Non-League blogger of the year 'Too Good To Go Down' discusses Connor Jennings...
WITH the first pre season games next week, it's safe to say activities in the transfer market will soon start to hot up.
Paul Hurst has done some good business so far, bringing in Toto Nsiala, Scott Brown and Jack Mackreth.
Football League contracts also expire this week meaning many more players will stop getting paid by their former clubs.
It could mean recently released players start to commit to new clubs and accept an offer on the table.
Although Hurst has made some key signings there's a glaring need for two more strikers to join Ross Hannah and Lenell John-Lewis.
I wrote in this column a few weeks ago that I suspected Connor Jennings may be on Paul Hurst's shortlist and so it has proved.
Jennings' Scunthorpe contract ends this week and he becomes a free agent, and in yesterday's Grimsby Telegraph Hurst admitted the striker is on his radar.
He will be highly coveted by lower league clubs – 20-goal a season strikers don't grow on trees after all.
Although he didn't make the grade at Scunthorpe, Jennings banged in goals at a rate of almost one per game before he suffered a serious calf injury.
It meant he wasn't fully fit during his spell at Blundell Park and at times that showed.
But there's no doubt he possesses excellent qualities, is good on the ball and knows where the goal is.
In theory, he's exactly what Town need – and given Football League clubs will also be interested it would be a coup to gain his signature.
Of course Jennings won't be the only player Hurst will be after this summer.
I suspect the manager will have a number of targets on his wish list.
In my opinion, the manager probably needs four or five more players to complete his squad.
Another defensive player, possibly to cover left-back and central defence, is a must, as is another winger assuming the Mariners will line up in a 4-4-2 formation come August.
As a result Hurst may not want to wait too long for any player to make a decision on their future.
Ideally, any further new signings will be 'in the building' before the match against Cleethorpes Town next week.
With contracts now expiring, decisions may be made sooner rather than later.
GRIMSBY Town's players will be left in no doubt as to what's expected of them this season when they re-convene today.
The Town squad will report back for the first day of pre-season training this morning with Paul Hurst eager to get straight back to work.
But before all the lung-bursting running and conditioning work, the boss is keen to bring the group together and map out exactly what will be asked of them during the coming campaign.
"There will be an initial meet and greet and I'll lay out my expectations for the coming season," he told the Telegraph.
"They'll be left in no doubt as to what's expected of them from here on in.
"It'll all be about laying down what we're going to ask of each other every day and what we're going to strive for.
"After that, and checking their weight and the body fat, we'll be straight to work.
"There's no getting away from the fact that it will be tough from the off, but the footballs will be out and in a strange, perverse point of view, I think they'll enjoy it.
"The lads have been made aware of what to expect because I have been involved in pre-seasons when the first day was simply to come in to pick up your kit and have a little jog around – but not today.
"I'm hoping there will be no nasty surprises and fingers crossed we'll have a nice, fit bunch of lads to work with."
He continued: "I'm really excited to get back into it and integrate the new lads into the squad and work with them all.
"Once they get back on the training ground again, you immediately get that buzz back.
"Pre-season can be tough and you're working on a lot of different things to get back up to speed.
"But there's not really any pressure and it can be enjoyable – believe it or not! – it's a different kind of atmosphere.
"It's about building that team spirit within the group – making sure that we're all together and ready to fight for each other, throughout what will be another long and hard season."
TENTATIVE plans for more than 200 new homes have been unveiled for land on the edge of Waltham.
Cyden Homes, based in Laceby, has submitted a screening opinion to North East Lincolnshire Council for 203 houses on land south-west of Chestnut Road.
The firm declined to comment on the application because it is at such an early stage.
The application, which the documents state is on "Archers Land", includes a play area and two areas of open public space.
It used to be owned by Waltham Parish Council chairman Martin Archer, who said he would be declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest on the matter when it comes before members.
The 203 homes would consist of 11 five-bed houses, 70 four-bed houses, 57 three-bed houses and 32 two-bed houses.
Thirty-three affordable homes are also included.
A Chestnut Road resident, who did not wish to be named, said he believed residents would fight against any forthcoming application for the homes.
"We have heard rumours for a long time that it would be 100 homes, 150 homes," he said.
"None of us really want this. I think people will rise up against it, from what I can gather nearly everyone in Chestnut Road is against it.
"You only have to look at Toll Bar, it's chaos down there in a morning. It was the same in Healing where we moved from.
"There will be a lot of construction noise for a long time.
"We have a beautiful view here of the A18 and these houses are going to block that."
Peter Woodliff, vice-chairman of Waltham Parish Council, said it was too soon to comment on the Cyden proposals.
He said: "As a council we judge each application that comes before us on its merits."
Cyden last month had an application for 160 homes in Scartho turned down by four votes to three by North East Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee.
The plans come just a month after a separate proposal to build more than 50 "essential" new homes in Waltham were put forward.
Those plans include 51 homes – including garages, vehicular access, landscaping and attenuation ponds – which are used to store surface water run-off – on land off Station Road.
The scheme also includes affordable housing provision and education contributions.
The plans for the site, at the junction of Grimsby Road and Station Road, were proposed by Ross Davy Associates and are currently being examined by planning officers.
The screening opinion for the Cyden plans will allow the firm to find out whether the proposal requires an Environmental Impact Assessment, before a full planning application can be submitted.
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RESIDENTS have called for road safety action to be taken in the wake of a crash which left two women with serious injuries.
They said Edward Street in Louth has become notoriously busy with lorries, cars and buses avoiding the town centre.
One of the women seriously hurt was in her Edward Street home when a car lost control on the adjacent Crowtree Lane and struck the side of it.
Lincolnshire Police began an investigation into the cause of the crash, which happened at 6.30pm on Friday.
A 24-year-old woman from Louth, who was a passenger in the Seat Leon, remains in Hull Royal Infirmary being treated for multiple fractures.
The 43-year-old woman, who was the occupant of the house, was taken by air ambulance to hospital in Coventry.
As reported, she is likely to remain there for some weeks undergoing treatment for multiple fractures and internal injuries.
The wall which was struck by the car has a large hole covered over by a wooden panel.
A doorway has also been boarded up and supported from the inside to make the property secure.
One Edward Street resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "We are all devastated. You don't expect anything like that in a quiet little street like ours.
"We had the flashing lights of the emergency services with us until about 3.30am the next morning. It was late before they got everything cleared away."
She added: "It was completely unforseeable. But everyone considers it to be a busy road with a lot of buses and school traffic."
Another neighbour said: "My partner rang 999 as soon as he heard the bang. He went to give help to those who were injured.
"It is getting busier and busier along here."
Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "My partner and daughter were watching TV in the front room when they heard the bang. The whole incident went on for hours. We were moving out of the area anyway to live in a village, but this has made people anxious about living here. It is a busy road with a lot of school buses and lorries coming off the A16 into town this way. When something big comes past the upstairs of the house shakes."
The driver of the car, a 28-year-old man from Louth, and two passengers, a 23-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman from Manby, were all discharged from hospital.
Any witnesses to the incident who have not already spoken to police, can contact the Collision Witness Hotline on 01522 558855.
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FANCY getting married at Cleethorpes Pier?
The historic site is set to be transformed into a top entertainment and conference venue as early as Christmas, catering for large and small weddings.
A group of investors, including Eastern Airways chairman Bryan Huxford, unveiled their impressive vision for the future of the venue last year.
It includes the renovation of the main function rooms allowing for entertainment, conference facilities, functions and events, as well as decking improvements and a 360-degree promenade.
North East Lincolnshire Council has now given planning permission for the transformation under delegated powers, and the sale of the site to the group is set go through on July 18.
Construction work is set to start soon with the hope of opening the new facilities in time for Christmas.
As reported, the ambitious plans include a new bar, tearoom, high-quality restaurant, multi-purpose ballroom and boutique cinema. But bringing the vision to a reality now rests on sourcing further development funding from a combination of local business support and grants from the Regional Growth Fun.
A spokesperson for the group said the Pier will inject additional revenues into the local economy with national companies and organisations being attracted to make use of the conference facilities.
"While achieving that main goal, the continued development will also create jobs and provide an amenity that the people of North East Lincolnshire can really enjoy," said the group's statement.
Councillor Mick Burnett, portfolio holder for tourism at the council, said: "It's absolutely great news for the borough and I wish the consortium every success with their development.
"The Pier is an iconic building for Cleethorpes and I'm very happy to see that the they're bringing it back into use.
"I'm more than happy to work with them and the council is here to help with this ambitious project wherever we can."
The existing Pier tearooms will remain open during the refurbishment period and disruptions will be kept to a minimum.
Any issues with access or changes to opening hours will be promoted in advance on 'The Pier Cleethorpes' website and social media channels.
Residents wishing to book the venue for weddings and functions in 2015 are being invited to register their interest now via the website at www.thepiercleethorpes.co.uk
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The Grimsby Telegraph has launched a campaign to save North East Lincolnshire's direct express service to Manchester. The government is examining the possibility of terminating the TransPennine Express service from Manchester at Doncaster, with a Sheffield to Cleethorpes service being operated by Northern Rail. But local politicians say this would leave the area cut-off from the rest of the country and have vowed to fight the plan. Reporter Simon Faulkner continues his journey on the train from Grimsby Town to find out what passengers think.
ACCORDING to the government many passengers from North East Lincolnshire do not travel all the way to Manchester on the TransPennine Express service, but get off at Doncaster to change trains.
And this is one of the reasons why the Department For Transport (DFT) is examining the option of scrapping the direct express service from Cleethorpes to Manchester.
One couple I meet, John and Lynn Meldrum, got on at Cleethorpes and are heading to Manchester Airport from where they will be flying to Ibiza.
They travel to the airport by train about four or five times a year.
"We choose Manchester Airport purely and simply because of the trains," says John, 77.
"It's much easier than Doncaster and East Midlands.
"We have flown from Humberside before but they don't have flights that often.
"If this happens we would have to start looking at Doncaster or even getting the National Express straight down to London."
One man who is travelling to London via Doncaster says the proposed shake-up wouldn't affect him.
"For me personally it's not a big deal but I imagine for the elderly it will make things quite difficult.
"By taking the service away some people might take the car instead, which will not be great for the environment."
Grimsby couple Stephanie and Denis Pidgen feel rather more strongly about the subject and have signed an online petition opposing the plan.
"It would be appalling if they change it," says Stephanie, 63.
"If we go on holiday we use the train to go to Manchester Airport. When you have two cases, hand luggage and a handbag and you are trying to change trains it's not good.
"They are taking everything away from Grimsby and Cleethorpes and it's not right."
Marie Bailey, 68, of New Waltham, uses the service to Manchester Airport three or four times a year.
Today, she is flying out to see her daughter in Lanzarote.
"I'm not happy about it because it's very handy when you haven't got to change."
The convenience of the service for North East Lincolnshire residents is underlined by the remarks of Gordon Hake, who is travelling back to his home in Sowerby Bridge having spent the weekend at his caravan in Cleethorpes.
"It's easier to get from Manchester Airport to Cleethorpes than it is from where I live. I would have to change at Manchester Victoria then get to Manchester Piccadilly to catch the train to the airport. It's disgraceful they are thinking about doing this when there are bums on seats."
Also travelling back home after a weekend in the caravan is Julie Borland, 50.
She regularly commutes between Grimsby and Liverpool, changing just once at Manchester Piccadilly.
"I would be gutted because it would make it awkward. It's nice to sit and relax and travel straight through.
"It's always busy when I'm on it so I don't know why they would want to stop it."
Today, Janice Orrick, 64, from Cleethorpes, is going on a trip to Meadowhall with her daughter Rachel Bebbington.
However, she often uses the service to go to Manchester Airport.
"It's a brilliant service," she says.
"Once you are on the train that's when your holiday starts.
"When you have got arthritis you don't want to be changing trains and lugging your cases off and on.
"We have got the Humber Bank and we are trying to attract people and businesses yet they are talking about taking this service away.
"They are making it more difficult instead of encouraging people to come and work here."
After getting off the train at Meadowhall I catch the delayed 11.16 service back to Cleethorpes.
Onboard are Ian Greenbeck, from New Waltham, his wife Jane and daughters Nicola and Suzanne.
The family are heading back to Grimsby after returning from holiday in Florida.
"It would affect us because we wouldn't be able to get to Manchester Airport so easily," says the 54-year-old who often travels by train to Manchester for business.
"If we fly from Manchester we don't take the car, whereas if we go to East Midlands we take the car, which we don't want to do because of the cost of petrol and parking. It's cheaper on the train."
Another passenger heading back to Grimsby is concerned that if the line is split, then North East Lincolnshire will lose its hourly train service to Doncaster and Sheffield.
"It's just cutting Grimsby off again. Once they split that service then the times will go.
"It would be a shame. They should be improving the service not cutting it."
We will pass on coupons and letters from readers and the online petition to the government and those involved in the consultation, which ends on August 18.
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