Grimsby Town 1 Watford 3 - The Big Match of the Day

Yes I know we joke about the glamour of the likes of Grimsby etc.. but this is a proper hotbed of football and of course the ties to Graham Taylor are strong! Plus it is not, never has and never will be just about the top six glamour clubs - this is where football rubs shoulders with grit and reality.
Here, after reaching the Cup final the season before the Hornets travel to a tricky looking tie on a tricky looking pitch and the hosts show they are not there simply to make up the numbers.
Featuring future Watford striker Paul Wilkinson playing number 8 in their ranks, the Mariners take it to us and sense an upset but we had a pretty good number 8 of our own.....
COYH

[@soulclive1836]

One of my all time favourite away days. I can still see Jimmy Gilligan leaping to head in. The away end was rockin that day. COYH.

[@geedus71]

Bitter January, that one. We'd just been knocked out of the League (Milk) Cup by Sunderland earlier that week. Bloody hell, was it cold. I was there behind the goal shivering in my green bomber jacket, DMs and squared-off Watford ski-hat, all very 1985. I remember climbing up onto the fence when Luther scored the 3rd and a copper yelling at me to get off the fence now unless I fancied spending the night in a Grimsby lock-up. I jumped off quicker than if it had been electrified.

[@UmBongoInDeCongo]

What a superb 3rd goal. This is my fave Watford era. And what a pitch.

[@youornstv4903]

Could not agree more, when I spoke to Luther about it and the fact that Cally seemed to cross the ball in such a way that enabled the first time shot, on that surface with Luthers weaker foot he was almost nonchalant about it. As a pundit he so often (unlike almost any other pundit I know) references the work done on the training ground and in this case gave credit to GT and the repeated work they repeating these movements over and over again. Class act

[@wisdenandpompey7373]

The wind was brutal. As I recall GT thought that only being one down was OK. Didn’t take long to even it up after half time. Went up on a supporters train. Took forever and we only just arrived on time. My second and definitely last time I did that.

[@youornstv4903]

I went to 0-0 in the 90's on a club coach and Grimsby had not improved and the temperature was still the same!

[@hornetgags]

I was at this game...I've never been so cold at game before...the wind chill from the North Sea was ridiculous. - it convinced me never to do Grimsby in winter again. We were awful 1st half - I assume Lord GT threw the teacups at half time because we battered them in the second. Talking of battering...best fish and chips I've ever had after a game. Don't care what anyone says John McLelland is the best CB we've ever had. 2nd coldest was Coventry in the FA Cup at Highfield Road, it snowed throughout the game but a right footed shot from the edge of area from Jackett and a brace from Colin West warmed us up.

[@youornstv4903]

I went to Grimsby c1995 - Neil Shipperleys debut as I recall, for a 0-0 that was just dire and the cold was simply ridiculous. Didn’t even get any fish n chips either!!!! Silly question but you’re not Tony by any chance?

[@hornetgags]

@@youornstv4903 Yes I am. Do we know each other?!!

[@youornstv4903]

@@hornetgags I think we do - Pete Remnant 1N, 2N, 3N , 4N ,5N etc.... :-)

[@Shelsight]

Is the thumbnail John McLelland? Loved this era. I was in my late teens and worked on the turnstiles a tad later - ‘86-89. Saw every home game. Favourite defensive & midfield players were Coton, Rostron, John Mc, Gibbs, Callaghan, Jackett, Porter, Kevin Richardson, et al…

[@youornstv4903]

That is indeed Macca, in most of the Big Match of the Days now there is a little mention of a specific player appearing in the game and because the footage at the time almost only featured attacking play then keepers and defenders rarely look good. I loved the goal line clearance towards the end so featured Macca and TC on this one. Thanks for watching 👍🏼

[@crazier3157]

I was at the game the coldest I have ever been at a football match

[@kevinshanahan6064]

Grimsby song from that game was “we p… on your fish”.

[@youornstv4903]

Loving the comments - they add so much for other viewers around the matches or the player profiles in terms of context and other flavour from the day 👍🏼

[@harryhornet6318]

Proper pitch 😂😂

[@youornstv4903]

Yes the deepness of the mud was ridiculous wasn't it! Luther hitting that goal with his left foot, first time on that surface was exquisite

[@tomthomas9708]

Grimsby were very unlucky there.