WHAT a constructive and honest article by Geoff Ford in the Grimsby Telegraph on Friday, November 22.
Geoff, in my eyes,was speaking as a true Grimsby Town supporter who honestly cannot understand why the local council finds it hard to back John Fenty and the Mariners in their quest to build a new stadium.
It seems to me that where ever there is a place targeted in Grimsby, there is a immediate battle just to crush the idea of the project taking place.
In his article, Geoff reeled off a number of football clubs who have gained new grounds through working with the local councils, and making the stadiums a community building.
One he did forget though was Swansea City – just look where they are now, in the Premier League.
When I played for Town for instance in the 1970s, we played Swansea away near the end of the season and they were fighting to stay in the league. They just stayed up by few points which they gained near the end of the season.
Town finished in the top six that season.
They now have a communal stadium working with the local council and, yes, I do believe also a very rich sole owner, who works closely with the council for the benefit of the football club and the local residents.
I see that local leader of the Liberal Democrats, Andrew De Freitas, has gone and stuck his objections to the stadiums being built in his ward – did he not also object to a ground being in Great Coates?
Bit of a strange Town supporter Andrew is, I wonder if he still goes to watch Town anymore.
Mr Fenty, the Grimsby Town director, must feel underneath fed up to the sky with the constant objections that wherever the club look at a ground being built there is an immediate objection to the project.
Again I will quote what Geoff says and I agree with him fully, his headline was: "Grimsby should stand and deliver a new stadium."
As an ex-councillor for NEL and also a very keen Grimsby Town supporter who still lives in the region after coming to the town 45 years ago, I wish that all the relevant people get together and work this out – let's get behind Mr Fenty and make this happen.
Dave Boylen – Grimsby Town Football Club 1966/1978
