Quinn Snubs the Mariners

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 28/07/2005

NORTHERN Ireland international James Quinn has turned down the opportunity to move to Blundell Park, despite the club's willingness to meet the striker's wage demands. The 30-year-old former Blackpool and WBA forward was unwilling to relocate or travel to the Grimsby area.

A frustrated Town Chairman John Fenty told the Grimsby Telegraph: "The player has turned us down because he does not want to come to Grimsby. The drive up here and what he saw has put him off.

"We always knew that to get him to Grimsby would involve us offering more than other clubs and we were prepared to do that. We were prepared to push the boat out and we expected him to sign yesterday. Russell Slade had convinced him of the club's ambitions and we were willing to let him train at Birmingham, where he lives, on a Monday and then meet up with some of our players that come in from Sheffield and come into Grimsby."

As well as Town's remote location, Fenty also felt that Grimsby's outdated stadium clearly influenced Quinn's decision. "If we had a brand new stadium at Great Coates to take him to then the outcome might have been more positive. And that is something that we must pursue for the future of the club," said Fenty.

Fenty vowed to continue to look for quality players to bring to Blundell Park, and hoped fans would be sympathetic with some of the problems Town face in today's game.

"It is a setback but there are other players out there. But our supporters can see from this the quality of player we are looking for. It also shows how difficult it is to get them to Grimsby," said Town's chairman.

Cameroon international Samuel Ipoua, currently on trial at Blundell Park, would be a possible big name replacment for Town's number one summer target.

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