David Peasgood

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 18/06/2000

The following is an interview of David Peasgood undertaken by The Fishy.

Fishy:
When did you first start supporting the Mariners, and what was your first game?

David:
1972. Town at home to Workington. 2nd game of Lawrie Mac's famous season. A 0-0 draw stood in the Osmond end with me dear old Dad. We'd just scored 4 goals away in the seasons opener and I think we scored 4 in the next (which I missed). Typical Peasgood luck.

Fishy:
Who is the best player you ever saw wearing a Grimsby Town shirt?

David:
Best in terms of ability was possibly Bonetti or Birtles, though I wasn't a huge fan of either. Best in terms of favourite player was Paul Futcher, though Stuart Brace was also a hero of my youth and super Clive Mendonca comes somewhere in there.

Fishy:
If there is one game you were allowed to go back in time and watch what would it be and why?

David:
I'd like to go back to the 1972 Lawrie Mac team's final game of the season against Exeter when we won division 4, just to savour once again the fantastic atmosphere of 23,000 in Blundell park and the sheer magic of the night. A 3-1 win I recall. We literally left the ground en masse, walking down the Grimsby Road and sang that song.

Fishy:
What are your favourite and least favourite away grounds?

David:
My favourite away ground is Old Trafford. The sheer size, atmosphere and quality of service (restaurants etc) are excellent. least favourite is Newcastle where the police treated us like some kind of sub species and kept us in the ground 10 minutes after the game. This gave the Newcastle hooligans just enough time to line all the away routes and side roads in order to guarantee no-one escaped without a load of aggro.

Fishy:
What, in your opinion, are GTFC's best and worst seasons since you have been supporting them?

David:
The worst year I supported was Brian Laws first full season. I thought he was a poor manager from first off and disliked his ridiculous 'sound-bite' statements. I predicted relegation in SWWF before the first game kicked off and was sadly proven right as an acrimonious season got worse and worse with many humiliating defeats and appalling tactics, often from laws himself. Mike Lyons relegation year was bad and Bobby Roberts subsequent consecutive relegation term of office even worse, but I never went to a single game under Mr Roberts. I never forgave Lyons for giving half the team away for practically nothing and I shall never forgive Laws for the way he forced 'Futchenstein' out the club and generally behaved like an idiot, (not to mention what he cost us in the Bonetti saga).

Fishy:
What is the most eventful day you have ever had in the course of following the Mariners?

David:
The play-off final at Wembley was a challenge. I was in Derbyshire asessing 15 kids doing their Duke of Edinburghs award expedition that bank holiday weekend and I was also supposed to be on duty at work. Not Peasgood's best planned weekend. Each day I phoned into work and thankfully all was quiet, then on the Sunday I got my 3 teams of walkers off early with their rucksacks, had another assessor primed to keep an eye on them for the day, checked all was fine at work, bombed down to London, saw Town's magnificent win, checked back at work (all OK) whizzed back to Derbyshire, blowing my exhaust up at 110 miles an hour down the M1, pulled into the campsite where my heroic walkers had had a marvellous easy sunny day, and with my car sounding like a ferrari still made the pub for a couple of pints of Theakstons 'old peculiar'. No-one at work spragged on me thankfully, and on the way back I enjoyed the Charlton v Sunderland game on the radio, just getting home for the extra time of a superb Charlton victory and a miraculous Mendonca hat-trick

Fishy:
Who is the greatest ever GTFC manager?

David:
Lawrie Mac was a genius, though short lived at Grimsby. I thought George Kerr created a super team which Dave Booth inherited and took to glory. On a literal basis Shankly must be the greatest, though not for what he did at Grimsby. Buckley has been heroic with the 2 Wembley games, but I'll give Kerr my vote cos he was also an honest bloke and put himself out a lot to promote the club.

Fishy:
How many games a season do you get to now, and what do you do while Town are playing games that you can't get to?

David:
I only really do home games cos with 4 kids and working one weekend in four I am often busy at weekends, plus the Caxton theatre takes up a lot of my time. Last year and the year before I only missed about 8 home games all in, but this year I've only been 3 times due to having a huge workload at the theatre, looking after two sick parents (now sadly departed) and finding it hard to bother when Mr. Buckley's team don't always seem to bothered themselves. If I am not at the game or the theatre I listen to Radio Humbs and simultaneously watch Sky TV's football coverage of all games. i keep meaning to get back in the chat room but usually one of the kids has nicked the computer to play 'Evil Death Fiend 6' or whatever.

Fishy:
Name your all-time starting eleven since you have been watching Town?

David:
assuming a 4-3-3. Dave Beasant in goal. Lou Chatterley, Peter Handyside, Paul Futcher and John MacDermott as the back four. In midfield, Joe Waters, Wayne Burnett and Mike Hickman whilst up front Matt Tees, Clive Mendonca and Paul Drinkell. Had to miss some great names out though to get down to 11 such as Cunnington, Boylen, Brace, Gilbert, Dave Worthington etc. (though sadly hardly any of the lads from the last 2 years come into the frame)

Fishy:
Do Your children support the Mariners?

David:
The 2 girls don't give a monkeys. Christopher aged 16 supports Liverpool and Andrew aged 10 supports Newcastle, but having said that Grimsby's result is the first one they look for. Christopher was seriously unimpressed when he went to Blundell park and hasn't been back since. Andrew loved it when I managed to get him there and he plays in goal at school, but he's a member of the Royal Ballet School so misses every saturday and every evening game because he is always dancing somewhere or in shows.

Fishy:
Do you think GTFC will ever aspire to the Premiership?

David:
I am always disappointed by those who pooh pooh this idea and even more frustrated by those who say 'They don't want to - they can't afford to' etc. etc. We are geographically an outpost and yet have a catchment area of 200,000 plus a huge potential audience in Glanford and even Hull areas who would come to see premiership football if it was available. In that respect with proper marketing and crowd facilities I believe we 'could' support premiership football, especially as the TV monies available mean you don't need huge crowds unless you want to compete with the really big clubs that are paying 20,000 quid and more each week to their players. Barnsley and Charlton have set precedents. Not so huge clubs like Ipswich have topped the premiership (or 1st division as it was then) and Southampton have been there years with average gates of 13,000 to 14,000. For 60 years, Grimsby folk have been treated to a succession of unambitious boards, made up of local businessmen, who have been more than content with their lot and who have discouraged anything greater. Well we were in the top division for years up until 1939 and I believe we can be so again. In 25 years time, with the continued growth of Immingham and Goole, and our central position in Europe as a major import/export area, we will see North East Lincolnshire grow faster than anywhere else in the UK. I only have to look outside my office window each day to see it happening already.

David Peasgood

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