Cod Almighty | Article
by Lee Bradley
1 October 2008
John Fenty. At the moment there is no other person with the financial clout to keep alive Grimsby Town Football Club, nor is there another on the horizon. Fenty's regular appeals for alternative investors serve to me as his reminder to the fans that it's John Fenty and Grimsby Town Football Club, or no John Fenty and no football club. A stark choice. The chairman is our own double-edged sword: saviour or destroyer. Grimsby Town Football Club is John Fenty.
In some ways I admire him. He has the heart, the dogged determination, and, overall, he's put his money where his mouth is. Is it bravery or foolishness? Why would he plough his money into the club? (Will the realisation of the new stadium be the start of a return for his investmentin the club, or is this just a foolish endeavour?) The new stadium isn't what I want to think about here though. A well meant project that has been fraught by inappropriate geography issues and councillors who are typically small-minded? That is for another time. The chairman's leadership of the club, as head of the board, leaves something to be desired though.
Leadership is about taking charge, which Fenty did at the 2003 AGM. Regardless of how decisions are "made by the board", as the majority shareholder Fenty has the overall controlling interest and can run the club as he sees fit. However a 51 per cent controlling interest doesn't give you carte blanch to do whatever you like, nor does it make you right every time. Fenty has shown this repeatedly recently.
The decision to reappoint Alan Buckley for a third stint was as sudden as it was leftfield. I think it was also unnecessary, a rushed move to bring back a man who'd enjoyed such success at the club previously. Buckley's three year break from the game, and six year absence from GTFC, had seen a seismic shift in Town's position in many senses and the face of the game had altered considerably. It also showed Fenty's ability to rush such a big decision without due consideration.
The chairman has steadfastly stood by his man with some very public support. Even the Saturday before Buckley's removal he supported the manager's summer strengthening of the squad, he stated he wanted to give the manager time, didn't want to join the managerial merry-go-round. Then there was some turnabout from Fenty. What did he see or not see against Chester that altered that perception? Whatever the club had hit a low ebb by the time Buckley was dismissed.
As he has explained since, Fenty basically lost patience. His decision to suddenly commit such a volte face based on results straddling two seasons was cowardice. The need for results now showed Fenty to be like just about any other of the vocal few at Blundell Park. When Fenty's patience - the quality he asked from the fans - suddenly relented he also shifted from being a cast iron supporter of his manager to a man reacting to his people, the few that still turned up to his enterprise.
But face facts. Presumably Buckley was operating for another year making do on limited funds while the tax bill is paid off. (The chairman has yet to explain how the club's predicament with the tax man came about. Given his involvement with the club dates back to before the ITV Digital fiasco he must have been aware of the situation. If he took on the chairmanship of the club, he must have done so in the knowledge of the club's mounting debts.)
Attendances are lower? Aren't most lower League clubs? Times are hard in Grimsby, but did the chairman miss a prime chance for this campaign, jumping on the current lower League wagon offering cheaper season tickets, for the current campaign? There was a perfect opportunity to entice a greater number of fans to the club's ground, to increase matchday attendances when people were tightening their belts. The supporters have shown to be anything but supportive, showing their disdain at "the football" or "the football under Buckley" by refusing to attend games.
So the chairman may be frustrated at his efforts to keep the new stadium plans rolling on, and he keeps reminding us how damaging these may be to Town's long-term future. But the here and now is a GTFC based at Blundell Park and forced to use the facilities around the town Fenty refers to as 'dated' [a situation many other clubs at our level also have to tolerate]. This is a situation that has never looked likely to have been different at any point over the - well - past. It is also a situation that he controls and the club sits where it is now due to his decision making. Town's playing record makes them the worst in the division due to decisions Fenty has taken.
These are dark days. Saturday's performance was down there with the worst performances during my 30 years watching the Mariners. Buckley's sacking has only widened the divisions among the fans and created more factions within. Whatever has gone before the fans and the board need to unite and work together.
For his failings, Fenty and "the board" have invited applications for the vacant managerial position, have drawn up a shortlist, and are considering their options. They are doing what they have failed to do with all but one of their previous appointments, that of Russell Slade. After all, John Fenty will not keep bankrolling the club forever. Fenty cannot afford another such mistake. Grimsby Town Football club cannot afford another such mistake.