No love lost over Grimsby but Albion fans won’t begrudge Fox’s success
BURTON Albion supporters are not alone in not liking Grimsby Town very much, mainly because they have a more significant number of unruly fans than most clubs of their size.
The Pirelli Stadium pitch invasion after the Brewers relegated the Mariners from the Football Leage in 2010 sticks in the memory as a particularly horrible episode.
But Burton followers will nonetheless enjoy the fact that Ben Fox has starred in Grimsby’s midfield as they bounced back at the first attempt from their second relegation from League Two.
Fox, born in Burton and a Brewers academy graduate, remains popular here, which players tend to do when they conduct themselves with the enthusiasm and politeness that he always did at Burton.
And let’s face it, fans aside, Grimsby are a proper club, dating back to 1884 and with spells in the top flight in their past.
Their manager, Paul Hurst, has a good reputation and was useful with the Brewers during a loan spell from his only other club, Rotherham United, late in his playing career.
On top of that, they did it the hard way, finishing a tough National League campaign in sixth place and having to beat Notts County, Wrexham and Solihull Moors, who all finished above them, in extra time in the play-offs, none of those on their own ground.
They came through the first two with winning goals in the 119th minutes and beat Solihull at Wembley with a goal in the 111th minute.
In each of them, as he had been all season, Fox was a non-stop engine in midfield.
It is small wonder he described this season as the best of his career even before the play-off final.
A pre-season cruciate ligament injury wiped out his 2019-20 season, with him regaining fitness just as Covid ended that season early.
A new start at Grimsby now sees him back in the Football League and, at 24, a proper, extensive career as a pro is back on track.
“It has definitely been my best season to date, it is the one I’ve enjoyed the most and played the most in my career in a season,” Fox told our sister paper, the Grimsby Telegraph.
“I’ve had a clear role. We just know that we need to be on the front foot, in and out of possession, and be positive.
“If we’re clear on the game plan and we can implement it, we know we’ll be OK.”
The arrival of the experienced Gavan Holohan in March, who won promotion to the Football League with Hartlepool United the previous season, has added a different dimension to Grimsby’s midfield.
Fox struck up a partnership with the 30-year-old Irishman and they hit it off.
Holohan’s equaliser, six minutes into stoppage time against Notts County, saved the play-off campaign for the Mariners when it was seconds away from falling at the first hurdle.
“Gavan is great,” said Fox. “You could see the minute he walked into the building the calmness he brings into the midfield.
“You always feel like he is going to pop up with a great goal and we balance each other out quite well in the midfield. I know if I go forward, he will be there covering me and likewise, if he does the same, so I think we’ve developed quite a good understanding and it’s a pleasure to play alongside him.
“The team all together has a really good understanding of their roles and that is what the gaffer and his coaching staff have been able to implement on the side.”
In particular, Fox’s performances in the play-offs have caught the eye of Town fans, one tweeting “80% of the earth is covered by water. The rest is covered by Ben Fox.”
Fox spoke about how his confidence has grown throughout the season while clocking up 36 appearances – actually the same number he managed for Burton in 2018-19, his breakthrough season prior to being injured.
“I’ve known my role better as it’s gone along and gained more confidence in my own ability to get on the ball and try and dictate play,” he added.
“When I am confident and positive on the ball, I feel at my best as a player.”
Ahead of the play-off final, he said: “I still feel we’ll go in as underdogs judging by how Solihull have performed this season but we’ll go in full of confidence and give it our best shot.”
They certainly managed that.