The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

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Flogging the Silver

By: Mertle
Date: 20/02/2004

IT pains me to see what is happening to the club. The board seem more interested in selling the family goods than running a football club. Anybody who is not a regular to the official site could be forgiven for thinking they have hit on a car boot sale rather than a professional football club.

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It gives out the wrong message that all this club is interested in is a bunch of plates rather than that the club is run in a proper professional manner. The appointment of Rodger clearly is an own goal move for this board. It says something when over 60% of voters on the Fishy think it's wrong.

This may be down to many fans feeling he should have gone as partner in crime to Groves' mismanagement, or perhaps many feel it's an experienced manager who is required. It has upset the fans that the club are seriously considering going down the cheap road again with Groves' sidekick.

It says something about this board when they get 50 applications without even laying money out to advertise the position. Yet they have completely decided to ignore them to - as they say - give Rodger less pressure and a chance. We have seen this tactic before when contracts of players are due. We all know what usually happens: they walk for free. Either that or, like recently with Pouton, walk with a significant reduced value to their worth.

..What is the biggest fear is actually if Rodger succeeds...

With this track record no wonder fans are worried at the wait-and-see policy. What is the biggest fear is actually if Rodger succeeds. It might be a strange thought but the fear is deja vu to what went on before with Groves. Rodger keeps us up and is given a staggering three year deal. Once his feet are under the desk, the honeymoon period over, there is a big fear his management will go the same way as Groves.

The impression you get from this club is they shop at cheap nasty supermarkets looking for the cheap items with obscure names you never heard of selling for 5p. Instead of going to the better quality supermarket and getting that bargain or quality brand names in a 2-1 offer. Going to the second hand car dealer of the Arthur Daley ilk and getting that run down 3-wheeler with a dodgy motor.

..The whole club sounds like it is run by Derek Trotter...

The whole club sounds like it is run by Derek Trotter rather than astute businessmen. Next year we will be millionaires. With no plan of action you get the impression the club is just waiting and hoping. That suddenly Sooty will arrive, say a few magic words, and all the ills will be gone.

Yet let's be fair, the cheap inexperienced manager option does not necessarily have to be looking like a dreaded deal with the Derek Trotters of this world. Wycombe have brought in Tony Adams, ex-England and Arsenal stalwart. If anything it did put the club into the media spotlight. It is no bigger or less risky than Rodger. Going for an ex-Premier player who wants his first rung in management might actually look a little forward thinking.

However there is a huge difference if that manager succeeds. Rodger will still be feared that it will end up another Groves scenario. It's a seen-it-done-it syndrome. The ex-Premier player might bring fresh ideas. With one benefit he would have no pre-conceived idea of our squad. While if he succeeded he would bring the feel-good factor back, and the net result of the venture would put bums on seats.

Now this is the six million dollar question: who would the fans want if we did go down, the player manager or recently retired premier player.

Would the fans accept they following: David Seaman, Alan Shearer, Paul Ince, Dennis Irwin - all of which may consider looking to get in management

I am not saying we should go down this road we seem to always take. We have been burned enough to suggest we should learn our lesson from the Mike Lyons era or the Groves/Rodger comical act duo.

But it's clear the board are only going to shop at Arthur Daley's second hand motors. Surely it is better for the club to get a model which looks nice and seems to have a sound engine.


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