Congratulations welcome back Grimsby, now come and join us.......

[Soup Ladle]

Listened to Hurst's post match interview. Seemed quite clear that his granny was gangbanged by a fish fuelled group of Mariners behind the toilets at Welling on a cold Tuesday night.

 

[Wiinotfit]

Welcome back Grimsby!

 

[GTFCfish]

I think it's more of a mutual respect kind of thing.

Both fans said last season that ideally, we'd like us both to be promoted from the conference, with Barnet missing out. We took decent numbers up their place and sung all game, and they brought good numbers down ours too, which is always nice to see in the conference. The fact that Grimsby had served their time in the conference by last season and perhaps even deserved to win the final, meant even though we won it, a lot of us had sympathy for them. In addition to this, the fact that Grimsby fans then came onto our forums after to congratulate us was a touch of class, something I personally won't forget. Plus they came on to congratulate us on this year promotion too. So for 99% of Rovers fans, we were desperate for Grimsby to come back where they belong

Great post, exactly how i have felt all season i've been rooting for Bristol Rovers all season and was delighted that you went up.
The Rovers fans i spoke to at Wembley last year were the best bunch of opposition fans i hve ever come accross and there definitely seems to be a mutual respect all round, so brilliant that both of our seasons have ended how they did.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

I have really grown to dislike Hurst for some of the crap he spouts in his interviews but I really do pray that he stays now. What he excells at is picking up a good bunch of players and building a tremendous atmosphere in the dressing room. If he can up his game slightly then I have no worries that he'll build us a top half side, if only he knew what to do with them then we might challenge top 7 (wow sounds weird to say).

In truth though we could finish 18th next season and I'd be happy. It's going to feel so good to be able to just enjoy football again. Thanks all for the welcome.

 

[devilofajob]

Well done Grimsby, not visited your ground before so could be a good day out.

 

[GTFCfish]

It has just dawned on me we now have the single match threads instead of one big joint one....... eurghh, maybe we should have thrown the game yesterday instead lol.

 

[mowgli]

Congrats Grimsby Whenever i spoke to Grimsby fans they were friendly and fair i found.

 

[Gladders]

I'm very pro hurst as most know and become disillusioned with some of our fans this season, very glad him and the players proved a lot wrong yesterday. I said at the start of the season this was our year and yes it wasn't the title because of how good Cheltenham were but that doesn't matter it was still promotion and I had no doubt we would win the play-offs, especially after beating Braintree, the only one of the three I thought we might struggle against as that is one of Hurst's weakness in not knowing how to break teams down that park the bus.

Such a shame I spent nearly the whole season out the country on ops, good to be back just before the play-offs though to witness the promotion. Prehaps judging by how much downhill the non-league forum has gone this season due a few posters it was prehaps a blessing not to see much football to discuss.

Unfortunately the vocal minority became annoyed we didn't win the league by 30 points each year and that quickly became the vocal majority it seems this season because we couldn't keep up with Cheltenham and fans had put money into the budget. In truth as Clarkey says Hurst has built strong defensive teams with a great team spirit in the squad as proved yesterday with all the comments from the players and manager after the match, and he has an eye for a good player. He will also drop players much to the fans annoyance like Bogle and Amond, though both come out and say it was the right thing to do and both find their form again when back in the team, the fans still think it was wrong.

I reckon he will do ok in this league at least mid-table with a decent defense and if Bogle can make the step up. Though I will be happy with 22nd come the end of the season, and establish ourselves as a FL club again for a few seasons, but am sure the vocal minority will quickly be back if we are bottom half for most of the season such is our fanbase at the moment.

Finally credit to Fenty for sticking with a manager for once, it might have took us 4 attempts in the play-offs but just look at other sides that sack managers and then end up nowhere the next season. Sometimes a bit of stability helps, Hurst must be one of the longest serving managers in the 92 next season such is chairmans trigger fingers these days?

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

Grimsby will be fine next year. No team has ever gone straight back down and I can't see them being the first.

If Amond and Bogle step up then they could look at doing a Bristol Rovers.

 

[Laker]

Congrats, that was a superb win. Great to have you back in League 2 and looking forward to playing you next season.

 

[LondonOrn]

Morecambe always seem to start well and then drop away at the end of the season, to the point they become favourites for the drop. They're then in the top three in October and the cycle continues - I expect them to stay up unless they lose their manager. Can't see any of the relegated L1 clubs doing well next season so wouldn't be surprised to see one of them drop

I'd be surprised if Doncaster weren't in the promotion frame, this being their first season at this level for over ten years (with much of that period spent in the Championship). Hopefully it won't matter for you lot though!

 

[Arbury]

Welcome and congrats les, soc etc
There's no better way to do it.

Good luck.

 

[jacobncfc]

Hurst is the man we want from what I've been told, whether he'll consider us anywhere near stable enough is another matter.

Pretty ambivalent on it tbh, probably underachieved on the whole at Grimsby but fuck me do we need someone capable of spotting a player and building a team.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Congratulations Mariners, and welcome back to the Football League where you belong.

 

[Gladders]

Hurst is the man we want from what I've been told, whether he'll consider us anywhere near stable enough is another matter.

Pretty ambivalent on it tbh, probably underachieved on the whole at Grimsby but fuck me do we need someone capable of spotting a player and building a team.

Wouldn't surprise me to see him go now, based on comments yesterday he hasn't enjoyed this season at all because of the abuse. May see it as job done with us now and he probably has more to lose by staying with us and getting abuse again after losing a game than moving on and being remembered for getting us promoted.

Depends if he sees Notts as too much of a basket case to risk going there or not.

 

[Conker]

Well Done Grimsby.

Hurst going to County might actually be a blessing in disguise, not quite sure who the front runners to replace him will be though.

 

[GodsGift]

Why would Hurst join County? They're a mess. I know he gets shit from a lot of Town fans but you'd think a lot of that is behind them now. Grimsby are on the up, he should see it out.

 

[Conker]

Why would Hurst join County? They're a mess. I know he gets shit from a lot of Town fans but you'd think a lot of that is behind them now. Grimsby are on the up, he should see it out.

Money?

 

[dedwardp]

I'd be surprised if Doncaster weren't in the promotion frame, this being their first season at this level for over ten years (with much of that period spent in the Championship). Hopefully it won't matter for you lot though!

I don't think that's reason enough to assume they'll do well - Blackpool haven't been at this level for 15 years, we haven't been at this level for 18 years, but I don't think either of us will necessarily be bouncing straight back.

 

[Conker]

I don't think that's reason enough to assume they'll do well - Blackpool haven't been at this level for 15 years, we haven't been at this level for 18 years, but I don't think either of us will necessarily be bouncing straight back.

18 years really? I always remember Iyseden Christie scoring four against you lot (maybe all headers) years ago and I thought that was at this level.

 

[AdamStag]

18 years really? I always remember Iyseden Christie scoring four against you lot (maybe all headers) years ago and I thought that was at this level.

The 4-2? That was up in league 1 on a Friday night - bet that's about 13 years ago!

 

[dedwardp]

18 years really? I always remember Iyseden Christie scoring four against you lot (maybe all headers) years ago and I thought that was at this level.

I remember that well too! It was indeed the 4-2 and it was a Friday night, 2002/03, not that long before Phil Parkinson came in. That was my first visit to Field Mill, but was definitely League One (well, Division Two at the time). It's the only season we've been in the same division since we went up in 1998.

 

[Wombling Kiwi]

Congrats Grimsby Whenever i spoke to Grimsby fans they were friendly and fair i found.

Not so sure you "spoke" to them, I played with a codhead years ago, and I couldn't understand a word he said. He will be over the moon at the moment.
Welcome back Codheads anyway, hopefully we wont see you for a couple of seasons when you come up to L1 for a visit.

 

[Luke Imp]

Hurst wouldn't get the time at County. He's built that squad at Grimsby over 3 or 4 years.

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

I think it's overlooked sometimes just how difficult it is to get out of that league. One promotion spot only out of 24 teams or the lottery of the play-offs for the next four places. Throw in some good teams that would hold their own in this division and you have a recipe for a really competitive league. I know it can be frustrating at times when a manager makes decisions that we don't agree with, but a penalty kick away from promotion followed by promotion looks pretty good on a CV.

On paper Grimsby look in much better shape than Notts County.

 

[mowgli]

Not so sure you "spoke" to them, I played with a codhead years ago, and I couldn't understand a word he said. He will be over the moon at the moment.
Welcome back Codheads anyway, hopefully we wont see you for a couple of seasons when you come up to L1 for a visit.

I had no problem understanding them myself

 

[RampantRover]

Yay! We have a local derby!!!!!!

 

[pontoonlew]

What Hurst needs to do at some point is address his own errors in the past 6 years, something he's never once done.

When he does it might go some way to him 'getting' why fans got so pissed off. Poor signings after January, horrendous squad rotation and sticking with the same plan & players when it wasn't working. Andy Monkhouse getting injured is the best thing that happened all season, it sounds harsh but it forced Hurst into 4-3-3 for Braintree away and the 4-3-1-2 in the final. We had pace, flair and we won the midfield. We looked a different team. If Monkhouse was fit, he'd have played and I'm quite sure we'd be a Non League side right now.

Getting in the league is just brilliant and it's amazing to have finally done it. But we still finished 21 points off the top and behind Braintree, there's work to be done.

What I would say though is that it's going to be a different atmosphere now, we've less expectations and Hurst should notice that. It'd be nice that he did because I felt for him to talk about and focus on the 'minority' after one of the biggest results in our history left a bitter taste. Our style of play suits this league in the sense teams are way more likely to play to win rather than Guiseley coming to park the fucking bus and I hope Hurst stays. I'd like us to be stable for a year, see how he progresses in a new league and new atmosphere around the club then we'll go from there.

Oh it's good to see you back Frealaf (I knew you'd be happy with 22nd, knew it)

 

[PaulHaddock]

Whilst Hurst may struggle to get a real 'winning' team, he won't build a team ways to beat so hoping we don't lose too many and nick a few good wins through the season.

 

[Gladders]

we've less expectations and Hurst should notice that.
Oh it's good to see you back Frealaf (I knew you'd be happy with 22nd, knew it)

i'd be happy to still be a FL club this time next season, if that is 22nd so be it.

As for expectations are you sure about that? there is already a thread on the fishy about next seasons expectations and 90% of the replies are about play-offs or better. Guess it won't be too long before the boo boys are back.