Bonnetti's Return to BP!

By: The Grimsby Telegraph
Date: 16/09/2005

GRIMSBY Town cult hero Ivano Bonetti is set to return to Blundell Park next month is expected to play in a benefit match for John McDermott, who is in his second testimonial year after spending almost 20 years at the club.

The Match is against Hull City on October 3 and will feature a host of former and current Town favourites.

The Grimsby Telegraph in its report today says; The return of former Juventus and Sampdoria star Bonetti is sure to cause the most excitement among fans, who lapped up his ball skills and loved his charismatic nature during his brief spell in Cleethorpes.

His stint in a black and white shirt infamously ended following a bust-up with then-manager Brian Laws, who left the Italian playmaker with a black eye and fractured cheekbone following a dressing room argument in February, 1996.

The flamboyant Bonetti left for Tranmere at the end of the season before returning to Italy to play for Genoa and then later managing Dundee north of the border.

He now presents a soccer show on Italian television.

Grimsby Town club bosses have been assured that Bonetti is 99 per cent certain to turn out for the special day.

Among the other Town all-stars lined-up to play include most of the Wembley heroes from 1997-98.

Wayne Burnett is understood to have provisionally agreed to attend - unless he has any commitments with the club he now manages, Fisher Athletic.

Other familiar faces likely to be on show include Paul Groves, Aidan Davison, Mark Lever, Kingsley Black and Kevin Donovan.

The plan is for the current Mariners team to play the first half and the 'all-stars' team to figure after the break.

The Tigers have pledged to field their first team, barring any international duties.

Proceeds from the match will go to McDermott, who has spent nearly two decades at the club as a player.

He was presented with special shirts to mark his 600th league game by Peterborough director of football Barry Fry last week - before the Mariners beat Posh and extended their sequence of away wins to a record six victories.

If he plays in tomorrow's clash with Torquay, the Carling Cup tie against Spurs on Tuesday will be his 700th game for Town in all competitions.

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