpes. This is the club's fourth stadium. They first played at Clee Park. Then they moved to Lovett Street for one season. They returned to Clee Park for nine more years. The Mariners then moved to Abbey Park until 1899. After that, they moved to Blundell Park, where they play today.

In 1953, the club added its first floodlights. This allowed them to play night games. In 1960, tall floodlights were bought from Wolverhampton Wanderers. They cost £9,000, which fans helped raise. These lights have been used ever since. In 2019, newer, brighter lights replaced the old ones. Three of the original tall poles are still there. The stadium now has seats for 8,777 people. Before 1995, it could hold about 27,000 fans. When the club moved to lower divisions, some seating was removed. Inside the Findus Stand, there is "McMenemy's Function Suite." It is named after former manager Lawrie McMenemy.

Since the late 1990s, there have been plans for a new stadium. It would have 20,200 seats. It was planned for Great Coates and might be called the Conoco Stadium. There have been many delays. One problem was showing how to pay for it. The club then added plans for a shopping area to help fund it. This caused other issues with a rival developer. However, the club's stadium plan has now been approved. Work was expected to start earlier, but it has been delayed due to the economy.

Since 2012–13, the 'Mariners Trust' (a fan group) helps run the stadium's bars. They hope to improve things for fans. New plans have been agreed to build the stadium near Freeman Street in Grimsby.

Club Rivalries

Club	Last Match	Season
Scunthorpe United	L 3–0	2020–21
Hull City	L 3–0	2020–21
Doncaster Rovers	L 5–1	2023–24
Lincoln City	L 1–2	2024–25
Boston United	W 6–0	2006–07
Barnsley	W 6–1	2003–04
Rotherham United	L 2–1	2009–10
Sheffield Wednesday	W 2–0	2003–04
Sheffield United	L 4–2	2016–17

Grimsby Town has three main rivals. Two of them are from the old county of Humberside. Hull City, across the Humber Estuary, has been Grimsby's main rival. However, they haven't played each other in the league since 1987. The closest club to Grimsby is Scunthorpe United. Many see them as Grimsby's biggest rival. Games between these former Humberside clubs are called the Humber derby.

More recently, games against Lincoln City have become Grimsby's main derby. This is known as a Lincolnshire derby. This rivalry grew stronger when Grimsby moved to the same division as Lincoln in 2004. Grimsby beat Lincoln in a play-off semi-final in 2006. While Grimsby fans see Scunthorpe as their main rival, Lincoln City fans often see Grimsby as theirs.

Other clubs like Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, and Boston United have also had rivalries with Grimsby. There are also other local clubs in Grimsby, like Grimsby Borough and Cleethorpes Town. Games with these clubs are usually friendly matches or in local cups.

The Mighty Mariner: Club Mascot

The Mighty Mariner is Grimsby Town's mascot. He wears the club's home kit. He walks around the stadium and sometimes plays football with other mascots. He also gets the fans excited. Before 1998, there were two mascots: Mighty and Mini Mariner. They used to wear yellow fishing raincoats. Mini was later removed, and Mighty started wearing the team's home kit. The mascot was once called "Harry Haddock" because of Grimsby's fishing industry. However, Harry Haddock was actually a rainbow trout.

Grimsby Town Supporters

The Mariners Trust is a fan group that works with the club. They try to make match days better for fans. They have a Junior Mariners section for younger fans. The Trust is run by volunteers and encourages fans to join. Since the late 1990s, Grimsby Town has had a fan group in Scandinavia. Mariners fans also have a friendship with supporters of Belgian club Eendracht Aalst.

Famous people who support Grimsby Town include actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. He is known for characters like Ali G and Borat. He was seen at a Grimsby Town game in 2013. He was in town to get ideas for a new film. He later made a film called Grimsby.

Other notable fans include Soccer AM presenter Lloyd Griffith. American actor and TV presenter Adam Richman also supports the club. He is known from Man v. Food. In 2015, Richman helped with a fan fundraiser. In 2020, he became a club shareholder.

Grimsby-born actor Thomas Turgoose is also a season ticket holder. He starred in the film This Is England. Other famous fans include politician Norman Lamont, snooker players Mike Hallett and Dean Reynolds, singer Ella Henderson, and BBC weather presenter Keeley Donovan.

Grimsby Town Women's Team

In May 2019, Grimsby Town started its first official women's team. They held trials at the academy's training ground. In the 2019/20 season, the team joined the Lincolnshire Women's League. They played their first league game against Appleby Frodingham Ladies. Dale Houlston was the new manager.

The 2019–20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grimsby Town Women remained undefeated. They also reached the League Cup final and the County Cup final. However, these finals did not take place.

In summer 2020, the FA reorganized the leagues. Grimsby Town Women were promoted to a higher division. They started the 2020–21 season in the East Midlands Women's Regional Football League. This season, they also entered The FA Women's Cup for the first time.

Grimsby Town Women started the 2021–22 season well. They led the league. Manager Dale Houlston resigned in November. Hayley Cox became the new manager. By the end of the season, they finished second in the league.

The 2022–23 season was also successful. Grimsby Town Women won their league title. This meant promotion to the East Midland's Premier Division.

After promotion, Grimsby Town Ladies faced tougher teams in the 2023–24 season. They were moved down a division. However, they won the Marsh Sports County Plate. They beat HBW United Ladies 10–0. After the season, the club parted ways with manager Hayley Cox.

On 23 August 2024, Ben Challen was appointed as the new Women's First Team Head Coach. He had been in charge temporarily since June.

Current Players and Club Officials

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Jordan Wright 2 DF Lewis Cass 3 DF Matty Carson 4 MF Kieran Green (vice-captain) 5 DF Harvey Rodgers 6 MF Curtis Thompson 7 MF Jordan Davies (on loan from Wrexham) 8 MF Jayden Luker (on loan from Luton Town) 9 FW Justin Obikwu (on loan from Coventry City) 10 MF Charles Vernam 11 MF Jason Daði Svanþórsson 12 GK Jake Eastwood 14 MF Luca Barrington (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) 15 FW Rekeil Pyke

No. Position Player 16 MF Callum Ainley 17 DF Cameron McJannet 20 MF George McEachran 21 DF Tyrell Warren 22 FW Cameron Gardner 23 MF Henry Brown 24 DF Doug Tharme 25 FW Donovan Wilson 26 DF Callum Storr 28 FW Charlie Clements 30 MF Evan Khouri 32 FW Danny Rose (captain) 33 DF Denver Hume 41 GK Seb Auton 44 MF Harvey Cribb

Academy Squad

No. Position Player – GK Seb Auton – GK Will Mitchell – DF Finn Abraham – DF Finley Axcell – DF Jaxon Blankley – DF Billy Bradley – DF Callum Storr – MF Henry Brown

No. Position Player – MF Shakeel Brown – MF Henry Burt – FW Charlie Clements – MF Jack Collins – MF Finley Fletcher – MF Alfie Foy – MF Harry Shipstone – MF Grayson Giles – FW Tom Rennardson

Player of the Year

Club Officials

Managerial History

Chairmen of the Club

Year	Chairman
1878–1885	Sir John Dugdale Astley, 3rd Baronet
1885	Henry Smethurst
1885–1889	Charles Carter
1889	Edward Heneage, 1st Baron Heneage
1894–1896	Frederick Coulson
1896–1900	Christmas White
1900	William Bellamy
1901–1903	Frederick Coulson
1905–1906	John Thompson
1906–1908	William Goodwin
1908–1920	Alfred Cooper
1920–1923	James Plaistow
1928–1931	Joseph Stookes
1931–1954	George Pearce
1954–1968	Frederick Would
1968–1969	Roy Osmond
1969	Frederick Would
1969–1979	Henry Hamilton
1979–1985	Richard Middleton
1985	Dudley Ramsden
1985	Thomas Bygott
1985–1987	Walter Ramsden
1987–1994	Peter Furneaux
1994–1999	Bill Carr
1999–2001	Doug Everitt
2001–2004	Peter Furneaux
2004–2011	John Fenty
2011–2020	John Fenty (de facto)
2020–2021	Philip Day
2021–2024	Jason Stockwood
2024–	Andrew Pettit

Notable Players and Managers

Person	Grimsby record	Claim to fame
Elemér Berkessy	Manager, 1954	Became the first foreign manager in English football with Grimsby.
Jackie Bestall	Player, 1926–1938 (427 games, 76 goals)	1 England cap. A small road in Grimsby is named after him.
Harry Betmead	Player, 1930–1947 (296 games, 10 goals)	1 England cap.
Garry Birtles	Player, 1989–1991 (69 games, 9 goals)	Won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest. Also played for Manchester United.
Kingsley Black	Player, 1996–2001 (141 games, 8 goals)	Won the League Cup with Luton Town in 1988. Played for Northern Ireland.
Ivano Bonetti	Player, 1995–96 (22 games, 4 goals)	Played in Italy's top league, Serie A. Famous for a funny "plate of chicken" incident with his manager.
Alan Buckley	Manager, 1988–1994, 1997–2000, 2006–2008	Club's most successful manager. Won 3 promotions and 1 cup, including the Wembley Double in 1997–98.
Danny Coyne	Player, 1999–2003 (181 games)	Welsh international goalkeeper. Won two Player of the Season awards.
Gary Croft	Player, 1992–1996 & 2005–2007 (248 games, 4 goals)	Was the club's record sale at £1.6 million.
Tony Ford MBE	Player, 1975–1986 & 1991–94 (423 games, 58 goals)	Holds the record for most English league matches played by an outfield player (931). Youngest player to play for the club.
Hughie Gallacher	Player, 1937–1938 (12 games, 3 goals)	Famous Scottish international player.
Pat Glover	Player, 1929–1938 (227 games, 180 goals)	Welsh international striker. Holds club records for most league goals in a career and in a season (42).
Paul Groves	Player, 1992–1996 & 1997–2004 (377 games, 71 goals) Manager, 2001–2004	Captain of the Wembley Double-winning team in 1997–98.
Phil Jevons	Player, 2001–2004 (63 games, 18 goals)	Scored a winning goal from 35 yards against Liverpool at Anfield.
John McDermott	Player, 1987–2007 (647 games, 10 goals)	The club's all-time leader in appearances with 755 games.
Lawrie McMenemy	Manager 1971–1973	Later managed Southampton to win the FA Cup in 1976.
Clive Mendonca	Player, 1991–1997 (187 games, 64 goals)	A popular player. Scored a hat-trick in a play-off final for another club.
David Nielsen	Player, 2000–2001 (17 games, 5 goals)	Won the Danish Cup. Played top-flight football in Denmark and Norway.
John Oster	Player, 1996–1997 & 2002–2003 (42 games, 10 goals)	Played international football for Wales. Was the club's record sale at £2 million.
Michael Reddy	Player, 2004–2007 (104 games, 23 goals)	The only Grimsby player to be named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Bill Shankly OBE	Manager, 1951–1953	Became a legendary manager for Liverpool. Won many titles there.
Graham Taylor OBE	Player, 1962–1968 (189 games, 2 goals)	Later managed the England national team.
George Tweedy	Player, 1932–1952 (347 games) Caretaker Manager 1950–51	1 England cap.
Billy Walsh	Manager, 1954–1955	Played international football for four different teams.
Zhang Enhua	Player, 2000–2001 (17 games, 3 goals)	Was the international captain of China. Played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Club Records and Achievements

Grimsby Town has caused more managers to lose their jobs after playing against them than any other club.

Game Records

• Biggest League home crowd: 26,605 vs. Stockport County, 11 April 1952
• Biggest FA Cup crowd: 31,651 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 20 February 1937
• Biggest League Cup crowd: 23,115 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 4 December 1979
• Biggest crowd at a neutral stadium: 76,972 vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 25 March 1939, FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford, Manchester
• Smallest League home crowd: 1,833 vs. Brentford, 3 May 1969
• Smallest cup crowd: 248 vs. Sunderland U23's, EFL Trophy, 8 November 2017
• Biggest League home win: 8–0 vs. Tranmere Rovers, 4 September 1925
• Biggest cup loss: 1–8 vs. Phoenix Bessemer, 25 November 1882
• Biggest League loss: 1–9 vs. Arsenal, 28 January 1931
• Seasons in top-level football: 12
• Seasons in second-level football: 55
• Seasons in third-level football: 28
• Seasons in fourth-level football: 19
• Seasons in fifth-level football: 7

Player Records

• Most League goals in one season: 42, Pat Glover (1933–34)
• Most League goals overall: 180, Pat Glover (1930–1939)
• Most League appearances: 647, John McDermott (1987–2007)
• Most appearances (all games): 754, John McDermott (1987–2007)
• Most international caps while at the club: 7 caps, Pat Glover for Wales
• Most international caps overall: 68 caps, Zhang Enhua for China
• Highest transfer fee paid: £550,000 to Preston North End for Lee Ashcroft, 11 August 1998
• Highest transfer fee received: £1.5 million (rising to £2 million) from Everton for John Oster, 1 August 1997
• Longest serving current player: Evan Khouri since July 2019
• Youngest player: Louis Boyd, 15 years and 324 days, vs. Harrogate Town on 8 September 2020.
• Oldest player: Peter Beagrie, 40 years and 322 days, vs. Hartlepool United on 26 September 2006.

Club Honours and Trophies

League Titles

• Second Division (level 2)
  • Champions: 1898–99, 1933–34
  • Runners-up: 1928–29
• Third Division North / Third Division / Second Division (level 3)
  • Champions: 1925–26, 1955–56, 1979–80
  • Runners-up: 1951–52, 1961–62
  • Promoted: 1990–91
  • Play-off winners: 1998
• Fourth Division (level 4)
  • Champions: 1971–72
  • Runners-up: 1978–79, 1989–90
• National League (level 5)
  • Play-off winners: 2016, 2022
• Midland League
  • Champions: 1910–11, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1946–47

Cup Wins

• Football League Group Cup / Football League Trophy
  • Winners: 1981–82, 1997–98
  • Runners-up: 2007–08
• FA Trophy
  • Runners-up: 2012–13, 2015–16
• Lincolnshire Senior Cup
  • Winners (39): 1885–86, 1888–89, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1905–06, 1908–09, 1912–13, 1920–21, 1922–23, 1924–25, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15

Images for kids

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  Grimsby Town F.C., champions of the first ever Football League Second Division in 1900–1901

See also

In Spanish: Grimsby Town Football Club para niños