It is all Grimsby's fault!

[Sutekh]

Not an away day I've done.

Is it as bad as the reputation? Any good old fashioned harbour side boozers to take the edge off an otherwise drab trip?

My Dad once got talking to some fishermen in a Grimsby pub one night and ended up going out to sea with them the next day to work a few days on the trawler.

Or that could have been Hull.

The boat would have to be in the dry dock for him to work on the Hull.

[Royal With Cheese]

I'm here all week.

[From Despair To Where?]

FA Cup in 1988/1989, beat Hendon, Maidstone and then the might of Tranmere in the 3rd round and got drawn away at Grimsby Town from the division below (and on their way to a stirring 9th place finish that season) in the 4th round.

Fairly typical of Reading's FA Cup draws, horribly unattractive and likely dreary game that we all though we'd lose but instead managed to draw and get a replay at Elm Park a few days later. Great, we thought, something to get interested and excited about as the 5th round draw had given the club a tie against then 1st Division and FA Cup holders Wimbledon. Players should really be up for this one and Grimsby are a division below so might actually get on MotD with extended highlights or something.

But as usual Reading sank to the occasion and were utterly atrocious in losing 2-1 in one of the worst games I can recall seeing. Think Reading equalised late in the 2nd half as well and despite expecting to pick up the impetus lost out in extra time. And so ended another glorious attempt to get further than the 4th round.

Went to that game. Seem to remember the locals being a feisty bunch, not helped by the coppers from Scunthorpe getting the overtime in by winding them up.

And the replay, a woeful Gilkes backpass gifting them the winner in the last minute IIRC.

I was also there to witness Alan Pouton's wonderoggy from the centre circle in 2001.

Have to say, Cleethorpes hadn't improved in the the intervening 15 years. Very much faded seaside glamour, without the glamour to start with. Imagine Blackpool without the lights, piers, tower, arcade, beach, donkeys, rock, souvenir shops, pleasure beach or rollercoaster only with crappier weather and streets paved with dogshit.