Bryan Huxford Interview

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 24/01/2001

The Mariners foray into the loan market in Europe and Scandinavia has created a great deal of media attention overseas. The following is a transcript of an interview that Vice Chairman Bryan Huxford gave to a fan's Grimsby website in Norway which we have reproduced by consent of the site's owner.

Q: How do you see the current financial situation at the club, and is it better than when you took over?

Hux: The same and it will remain so until such time as we can persuade the existing shareholders to allow an increase in equity investment.

Q: Do you see many changes coming in the next few years for the club?

Hux: A new stadium and all the associated activities that go along with such a development

Q: Do you feel the club's potential is in the middle of division one, or is the long term goal the Premiership - is that still possible for little Grimsby?

Hux: Maintaining our current 1st Division status is vital for our financial well-being.

Q: How will the club try to solve the lack of attendance at Blundell Park?

Hux: By constantly trying to improve our product, although many football supporters are very fickle and only respond to success. We need them in the bad times more than in the good, but it does not work that way.

Q: Some will say Grimsby's poor training facilities have been a main part of Grimsby's injury problems in the past. Do you agree, and will money be invested into new training facilities?

Hux: Players themselves have to be dedicated when it comes to personal fitness. All our players receive the same skills and physical training., Ask yourself why some always play (Groves) and some spend a lot of their time on the physio table. Dedication to the job is the answer. Money cannot buy this.

Q: After the club brought in the foreigners, the international press have written more about Grimsby the last month than they have done in total for the last years. Do you see some positive effect this has given the club?

Hux: Hopefully as a result we will stay in Division one, which was the object of the exercise.

Q: Rumours say that Grimsby would not get a new stadium if they are relegated this year, is this true?

Hux: The only thing that would stop development is lack of money.

Q: How do you think the interest is for the club in Lincolnshire and elsewhere?

Hux: Not as good as it should be, People will only realise what they had when they have no longer have it..

Q: Personally, do you enjoy your job, what is the Vice Chairman's duties, what did you do in your past - have you a past on the pitch?

Hux: Yes. Everything. I run my businesses. As a referee

The Fishy thanks Jostein Jensen for allowing us to use this article taken from his website Jailhouse Rock

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