What an atmosphere, what a night! Nearly 500 travelling Shaymen singing away all evening, with every song amplified in the old stand with a low iron roof. You can watch as many games as you like on television but you’ll never understand what it’s really like on a spring Tuesday evening in Grimsby. It’s not just winning, it’s winning when you don’t really expect to get a point. Grimsby, a full time team with 3,500 average home support, anything other than the playoffs for them would be a bad season.
The evening started well with proper fish and chips, before we arrived at the ground only to be frisked by the over sensitive stewards. Megaphone Man managed to escape their attentions for a approximately one minute and 24 seconds before the senior steward confiscated his megaphone (again!!!) We were later informed that there’s a bonkers rule in Grimsby that whilst drums are allowed into the stadium on a Saturday afternoon, Health and Safety rules don’t allow anything noisy on a night game.
You can tell things are getting exciting in the season when the pessimistic Shayman makes an appearance. He’s been hiding behind his sofa on away days since last August; he still blames himself for the Macclesfield draw on his last day out. I guess the porcelain Giraffe on his fireplace has finally given him the nod that it’s safe to come out on an away trip. He made us all very nervous with his ruminations and permutations, he is still predicting a mid-table finish to the season!
The game was wonderful; Maynard’s shot took at least 20 minutes to reach the top corner of the goal once it left his foot. It was in all the way but that moment seemed to last forever. Fantastic noise, conga in the aisles, we’re having a party! Three days of injury time and we’ve won. Other than a single chance in the first half when Glennon came to the rescue, Grimsby never had a chance. Don’t know why we ever doubted the result.
A seven mile hike back to the car via the Blundell park away fans detour and it’s all quiet in the streets. It seems like 3.00 am with only the nearby illuminated floodlight pylons suggesting that a game has just taken place. Windows down, volume up, time for some more Tommy Degnan: We all go where the Shaymen Go!
With unexpected wins at Nuneaton, Barnet and now Grimsby, Megaphone Man was less than enthusiastic on the way home, even suggesting the winning goal may have been offside! With the West Vale Shayman adjudicating, both sides of the story were explained and in the end it was decided that over-enthusiasm is no excuse for silly tweets. The Traveller’s tales massive will help bail him out this time but once tweeted, it’s got to be honoured; £50 of halftime draw tickets on Saturday is a fair exchange for the excitement and nine points we’ve had over the last few weeks. You never know, we may even win the half time prize!
Next stop a day out at the Lancashire seaside, Southport, c’mon Shaymen!!!
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