PU PREVIEW 40: GRIMSBY TOWN

Grimsby Town FC was formed in 1878 after a meeting at the Wellington Arms public house in Grimsby. They were originally called Grimsby Pelham, the family name of a significant landowner in the local area. The club moved to its present home, Blundell Park, in 1899, after playing at Clee Park and then Abbey Park. Grimsby first played league football in 1888, but the league they joined quickly collapsed. The club applied to join the Football League but was refused and so joined the Football Alliance. Grimsby became a limited company in 1890 and entered the Football League in 1892 when it was expanded to two divisions. The club failed to gain re-election in 1910, but regained their League status a year later. The inter-war years were the most successful in Grimsby's history, playing in the First Division from 1929-1932, then 1934-1939. They finished 5th in Division One in 1935, which remains the club's highest ever League position. The club adopted their present colours of black and white stripes in 1925. In 1936, Grimsby reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup but lost to Arsenal. They repeated the feat in 1939, losing 5-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers after their goalkeeper was injured. Wolves lost to Portsmouth in the final. From July 1951 to January 1953, Grimsby were managed by the legendary Bill Shankly, who later wrote in his autobiography:

"Pound for pound, and class for class, the best football team I have seen in England since the war. In the league they were in they played football nobody else could play. Everything was measured, planned and perfected and you could not wish to see more entertaining football."

Grimsby were the only club ever to go from re-election (1955) to promotion (1956) in one season. Arthur Drewry, a former director and then chairman of the club, became President of the Football League, Chairman of the FA and finally President of FIFA in 1961. In 1976, the Grimsby v Gillingham game was watched by American Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. He had been invited by the local MP, who was also Foreign Secretary. The club regained Second Division status in 1980 and finished 5th in 1984. They suffered successive relegations from 1987 and also encountered financial difficulties; however, the club had returned to the Second Division by 1991 (this became Division One in 1992). Grimsby tasted double success in 1998, winning the Football League Trophy and the Division Two play-off final. The club defeated Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in the League Cup in October 2001. Grimsby were relegated from Division One in 2003 and lost their League status in 2010. They regained this status when they defeated Forest Green Rovers 3-1 in the 2016 Conference play-off final.

Grimsby and Hull City were the only clubs allowed to play football on Christmas Day because of the fish trade, but that tradition has now disappeared due to the reduction of trawler fleets. 

Grimsby are nicknamed "The Mariners" and are managed by Marcus Bignot (appointed November 2016).

Pompey and Grimsby have met on seventy-four occasions, the first coming in January 1902 in the FA Cup when Pompey were still a non-league side. Pompey won the replay 2-0. Of the nine FA Cup meetings, Pompey have won five, Grimsby two and two games ended as draws. Pompey have won thirty-four of the sixty-five League meetings, with Grimsby winning twenty-two and nine draws. Pompey won 1-0 at Blundell Park earlier this season.

(Information via Wikipedia and www.11v11.com)