Grimsby Town v Tranmere Rovers – ‘meeting the opposition’
On Saturday, Grimsby Town travel to Merseyside to face Tranmere Rovers in league two action at Prenton Park. With that in mind, I placed questions towards my friend ‘Aaron Rattray’ who supports ‘the mariners’. I thought it would be interesting to see the thoughts of a fan who’s club will soon face Rovers, to see their opinions of Tranmere and their opinion on the state of their club at the moment; amongst other subjects.
How long have you been a supporter of Grimsby Town? How did you discover the club?
My earliest distinct memory of supporting Grimsby is when I was six years old and I was mascot in a televised fixture against Derby County. Steve Livingstone was knocked unconscious that game with a fractured skull following a clash of heads with Danny Higginbotham, I do have photographic evidence that I was mascot three years earlier against Barnsley. Unfortunately, I don’t remember that occasion. I live in Grimsby, thus they are my local club.
Where did your club finish last season?
Last season, we finished 15th in League Two after the season was curtailed early.
What are your thoughts on your current manager and the state of your club at the moment?
Ian Holloway manages the club. He is clearly a well known character with experience of managing at a higher level having spent the vast majority of his career in the premiership so he certainly has that ‘pedigree’, before COVID he was marking marked improvements which was unfortunately cut short and reset so he is trying to build a squad back up from a worse state than he found is in. Given his ‘pedigree’, I do hope that given time he can have us challenging at the top end of the league soon.
What are your expectations for this season?
We have started very slowly this season. This is probably to be expected given the condition every squad finds itself in following the COVID outbreak and the lack of match fitness. We have several key players injured/unfit but in general we are a very young and inexperienced squad and we need the experienced key players fit and playing, if we can get them all fit I like to think we can finish in the top half of the league table. This would be something to build on.
Which one player is your danger man? Why?
Our danger man is Owura Edwards who is sadly injured at the moment. The young forward is on loan from Bristol City and is a very raw whilst being a great talent. He always looks to create and on his day, he will create. Hopefully when players such as: Bennett, Scannell and Williams get fit they can complement him well.
What is your score prediction for the match this weekend?
I’ll go for a 1-1 draw just to keep us both content, it’s certainly a league encounter that’s hard to predict.
Random fact about your town/club?
From one goalnet to the other, is a steep incline of 6 feet. There are many many unique facts about the town and the club.
Do you support/like any other club other than Grimsby?
I do like Liverpool, everybody else seems to hate them so somebody needs to like them.
Proudest moment as a Grimsby supporter?
15th May 2016, the national league play off final against Forest Green Rovers. On that day, Grimsby fans went through every single emotion possible , excitement and hope leading up to the game, nervousness, joy and delight. When Bogle scored a quick fire double to put us 2-0 up, anxiety and worry when Marsh Brown pulled one back and town started to sit very deep inviting pressure (we had a habit that season of messing up a 2 goal lead). Again nervousness, as the seconds seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours as Forest Green started to turn the screw and then immense pride when Nathan Arnold rounded the keeper to put us 3-1 up in added time! Six years of pain, agony and nightmare was over. Hopefully we never return to the fifth tier.
What is your opinion of Tranmere Rovers?
A big club at this level who should really be challenging at the top end of the league table this season.
I would like to thank Aaron for his time answering the questions that I placed towards him, this league encounter should be an interesting occasion and I hope that readers enjoyed this Q+A.
(Grimsby Town manager – Ian Holloway)