Grimsby Town FC Club History

1870s

1878/79
Grimsby Town are formed, under their original moniker of Grimsby Pelham after a meeting in the Wellington Arms on Freeman Street, Grimsby on Friday 20 September 1878. The club play their home games at Clee Park and their first game isa practice match where a Captain’s XI beat a Vice Captain’s XI by 7-3.

1879/80
Victories over two other local clubs, Pelham White Star and Wanderers lead to a change of name to Grimsby Town FC.

1880s

1880/81
The club’s headquarters move from Wellington Arms to Drings Hotel, Grimsby. Clee Park becomes the club’s official home.

1881/82
The Lincolnshire Football Association is formed and a knockout tournament is held. Grimsby Town reach the Semi-Finals where they lose 5-0 to Brigg Town.

1882/83
Grimsby Town enter the FA Cup for the first time. Scottish giants Queen’s Park are the Mariners’ First Round opponents but they refuse to travel to the East Coast and Town receive a walkover to the next round where they are soundly trounced by Phoenix Bessemer 8-1. The result is still the club’s record FA Cup defeat.

1883/84
The Mariners’ first FA Cup victory comes courtesy of a 3-1 win at Hull Town, although Grimsby lose 4-0 to Grantham in the Second Round. Town reach the final of the Lincolnshire Cup for the first time where they lose 4-2 to Spilsby.

1884/85
Grimsby Town adopt a new playing strip of chocolate-brown and blue halved jerseys and white knickers. The Mariners reach the FA Cup Fourth Round where they fall 3-0 away at London’s Old Carthusians club.

1885/86
The Mariners record a thumping FA Cup victory when they beat Darlington 8-0 at Clee Park. Town win the Lincolnshire Cup for the first time when they beat Lincoln Lindum at Grantham 2-0.

1886/87
Grimsby record their biggest victory – a 19-0 win over Morton St. Paul’s – in the Lincolnshire Cup at Grimsby Rangers’ ground. Town lose in the Final 2-0 to Lincoln City in a replay at Gainsborough.

1887/88
The Mariners move their headquarters to the Ship Hotel in Flottergate and reach the Final of the Lincolnshire Cup again but the match is never played after the Town committee briefly resign from the Lincolnshire FA.

1888/89
Grimsby Town participate in The Combination – a League formed by many clubs from the Midlands and Lancashire. Town’s first game was away at Long Eaton Rangers on 1 September 1888, which they lose 3-1. Town’s first home game was a 4-0 victory over Gainsborough on 8 December 1888. The Mariners are unlucky to lose 2-0 to the ‘Invincibles’ of Preston North End in the FA Cup Second Round but win the Lincolnshire Cup once more with a 3-1 win over Grantham Rovers at Boston.

1889/90
Grimsby Town become founder members of the Football Alliance. The club also switch grounds to a new site at Abbey Park (near present-day People’s Park and Farebrother Street). Town’s first Alliance game was against Long Eaton Rangers whom they beat 4-1.

1890s

1890/91
Grimsby Town become a Limited Company.

1891/92
Town thrash Boston 10-0 in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round.

1892/93
Grimsby Town become founder members of Football League Division Two. The Mariners’ first Football League match is a 2-1 home win against Northwich Victoria on 3 September 1892.

1898/99
Grimsby Town set their highest-scoring league victory of 9-2 against Darwen. The club move to their current home Blundell Park, Cleethorpes at the end of the season.

1899/00
Grimsby Town’s first match at Blundell Park is a 3-3 draw with Luton Town on 2 September 1899.

1900s

1900/01
Grimsby Town win the Football League Division Two Title and are promoted to Division One.

1902/03
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Two.

1910s

1909/10
Grimsby Town fail to gain re-election to Division Two and have to join the Midland League.

1910/11
Grimsby Town are crowned Midland League Champions.

1911/12
Grimsby Town re-join Football League Division Two.

1920s

1920/21
Grimsby Town are relegated from Division Two but become founder members of the new Football League Division Three.

1921/22
Grimsby Town are transferred from Division Three South to Division Three North.

1925/26
Grimsby Town adopt their now-traditional black-and-white striped shirts and win the Division Three North Championship.

1928/29
Grimsby Town win promotion to Division One after finishing runners-up in Division Two.

1930s

1931/32
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Two.

1933/34
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division One as Division Two Champions.

1934/35
Grimsby Town finish fifth in Division One, the highest league position in the club’s history.

1935/36
Grimsby Town lose 1-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup Semi-Final at Leeds Road, Huddersfield.

1938/39
Grimsby Town lose 5-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford, Manchester. The crowd of 76,962 is still a record for the ground.

1939-46
The Football League programme is suspended due to the outbreak of the Second World War.

1940s

1947/48
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Two.

1950s

1950/51
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Three North.

1951/52
Grimsby Town miss out on promotion after finishing as runners-up to near-neighbours Lincoln City in Division Three North. Manager Bill Shankly later describes his Grimsby side as “Pound for pound, and class for class, the best football team I have seen in England since the war.”

1955/56
Grimsby Town win the Division Three North Championship.

1958/59
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Three.

1960s

1961/62
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division Two after finishing as runners-up in Division Three. Promotion is secured with a 2-0 victory at Brentford.

1963/64
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Three on goal average.

1967/68
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Four on goal average.

1970s

1971/72
Grimsby Town win Division Four thanks to a 3-0 win over Exeter City at a packed Blundell Park. Mariners fans hail the transformation of the club under manager Lawrie McMenemy.

1976/77
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Four.

1978/79
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division Three as Division Four runners-up.

1979/80
Grimsby Town win the Division Three Championship. A Mike Brolly double sees the Mariners overcome Everton 2-1 in the League Cup Fourth Round before they narrowly lose to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a Fifth Round Second Replay at Derby County.

1980s

1981/82
Grimsby Town beat Wimbledon 3-2 at Blundell Park to become the inaugural winners of the Football League Group Cup. Town’s progress to the Final sees them gain maximum points from a group consisting of Chesterfield, Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers before beating Newport County and Shrewsbury Town in the Quarter and Semi-Finals respectively.

1983/84
Grimsby Town mount a serious challenge for promotion to Division One before eventually finishing fifth in Division Two, their highest post-war league position.

1984/85
A last-minute Paul Wilkinson goal sees Grimsby Town overcome Division One giants Everton at Goodison Park in the Milk Cup Fourth Round. Norwich City are the visitors to Blundell Park in the Quarter-Finals but Town lose 1-0. Manager Dave Booth leaves the club at the end of the season to take up a role in Thailand. His replacement is former Everton favourite, Mick Lyons.

1986/87
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Three despite sitting eighth with just ten games remaining. A disastrous run of eight defeats and two draws sees Town fall to 21st. Mick Lyons is dismissed as manager.

1987/88
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Four, following a 2-1 home loss to Aldershot Town on the final day of the season. New manager Bobby Roberts lasts just 12 months in the Blundell Park hotseat and is replaced by Kettering Town boss Alan Buckley.

1988/89
Harry Haddock fever sweeps the nation as Grimsby Town reach the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. The Mariners beat a rampant Wolves side 1-0 at Blundell Park in Round One and then overcome Rotherham United 3-2 before being drawn away to Division One side Middlesbrough in the Third Round. A brace from Marc North sees Town advance and they then beat Reading 2-1 in a replay at Elm Park before over 7,000 fans travel to holders Wimbledon. The Mariners take the lead early on but eventually lose 3-1.

1989/90
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division Three as Division Four runners-up.

1990s

1990/91
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division Two after finishing third in Division Three on goal difference. The Mariners’ second successive promotion is secured after John Cockerill nets both in a 2-1 win over Exeter City on the final day at Blundell Park.

1991/92
Grimsby Town defeat Division One high-flyers Aston Villa in the Rumbelows Cup on the away goals rule. The Mariners lose in the Third Round 3-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur in front of over 17,000 at Blundell Park.

1992/93
Division Two is re-designated Division One following the formation of the FA Premier League.

1995/96
Grimsby Town hit the headlines when Italian superstar Ivano Bonetti joins the club, thanks in no small part to a supporters’ fundraising campaign to help secure the player’s transfer fee. On the field the Mariners embark upon a successful FA Cup run when they thrash Luton Town 7-1 at Blundell Park. Premier League West Ham United are the opponents in Round Four and Town beat them 3-0 at Blundell Park in a replay after drawing the original game 1-1. Chelsea are then held 0-0 at Blundell Park in Round Five before Town lose the replay 4-1 at Stamford Bridge. Bonetti’s spell with the club ends in ignominy as manager Laws breaks the player’s cheekbone in a dressing room altercation following a league game at Luton Town. Laws survives the controversial incident and Bonetti returns to make three further appearances before leaving the club at the end of the season.

1996/97
Brian Laws is dismissed as manager after a difficult start to the season. John Cockerill briefly takes caretaker charge before Kenny Swain takes over, but it is not enough to save the Mariners and Town are relegated to Division Two. During the summer, Clive Mendonca joins Charlton Athletic for £700,000 and John Oster is sold to Everton for a club-record £1.5 million.

1997/98
Grimsby Town are promoted to Division One after a Division Two Play-Off Final victory over Northampton Town at Wembley. Kevin Donovan scores the only goal of the game. The Mariners are also crowned Auto Windscreens Shield Winners after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Bournemouth at Wembley on Sunday 19 April 1998. Wayne Burnett scores the all-important Golden Goal. One of the most successful seasons in the club’s history also sees them reach the Coca-Cola Cup Fourth Round after victories over Oldham (5-1 agg) and Premiership sides Sheffield Wednesday (4-3 agg) and Leicester City (3-1). The FA Cup also sees Town in the Fourth Round where they succumbed 2-0 to Leeds United, this after thrashing First Division Norwich City 3-0 at Blundell Park in the Third Round.

1998/99
Grimsby Town’s record signing, Lee Ashcroft, joins the club from Preston North End for £550,000.

2000s

2000/01
Alan Buckley is astonishingly sacked as manager just two games into the season, following a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth. His successor is former Middlesbrough chief, Lennie Lawrence, who oversees the capture of several costly international loan signings, amongst them striker David Nielsen, midfielder Menno Willems, and defender Zhang Enhua. Results on the field continue to be troublesome though, and it takes an unlikely victory over Division One Champions Fulham on the last day of the season to stave off relegation and possible administration, with the Football League’s lucrative television rights contract with ITV Digital providing temporary financial reprieve.

2001/02
A last-minute thunderbolt from Phil Jevons sees the Mariners dump holders Liverpool out of the Worthington Cup with a 2-1 extra-time win at Anfield. Town then travel to Arsenal in Round Four where they lose 2-0. Manager Lennie Lawrence is dismissed in December 2001, following a long run without a win. Captain Paul Groves is appointed player/manager and masterminds an unlikely escape from relegation thanks to memorable victories over Crystal Palace (5-2), Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-0) and Wimbledon (6-2). The collapse of the Football League’s television deal with ITV Digital leaves the Mariners in financial difficulties, meaning several key players depart Blundell Park, leaving Groves with a threadbare squad for the following campaign.

2002/03
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Two after a dismal campaign where they finish bottom of the First Division. Administration again looms large over Blundell Park but never comes to fruition.

2003/04
Grimsby Town are relegated to Division Three, which is rechristened League Two, following a last-day defeat at Tranmere Rovers. The season proves to be another tough one for the Mariners, who suffer heavy defeats at Hartlepool (8-1), Wycombe Wanderers (4-1), Port Vale (5-1), and Oldham Athletic (6-0). Player/manager Paul Groves is dismissed as manager following the latter, but retained in a playing aspect, before being loaned to Scunthorpe United. Assistant manager Graham Rodger takes temporary charge of the club, halting the slide, but the job is given to former Bradford boss Nicky Law until the end of the season. He brings in a flurry of free transfers but the Mariners’ form continues to slide, leaving them in the bottom four at the end of the campaign.

2005/06
Grimsby Town are runners-up to Cheltenham Town in the League Two Play-Off Final and miss out on promotion. The match finishes 1-0 to the Robins courtesy of a Steve Guinan goal. The club record a tremendous 1-0 victory over Premiership Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup Second Round.

2006/07
Alan Buckley returns as manager for a third time in November 2006 after Graham Rodger’s departure.

2007/08
The Mariners reach Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final where they lose 2-0 to Milton Keynes Dons.

2008/09
After a poor start to the season, manager Alan Buckley is relieved of his duties. Assistant manager Stuart Watkiss takes over on a caretaker basis before former Hartlepool and Luton chief Mike Newell takes the reins on Monday 6 October. The club’s Football League status is mathematically secured on the final day of the season after a 0-0 draw at home to Macclesfield.

2009/10
Mike Newell is dismissed as manager on 18 October 2009. Neil Woods replaces him in caretaker charge of the club. Woods is eventually named the club’s manager on Monday 23 November. Grimsby Town are relegated from the Football League after a 3-0 defeat at Burton Albion on the final day of the League Two season, Saturday 8 May.

2010s

2010/11
Neil Woods is dismissed as Mariners’ manager in late-February after a 1-1 home draw with Forest Green Rovers. Former Boston duo Paul Hurst and Rob Scott are named as his replacements on 23 March 2011.

2012/13
The Mariners reach the FA Trophy Final but are beaten on penalties by Wrexham, after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes; Andy Cook opens the scoring at Wembley. The club later reach the Blue Square Bet Premier play offs but are defeated 2-0 over two legs by eventual winners Newport County.

2013/14
Rob Scott is dismissed as joint manager in September 2013, with Paul Hurst continuing in sole charge. Town reach the FA Cup Third Round for the first time in eleven years after defeating League Two sides Scunthorpe (after a replay) and Northampton in Rounds One and Two. Town again reach the Conference play offs but this time they are beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Gateshead in the semi-finals.

2014/15 
The Mariners reach the Vanarama Conference Promotion Final after finishing third in the division with the club record points haul of 86 in a season. They defeat Eastleigh 5-1 on aggregate over two legs in the semi finals before losing on penalties 5-3 to Bristol Rovers in the final. With promotion in reach, the Mariners’ supporters launch Operation Promotion following the play-off final defeat, raising more than £110,000 to support the club’s transfer activity.

2015/16
Grimsby Town finally return to the Football League after six years away. Town finish fourth in the National League before beating Braintree Town in the play-off semi-finals and Forest Green Rovers 3-1 at Wembley in the Promotion Final, with Omar Bogle scoring twice and Nathan Arnold adding a late third. A week later the Mariners return to Wembley for the FA Trophy Final but lose 1-0 to FC Halifax Town.

2016/17
Town finish 14th in their first season back in League Two. Paul Hurst leaves for Shrewsbury Town in October and is replaced by Marcus Bignot, while Omar Bogle is sold to Wigan Athletic in January after scoring 19 league goals. Bignot is dismissed in April and Russell Slade returns for a second spell as manager.

2017/18
A difficult season sees Town go 20 league games without a win. Russell Slade leaves in February and Michael Jolley takes charge in March. A late revival, including victories over Chesterfield, Swindon Town and Notts County, secures Football League survival before Town finish 18th.

2018/19
After another difficult start, Town recover under Michael Jolley to finish 17th in League Two. The Mariners reach the FA Cup Third Round, where they are narrowly beaten 1-0 by Premier League Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

2019/20
Michael Jolley leaves the club in November and Ian Holloway is appointed manager on New Year’s Eve. The season is suspended in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently ended early, with final League Two positions decided on points per game. Town finish 15th.

2020s

2020/21
Ian Holloway resigns in December and Paul Hurst returns for a second spell as manager. Town are relegated from the Football League after five seasons back in League Two. Days later, 1878 Partners, led by Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit, complete their takeover of the club, bringing John Fenty’s long association with the board to an end.

2021/22
Town finish sixth in the National League and embark on an extraordinary play-off campaign. They come from behind to beat Notts County 2-1 after extra time before winning an astonishing semi-final 5-4 at Wrexham, again after extra time. In the Promotion Final at the London Stadium, Jordan Maguire-Drew’s extra-time winner gives the Mariners a 2-1 victory over Solihull Moors and an immediate return to the Football League.

2022/23
Town finish 11th in their first season back in League Two but make history in the FA Cup. Victories over Plymouth Argyle, Cambridge United, Burton Albion, Luton Town and Premier League Southampton make Grimsby the first club in FA Cup history to eliminate five teams from higher divisions in a single campaign. Town reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1939 before losing 5-0 away to Brighton & Hove Albion.

2023/24
Paul Hurst is dismissed in October with Town struggling near the bottom of League Two. Former Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell is appointed in November and guides the Mariners to safety, with Town finishing 21st.

2024/25
Town make significant progress under David Artell, climbing from 21st the previous season to finish ninth in League Two – their highest league position for 19 years. The Mariners remain in play-off contention until the final day but miss out following a 1-0 home defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

2025/26
Town finish seventh in League Two and qualify for the play-offs, where they lose 4-3 on aggregate to Salford City after extra time in the semi-final second leg. The season also produces one of the most famous nights in the club’s history when Premier League giants Manchester United visit Blundell Park in the Carabao Cup Second Round. Goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren put Town 2-0 ahead before United recover to draw 2-2, but the Mariners prevail 12-11 in a marathon penalty shoot-out.

Town then beat Championship side Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 at Hillsborough to reach the League Cup Fourth Round for the first time since 2001/02, where their run ends with a 5-0 defeat to Brentford at Blundell Park. The Mariners also reach the FA Cup Fourth Round, losing narrowly 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.