The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

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Grimsby v Rotherham Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 23/01/2009

THE first home match of 2009 has been highly anticipated without a home match in nearly a month. A game against homeless Rotherham comes after a magnificent win against league leaders Wycombe at Adams Park.

Home > 2008-2009 Season > Previews > Rotherham (h)


It’s hard to imagine how we all feel now in comparison to that day we capitulated at Rotherham back in October: 4-1. The defeat was one of the most depressing in Grimsby’s long history though there have been a fair few up for the award of late. The performance seemed to sum up the team for the year but with a match against relegation rivals Rotherham around the corner I sat down with Mark Ford for a chat on the upcoming game.

The Opposition

Their History

Technically the club was formed in 1925 when Rotherham Town and Thornhill County amalgamated but these two former clubs can trace their roots back to 1870 and 1877 respectively before coming together to form the now known friendly face Rotherham United.

Last Season Was...

Bloody awful next! In all hindsight footballing wise it wasn't particularly bad: we were in contention for promotion in the play-offs and at some points automatic promotion too. Then March came and administration. I wouldn't wish it on even any team from Sheffield but to go into it twice was heartbreaking. We finished 9th in the end but we lost Millmoor which still hurts me and also lost our training ground we now train in Donny! And have to pay Rovers for the privilege of doing so.

This Season Is…

All about survival financially and in the league our form has been brilliant. We would be in the playoffs without the deductions I'm sure of it and the team have really held together just hope we can push on and maybe sneak the play-offs right at the end that would be fantastic! Nevertheless we need to go home its crippling us financially staying at Don Valley. I hate playing there looking on to empty stands and can hardly see the action. It feels the club have left Rotherham for good and something needs to be done because it could really affect the future fan base.

Their Biggest Hero Is…

Bobby Williamson. The guy was a genius he’s the reason I love Rotherham so much. If only he was playing up front now he scored just shy of 50 goals in two season from 1988 to 1990. He’s managing Uganda I think now did a great job with Kilmarnock too.

What do they think of Blundell Park...

Great fish and chips, nice walk along the beach and a brilliant atmosphere. don't move to a soulless out of town ground, be proud of where you are now. I know its falling apart at the seams but if you can fix it up here and there it would be one of the best in the country for a great weekend. Can I suggest putting up a huge shield from the North Sea wind - god knows how those fools up in that high stand survive in the winter.

they're Most Proud Of…

At the moment nothing much. The Ronnie Moore years were brilliant and to be seen in such high esteem, as some teams was great that high seems so long ago now.

The Future Is…

Hard work and just going to be more of attrition then amazement. We need a new community stadium which is being discussed. Getting back to Rotherham should be the number one priority now and to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Get a decent accountant and scour for young talent. I'm under no illusion this will take a long time to rectify but we have the potential to be back in The Championship within 5 years.

The Most Famous Player To Have Worn The Shirt…

Been a few of reason years, Shaun Goater, your very own Clive Mendonca and the late Emlyn Hughes played here in the early 80’s before going to Hull.

Their Key Player Is…

I'm sure it would stick in some of your throats if I said Nick Fenton. He has been outstanding for us at the back all season but it has to go to Rueben Ried. He is quick, strong and a great powerful shot he’s scored 8 so far this year and is only 20 one for the future of Rotherham I hope

Prediction…

Its going to be hard if we lose we will be dragged back in to relegation a win and we could be away but Grimsby were brilliant beating Wycombe and hear it’s a new team since the transfer window so I want a draw.

Grimsby Town 1-1 Rotherham United

Recent Form

TownRotherham
WWycombe(a)1-0
LAccrington(a)1-3
LNotts Co(h)0-1
DAldershot(a)2-2
WShrewsbury(a)1-0
Currently 22nd in League Two.
LScunthorpe (JPT)(a)0-2
WBournemouth(h)1-0
DDagenham(h)1-1
WNotts Co(a)3-0
WPort Vale(h)1-0
Currently 19th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownRotherham
Hegarty3
Proudlock3
Jarman3
Reid8
Broughton7

Team News

TownRotherham

  • Mike Newell is not expected to many any changes from the side which won at Wycombe.
  • Rotherham manager Mark Robins is also expected to name an unchanged starting line-up.
  • Squads

    TownRotherham
    1GKPhil Barnes
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFTom Newey
    4DFRyan Bennett
    5DFMatthew Heywood (c)
    6DFRichard Hope
    7MFPeter Till
    8MFPaul Bolland
    9MFAdam Proudlock
    10MFChris Llewellyn
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13GKGary Montgomery
    14MFJames Hunt
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16MFJean-Paul Kalala
    17MFNick Hegarty
    18MFPeter Bore
    19FWDanny North
    20FWAndy Taylor
    21DFJoe Widdowson
    22FWNathan Jar man
    23MFGrant Normington
    25MFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    27MFMickael Buscher
    28GKLeigh Overton
    30MFStuart Elliot
    31MFDean Sinclair
    1GKAndy Warrington
    2DFDale Tonge
    3DFMark Lynch
    4MFDanny Harrison
    5DFIan Sharps
    6DFNick Fenton
    7MFMichael Cummins
    8MFPeter Holmes
    9FWMark Burchill
    10MFMark Hudson
    11DFStephen Brogan
    12DFMarc Joseph
    14MFAndy Todd
    15MFAlex Rhodes
    18DFDavid Haggerty
    19DFJamie Green
    20FWRyan Taylor
    21FWTom Cahill
    22FWDrewe Broughton
    23FWReuben Reid
    24DFAndy Nicholas
    25DFPablo Mills
    26FWOmar Garcia
    27MFJason Taylor
    29FWRichard Barker
    30GKSteven Cann
    31GKJamie Annerson (on loan from Sheffield United)
    32GKDavid Stockdale (on loan from Fulham)

    Head to Head

    Rotherham have the edge historically and Town have only won one out of the last eight.

    P 54 W17 D11 L26 F68 A77

    Rotherham Head-to-Head (84th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Rotherham 4 Grimsby 1 (Sat 04th Oct 2008)

    Town led at half time but capitulated in the second half.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    Grimsby Town 3-1 Rotherham

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