Duncan McKenzie Supports The Telegraph Campaign!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 20/02/2002

GRIMSBY-born Duncan McKenzie is the latest of Grimsby's hero's to back the Grimsby Telegraph's "Up The Mariners" campaign. Duncan, who was born in the area, came back for a school reunion took time out to talk to the Telegraph about the Mariners.

"I used to go with a lad called Eric Lose who was my best mate at Wintringham School," recalled McKenzie, who now lives in Everton.

"He was on schoolboy terms with the club so he used to go and get in, and then sneak his pass through the fence and I'd get in for nothing. Then we used to go and stand on the Pontoon with everybody else and sing to all our heroes.

"Johnny Scott was my first. He's sadly not with us any more, but then it was Billy Rudd. We used to sing 'he's 5ft 2, his eyes are blue, has anyone seen our Billy?"

"Even the teachers used to let us off with our homework if Grimsby were at home. Then we'd get to the games and they'd be there themselves."

"I love going to a game every week. It's okay watching it on the box, but you can't beat the feeling of being at a game of football. The only people who can help Grimsby Town are the people of Grimsby."

"I always tell people to look at what happened with Burnley. They were on the brink of dropping out of existence five or six years ago. They managed to pack the ground out and never looked back. It's horrible to think that, if Grimsby go down, they could end up in that sort of situation.

"I just hope the club aren't in dire straits before people put away their shopping trolleys and go and watch them on a Saturday afternoon."

"If I was Paul Groves I'd be banging my head against a brick wall. It's a massive job that faces him. "When I used to go in the late 1950s Grimsby were doing well in the third division and regularly had gates of 25-30,000.

"Maybe there wasn't much of an option for blokes on a Saturday afternoon then, but even to bring in players Groves faces a massive job. You're tucked away in a corner of Lincolnshire and there's nobody passing through to bring business or to attract players or people."

"Even away fans don't fancy a trip to Grimsby so it's not very often you get a decent away crowd is it?"

"There's a big long-term danger if Grimsby go down and it will be a very sad day if they do."

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