Cod Almighty | Diary

The Grimsby-born XI

3 June 2025

Louth is not in Grimsby, but needs must. It is June, that time of year when if you want to read about Grimsby Town you have to provide us with some copy yourself.

Today, based on the tenuous link that Henry Brown (who, along with Seb Auton, yesterday signed professional terms with Town) is from quite near Grimsby: let's find a Grimsby-born XI. They don't have to have played for the Mariners. In fact arguably it helps if they haven't. What does matter is that they are good.

In November 1934, we played Stoke City, both sides in genuine contention for the Division One title. We fielded the golden trio - Jack Bestall, Pat Glover and Charlie Craven - at inside forward. Stoke had Stanley Matthews and Joe Johnson on the wings. As "Blundell" observed in the Telegraph, what a forward line the five would have made.

The only one of them born in Grimsby was Johnson, like Matthews and Bestall a future England international. It's not too fanciful to suggest that if Johnson had been picked up by his home-town team, they might at least have topped the top-flight table for a time, for the Mariners only real weakness was at outside forward. So Johnson can join Tony Ford in a Grimsby XI.

So can two more players from that summit clash. Harry Betmead, as Gordon Wilson recounts, was a centre half at the time when the position was transitioning from midfield into defence: we could play him in either line. My guess is that if the war hadn't intervened, then Alec Hall, robust, intelligent and mobile, would also have played for England.

That's four names to get you started. For anyone from the Sing When We're Fishing generation, I've left a good half dozen open goals, so fill your boots and get naming your best Grimsby-born team.