Andrew Stephen’s Hot Off The Habbin article in the match programme for the CUFC v Grimsby Town match on 21st April 2026.
“Oh fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle.”
William Shakespeare
All football clubs are subject to the endless merry go round of Fortune. We have had our wonderful moments, financial crises and years in the wilderness, when we long for a return to better days. So it is with Grimsby, who have enjoyed Wembley moments, promotions and a number of fine managers, notably Bill Shankly, Alan Buckley and Lawrie McMenemy, all of whom made the Mariners tough to beat. They also dropped out of the league twice, once for six years and, more recently, for a single season. They, like us, will be longing for a better standard of football, something notoriously hard to find in League Two, where most teams rely on a very physical approach and speed rather than skill. Those are my impressions anyway. Our record against each other is absolutely even. 8 wins each and 7 draws, which makes today’s encounter even more interesting. We drew 1-1 at Blundell Park, with Grimsby equalising at the death with a penalty that most Grimsby fans thought they were lucky to get. Some of the officials this season have not been good. That said, at least we are not burdened with VAR, which continues to fail in its main task of correcting “clear and obvious” errors, like being offside by a bootlace when a wonderful individual goal has been scored, undermining a Referee’s authority and making crowded stadiums wait ages for the correct decision. I could go on.
We have had a number of players in common. Some were very good. Others, like all action, all-rounder Terry Fleming and Darryl Clare, whose career here was blighted by a sore finger, would inspire mixed opinion. Not perhaps in Darryl’s case. We’ve all enjoyed trips to Blundell Park, where the air is bracing, the fish and chips are delicious and the locals know their football. We haven’t triumphed over the Mariners with a big score very often, although we did beat them 5-1 in the final game of the season in May 1981. In those days it wasn’t uncommon for players to have half an eye on their Summer holidays and to hold back from challenges which might risk injury. They didn’t seem very interested on that particular day anyway.
The match which always stands out in my mind was the first game of the 91-92 season, under John Beck. After two successive promotions, many people had us as relegation favourites. We found it hard to sign players to strengthen the team, although Phil Chapple certainly did that. There was talk of a new ground in Teversham. That kind of talk never quite goes away, does it ? Amazingly, we finished fifth, our highest ever position in the Football League, something that the current financial distribution in football would surely make impossible today. That must change. The fact that we almost made it to the inaugural season of the Premier League was proof that there was real competition in the Football League then and proof that we fans are right to dream. It’s why we turn up, year after year. Three times we took the lead at Blundell Park. Three times Town equalised. Danny O’Shea scored the winner for us in the last minute, by ignoring Beck’s instructions!. Tonight, once again, there is all to play for. Town fancy the playoffs, we want automatic promotion. We had no luck at Bromley but all we can do is win our remaining three games and see what happens. Our home form has been exhilarating of late and I fancy us against anyone. Play as we do against Notts County and Bromley will be looking over their shoulders. What a contrast with last year.
Andrew Stephen