Grimsby v Darlington Preview

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

You may have had this same conversation with your black and white brethren in a pub or tavern of your choosing and it may have been a hell of a lot more detailed then of what I've put below but from what I can gather the reason below are the majority given for our recent upturn. So which do believe is the true reason? We are improving because….

1. Those injured initially are now returning improving the overall strength of the squad and encouraging competition for places that wasn't there just a few weeks ago.
2. The team is starting to gel becoming more rounded and players are starting to realise their roles and understand their team mates more fully
3. The teams we have played and beaten are poor. The teams we played at the beginning of the season were all formerly in League One and as a result were of a better standard of our own. We are now playing teams who are to be more likely in the same position or below us come the end of the campaign.
4. We have been lucky. The own goal at Torquay was a freak incident while the free kick was intelligent but nothing more then a one off. North’s goal was in the dying moments of the game against Hereford and could have easily missed or knowing North been given offside.
5. Confidence is starting to resonate through the club a few wins and a few good performances as well as the return to fitness of some have given players a boost in a fragile team still reeling from the dreadful previous campaign.
6. A little bit of all of it.
7. We analyse the game way too much.

Whatever you think for the recent upturn in results it is still possible that Town may well be within play off contention by the end of October which none of us really would have thought after Crewe. That’s enough of me stoking the over optimistic fire, time to look at our visitors at the weekend.

Overview

In the summer of 1883 in the bowels of the local grammar school a number of professional and part time footballers met to organise a club, which would represent the town of Darlington. In 1886 Darlington ventured into the FA Cup for the very first time to meet the almighty Grimsby Town Football Club and our Mighty Mariners duly handed the Quakers an 8-0 thumping. You're welcome. After impressing in the North Eastern League Darlington were promoted to the newly formed Division 3 in 1920 and in their debut season finished 2nd promoting them to Division 2 which they were subsequently relegated from the following season. Modern days have seen off the pitch antics taking centre stage. Outlandish bids for former stars (Asprilla and Gascoigne.) huge stadiums former safe breakers and a few defeats at Wembley.

The last campaign produced envious glances across the league, as a team apparently struggling were able to splash the cash in the hope of getting out the league. Darlo failed to do so finishing 7 points off the very last play off place put with a very healthy 17+ goal difference.

Fast becoming a season of survival Darlington are one of only 4 teams in the whole football league yet to register a win this season. 5 points now off second bottom Macclesfield a team who started with hardly any players look like they are already doomed to the conference for the first time since 1989.

What to say about the beautiful noose around the Quakers neck. This huge Premier League standard stadium sits on the outskirts of the town a testament to previous owners sheer lunacy and ostentatious ideas on running a football club. We all know what it is now 3,000 odd supporters rattling around in this huge stadium which they are unable to utilise it’s all very pretty but unless Darlington town council are considering doubling the towns size it may never be full.

Well they had Franz Burgmeier who the BBC, Sky and ITV took great pleasure in patting on the head patronisingly whenever Liechtenstein played and keenly followed a few Darlo fans to support him against Wales. They also have the wonderful Dean Windass who has a whole Hall of Fame named after him on the excellent Football Ramble podcast and rightly so as he has managed to make a success of himself despite been from Hull. Kevin McBride formerly of Celtic

Kevin Gall has that steady goal ratio of one every other game well he’s scored 2 in 4 games at least only David Dowson has scored another goal in the league this season. Gall started his career at Newcastle and after been released he must have wanted to get as far away from there as possible and moved to Bristol Rovers playing a couple of season and then moved to Yeovil playing 134 scoring 26. After leaving Slades' Yeovil he added more mileage and moved to Carlisle who decided he was best suited to been away from the club going on loan to Darlington, Lincoln and Port Vale. He obviously impressed in Darlington and moved there this summer. And! If your still not convinced he is good, he is brilliant on Football Manager 09 FACT!

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Head to Head

Darlo are the ultimate bogey side for Grimsby in recent times. The north east club have won the last five games, and the Mariners have not won for 14 games against the Quakers. The last win was in 1987 but that was in the league cup. Town had a great record against Darlo in the 1970s, but the last win was over 30 years ago. Overall Grimsby still have the lead.

P 54 W22 D10 L22F77 A64

Head-to-Head (44th on The Opposition Ladder)

Last Meeting

Darlington 1 Grimsby 0 (Sat 21st Feb 2009)

The Mariners could have picked up a draw but for one silly mistake.

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