Cod Almighty | Features
A history of Town kits: 1980-84
By Paul Thundercliffe, 7 April 2020
Admiral, Adidas and Hobott designed some of Town's best kits, to dress one of Town's best teams. Paul Thundercliffe starts his history of the Grimsby strip
2019-20: players and fans deserve a fair finish
By John England, 1 April 2020
Expunging results from the lower leagues is ill-thought out, clumsy and wrong. John England argues we all deserve a fairer finish to 2019-20
Self-isolation
By Chris Smith, 30 March 2020
We are taking an enforced break from football. For Chris Smith, it isn't the first time, so he knows our love of the game will be all the stronger when it returns
The Thundercliffe Files: Jollification
By Paul Thundercliffe, 27 March 2020
Michael Jolley's Town career summarised, to a soundtrack by the Lightning Seeds
The Thundercliffe Files: how to fill the Townhole
By Paul Thundercliffe, 20 March 2020
Suddenly we all have a Townhole, but there are ways to fill it
The Thundercliffe Files: Marching season
By Paul Thundercliffe, 12 March 2020
This end of season may be a dress rehearsal for next year, but promotion and a strong March go together hand in hand.
The Thundercliffe Files: kicking off
By Paul Thundercliffe, 6 March 2020
How effective is the 1pm kick-off for managing crowd behaviour?
John Fenty: a pattern of behaviour
By Pat Bell, 2 March 2020
John Fenty has said he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of Grimsby Town. Looking at his record, let's hope he really means it
The Thundercliffe Files: leaping around
By Paul Thundercliffe, 28 February 2020
Leap years tend to be turning points in Town's fortunes. What might 2020 bring?
The Thundercliffe Files: The Hollo-way
By Paul Thundercliffe, 21 February 2020
Both our first and our most recent games in 2019-20 were wins over Morecambe. But they show how much has changed at Blundell Park
The Thundercliffe Files: trebles all round
By Paul Thundercliffe, 14 February 2020
Hat-tricks have been rare in the League. All the more reason to celebrate them
The Thundercliffe Files: the old, new ground merry-go-round
By Paul Thundercliffe, 7 February 2020
Could the Mariners wind up a stone's throw from The Mariners Rest? Or should we wait until the spade is in the ground?
The Thundercliffe Files: cup tired?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 31 January 2020
The big money clubs are gunning for the domestic cups. Why should they steal our memories?
The Thundercliffe Files: sitting room only?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 24 January 2020
Both reserved and unreserved seating have flaws for away fans. Perhaps the solution is to reintroduce safe standing areas
The Thundercliffe Files: down the hatch
By Paul Thundercliffe, 17 January 2020
Paul Linwood is unapologetic about the drinking culture which sent Town into non-League but the hurt still rankles
Ian Holloway: a gust of fresh air
By Jase Ives, 14 January 2020
Ian Holloway offers Grimsby Town a new dawn. The board had driven Jase Ives from Blundell Park, but now he is keen to see what the future holds
The Thundercliffe Files: in exile
By Paul Thundercliffe, 10 January 2020
Town's following at Orient will be swollen by London-based Mariners. The exile experience has changed over the decades but still proves our ties are rooted deep
The Thundercliffe Files: Is the Hollo-way the right way?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 3 January 2020
Ian Holloway is the first big name manager we have had since Lennie Lawrence, but he could be just what we need
The black and white carbuncle
By Pat Bell, 25 December 2019
In a seasonal mystery, Sherlock Holmes uncovers the truth hidden in an unkempt old goose
The Thundercliffe Files: won't you score another goal?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 20 December 2019
Grimsby, if you’ve got to play a game I don’t think I can take the pain. Less East 17, more DN35
The poverty of a dilapidated Blundell Park
By Chris Smith, 15 December 2019
Meagre football in a neglected ground. Chris Smith can't forgive Grimsby Town for making personal anguish feel even worse
Momentum, the crimes of communism, and Radio Humberside
By Janusz Przeniczny, 15 December 2019
In response to our post-election diary, Janusz Przeniczny lays the blame at the doors of Jeremy Corbyn, and Radio Humberside
The Thundercliffe Files: a team of the 2010s
By Paul Thundercliffe, 13 December 2019
We are back where we were in December 2009, but we have had some good players come and go through the decade
The Thundercliffe Files: overcoming isolation
By Paul Thundercliffe, 6 December 2019
Dover Athletic and even many top flight clubs have their training base many miles from their ground. Is it time Grimsby Town followed suit?
The Thundercliffe Files: the warning from a sagging gate
By Paul Thundercliffe, 29 November 2019
Tuesday night's low attendance was a warning sign for a club that has failed to build on what it had
The Thundercliffe Files: Jolley departs
By Paul Thundercliffe, 21 November 2019
Will it be a case of what might have been for Michael Jolley and GTFC?
The Brexit Party at Blundell Park: a statement
By Cod Almighty, 15 November 2019
In welcoming Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party to Blundell Park, Grimsby Town last night made hundreds of fans feel unwelcome
The Thundercliffe Files: respite, reset and restart
By Paul Thundercliffe, 14 November 2019
Perhaps Town's enforced break is a chance for all of us - management, players and fans - to reset the season
The Thundercliffe Files: FA Cup mud, sweat and tears
By Paul Thundercliffe, 8 November 2019
We might not win the cup one day. But it still gives us great games and memorable goals
Cryptic Cod
By Gild Thy Coma, 6 November 2019
Some fanzines bring you acute football insights and inside information. We give you a Town-themed cryptic crossword
The Grim Reality October 2019: thin pickings
By Richard Lord, 4 November 2019
Applying fantasy football scoring to the performances of Town players in October did not do too many of them any favours. Rich Lord reports
The Thundercliffe Files: the carcass trophy
By Paul Thundercliffe, 1 November 2019
Two cup matches 40 years apart show how a once thriving Football League is now riddled with rheumatism
Town take on the Old Invincibles
By Neville Butt, 29 October 2019
Town's second home game after World War Two was a top-flight clash with Preston North End. It was Neville Butt's first match and it set a pattern that would last a lifetime
The Thundercliffe Files: Aaaaaalexander, Alexander, Alexander
By Paul Thundercliffe, 18 October 2019
Keith Alexander brought skill, determination, a touch of the haphazard, and above all a smile to Grimsby Town
The Thundercliffe Files: Where are they dredging up these referees?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 11 October 2019
As the top league hoovers up all the referees to administer VAR, we are left with the dregs. And it shows
The Grim Reality September 2019: Robson rises
By Richard Lord, 10 October 2019
How would Town players perform in fantasy football? Richard Lord does the sums for September
On the doorstep of the club
By Kerry William Purcell, 8 October 2019
Some Town fans travel for half a day to see a home game. For Kerry William Purcell it was different – growing up on Blundell Avenue
The Thundercliffe Files: progress
By Paul Thundercliffe, 4 October 2019
The statistics show that Grimsby Town really are making progress this season
Fenty, Shutes and fan ownership
By Barry Whittleton, 1 October 2019
The plight of Bury does not prove we should be grateful to John Fenty, argues Baz Whittleton: it shows we need fan ownership
The Thundercliffe Files: the value in the tat
By Paul Thundercliffe, 27 September 2019
The football economy creates more than its share of tat. But it doesn't hide how the game gives us a place to be
The Thundercliffe Files: what are Town trying to do?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 20 September 2019
Nine games into the season, Paul Thundercliffe asks what are Jolley and Limbrick trying to get our players to do?
The Thundercliffe Files: the scourge of rulemongering
By Paul Thundercliffe, 12 September 2019
Now and again, people come up with ideas meant to speed up the game. Players soon find ways to slow it down again
The Thundercliffe Files: surveying the Townhole
By Paul Thundercliffe, 6 September 2019
We all have a hole in our lives that only Town can fill. Attendances only tell part of the story of its size
The Grim Reality August 2019: Hanson soars
By Richard Lord, 5 September 2019
How would Town players fare in fantasy football? Rich Lord does the adding up
No to B teams. Yes to the Internet Mariners
By Cod Almighty, 31 August 2019
Once again, the Football League is trying to ram B teams down our throats. But this Tuesday, Town fans can both boycott B teams and support the Mariners
The Thundercliffe Files: united through Alan Buckley
By Paul Thundercliffe, 30 August 2019
A visit to Walsall might not stand out in the fixture list. Except the Saddlers and the Mariners have a hero in common
The Thundercliffe Files: Football is not a television programme
By Paul Thundercliffe, 23 August 2019
Is iFollow a good way for exiles to keep in touch. Or, asks Paul Thundercliffe, is it the thin end of a wedge eroding attendances and revenues?
No advantage: the English FA and the Berkessy affair
By Neville Butt, 20 August 2019
In the 1950s, English football was in decline. But as Neville Butt recalls, still the FA believed they had nothing to learn from other countries
The Thundercliffe Files: who would want football with VAR?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 16 August 2019
Why would anyone think that VAR is good for the game, asks Paul Thundercliffe
False dawn?
By Ron Counte, 12 August 2019
In August 2018, after a draw against likely promotion contenders, hopes were high for the Mariners. But, says Ron Counte, there is no comparison between the side now and then
The Thundercliffe Files: euphoria or functionality?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 9 August 2019
If a player scores against their hometown club, what are they meant to do, asks Paul Thundercliffe
"Jubilation in Fishopolis": 1925-26 final part
By Pat Bell, 6 August 2019
Promotion from Division Three (North) came down to the last day of the season: Grimsby had to win to take the title
The Thundercliffe Files: Start as you mean to go on?
By Paul Thundercliffe, 2 August 2019
Conventional wisdom says a good start is essential for a successful season. Paul Thundercliffe looks for the proof
Another kind of destructive behaviour
By Kelly Billings, 30 July 2019
Nick Dale's views undermine the efforts of other people to make fans feel welcome and engaged at Blundell Park, argues Kelly Billings
The Thundercliffe Files: New season, same game
By Paul Thundercliffe, 26 July 2019
Football's heart beats without the need for corporate sponsors, writes Paul Thundercliffe. It exists despite Sky TV, rather than because of it
Football, friendship and fish and chips
By None, 25 July 2019
John England's tale of his friendship forged with Bill Dorricott through a shared love of the Mariners struck a chord with many of you
The life of a Mariner
By John England, 22 July 2019
Two Town fans in the same Derbyshire village: a time-honoured ritual, great times and some great wins. John England remembers Bill Dorricott
"Vital engagements": 1925-26 part four
By Pat Bell, 18 July 2019
Christmas in 1925 meant football on consecutive days. Grimsby played the league leaders, home and away
Fans of the Future: a small step into an exciting future
By Grant Maconachie, 11 July 2019
Fans of the Future grew out of a small discussion among Town fans. But, writes Grant Maconachie, its ambitions are huge