Litany of disaster is exactly right, you couldn't really make that up if you wanted to. It is symptomatic of a club in complete disorganisation from top to bottom, poorly managed at every level, and makes us appreciate just how good the structure is at Lincoln now. When we returned to the FL in 2017, Bob Dorrian and Clive Nates both spoke of the need to restructure the club to meet the increased demands and expectations - Liam Scully was the first sign of that intent, and an outstanding appointment. Grimsby seem to have done entirely the opposite. The momentum from their promotion in 2016 incredibly was lost inside a season, and they have struggled on and off the pitch ever since. Given the state of the town, the club and Blundell Park, they could be out of the League for a very long time if they do go down.I hadn't quite realised the litany of disaster that has taken place in and around Blundell Park this season until I read this,
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/.../grimsby-town-payne-headbutt-holloway-5287223
Given the state of the town, the club and Blundell Park, they could be out of the League for a very long time if they do go down.
It would have been 108, had the Football League done things correctly in 1920.Hopefully for 4 seasons at least, so we overtake them of years in the FL. They currently stand at 110 compared to our 107.
What happened in 1920 mate, not sure I’ve heard about this before?It would have been 108, had the Football League done things correctly in 1920.
What happened in 1920 mate, not sure I’ve heard about this before?
Was that an Irish bar up the High Street?Shenanigans.
Whilst I've indulged in no small amount of schadenfreude at our fishy friends' expense, I wouldn't wish Fenty on any club that isn't MK Dongs. As I understand it (there's only so much Grimblish I can read without getting a headache) he stands to walk away from the club in pocket to the tune of £200-250K despite having been nothing but a monumental fuck-up during his entire tenure, and not showing an iota of remorse for the appalling state he's leaving them in. In short, the man is a complete and utter Tory.Litany of disaster is exactly right, you couldn't really make that up if you wanted to. It is symptomatic of a club in complete disorganisation from top to bottom, poorly managed at every level, and makes us appreciate just how good the structure is at Lincoln now.
Are you sitting comfortably? This is a good one.What happened in 1920 mate, not sure I’ve heard about this before?
Are you sitting comfortably? This is a good one.
Lincoln and Grimsby had to apply for re-election at the League AGM on 31 May 1920 after finishing second from bottom and bottom of the Second Division respectively. In the vote for re-election, Grimsby (20) polled more votes than Lincoln (7) despite having finished below them in the table, but both clubs were not re-elected in favour of Cardiff City from the Southern League (23 votes) and Leeds United from the Midland League (31 votes).
The election of Leeds United was controversial in itself because they were seen by many as Leeds City under a new name. Leeds City had been thrown out of the League and disbanded only eight months earlier for financial irregularities, and the immediate admission of the club formed deliberately to replace them was viewed as distasteful by some. Although the Leeds City players had been sold off at a famous auction (three purchased by Lincoln City including future England international William Ashurst), there was a clear overlap off the field.
Having said that, Lincoln would still have been replaced by Cardiff even without the presence of Leeds United. However, it didn't end there.
A proposal was then made to form a Third Division by taking over the Southern League First Division in its entirety. The move was voted through.
Then they noticed they were one club short because Cardiff had been elected directly into the Second Division (despite having only finished fourth in the Southern League). Because Grimsby had polled more votes than Lincoln in the original re-election bid, Grimsby were accepted for the new Third Division and Lincoln were basically told to sod off. The Football League promised that any future application for membership from Lincoln would be viewed favourably, but the decision meant that Lincoln were effectively relegated from English football's second tier to obscurity below the third tier in one fell swoop. It is the only time in the history of the Football League that such a thing has happened.
There should have been a second vote for Third Division membership, of course, instead of simply taking over the Southern League. Would Lincoln really have polled fewer votes than the likes of Merthyr Town and Newport County in such a vote? Interestingly, only Cardiff and Millwall of those elected in May 1920 had previously applied for Football League membership at all.
At the very least, there should have been a second vote to determine whether Lincoln or Grimsby should fill the remaining place in the new Third Division. One wonders how Lincoln would have fared in such a vote, given that Lincoln was an hour closer to every single one of the new (southern-based) Third Division clubs than Grimsby was. Using the original vote for re-election to the Second Division as the basis for election to the new Third Division was a crass thing to do because the circumstances were different, not least geographically.
At the end of all of that, would it not have been far easier simply to retain the Second Division as it was at the end of the 1919-20 season and just add the Southern League First Division including Cardiff as the new Third Division? Would it not have been more equitable to make Leeds City/United wait another year before admission? Apparently not, and Lincoln headed back to the Midland League to replace Leeds United (who had taken over the fixtures of Leeds City Reserves in October 1919).
Incidentally, there was another bonkers decision made that season by the Southern League when they did not permit promotion or relegation before their First Division was co-opted into the Football League - see our article on Mid-Rhondda for details.
I love how bitter Scotimp is at the wrongdoings of 1920There ends todays history lesson, who says you wont learn anything of football forum.
I love how bitter Scotimp is at the wrongdoings of 1920
Whilst I've indulged in no small amount of schadenfreude at our fishy friends' expense, I wouldn't wish Fenty on any club that isn't MK Dongs. As I understand it (there's only so much Grimblish I can read without getting a headache) he stands to walk away from the club in pocket to the tune of £200-250K despite having been nothing but a monumental fuck-up during his entire tenure, and not showing an iota of remorse for the appalling state he's leaving them in. In short, the man is a complete and utter Tory.
I take comfort from the way football's authorities learn from their mistakesAre you sitting comfortably? This is a good one.
Lincoln and Grimsby had to apply for re-election at the League AGM on 31 May 1920 after finishing second from bottom and bottom of the Second Division respectively. In the vote for re-election, Grimsby (20) polled more votes than Lincoln (7) despite having finished below them in the table, but both clubs were not re-elected in favour of Cardiff City from the Southern League (23 votes) and Leeds United from the Midland League (31 votes).
The election of Leeds United was controversial in itself because they were seen by many as Leeds City under a new name. Leeds City had been thrown out of the League and disbanded only eight months earlier for financial irregularities, and the immediate admission of the club formed deliberately to replace them was viewed as distasteful by some. Although the Leeds City players had been sold off at a famous auction (three purchased by Lincoln City including future England international William Ashurst), there was a clear overlap off the field.
Having said that, Lincoln would still have been replaced by Cardiff even without the presence of Leeds United. However, it didn't end there.
A proposal was then made to form a Third Division by taking over the Southern League First Division in its entirety. The move was voted through.
Then they noticed they were one club short because Cardiff had been elected directly into the Second Division (despite having only finished fourth in the Southern League). Because Grimsby had polled more votes than Lincoln in the original re-election bid, Grimsby were accepted for the new Third Division and Lincoln were basically told to sod off. The Football League promised that any future application for membership from Lincoln would be viewed favourably, but the decision meant that Lincoln were effectively relegated from English football's second tier to obscurity below the third tier in one fell swoop. It is the only time in the history of the Football League that such a thing has happened.
There should have been a second vote for Third Division membership, of course, instead of simply taking over the Southern League. Would Lincoln really have polled fewer votes than the likes of Merthyr Town and Newport County in such a vote? Interestingly, only Cardiff and Millwall of those elected in May 1920 had previously applied for Football League membership at all.
At the very least, there should have been a second vote to determine whether Lincoln or Grimsby should fill the remaining place in the new Third Division. One wonders how Lincoln would have fared in such a vote, given that Lincoln was an hour closer to every single one of the new (southern-based) Third Division clubs than Grimsby was. Using the original vote for re-election to the Second Division as the basis for election to the new Third Division was a crass thing to do because the circumstances were different, not least geographically.
At the end of all of that, would it not have been far easier simply to retain the Second Division as it was at the end of the 1919-20 season and just add the Southern League First Division including Cardiff as the new Third Division? Would it not have been more equitable to make Leeds City/United wait another year before admission? Apparently not, and Lincoln headed back to the Midland League to replace Leeds United (who had taken over the fixtures of Leeds City Reserves in October 1919).
Incidentally, there was another bonkers decision made that season by the Southern League when they did not permit promotion or relegation before their First Division was co-opted into the Football League - see our article on Mid-Rhondda for details.