MARINERS’ MARIACHI MADNESS

Grimsby Town are renowned for their away-day exploits, and inflatables are always a favourite.

But after one of the oddest court cases in English legal history, when a steward at Barnet sued after a tap on the head from a tiny shark, blow-ups were banned. Trevor Hewson, Grimsby fan, fought the fun police.

“The ban was just comical,” he tells FFT, “so I got on Twitter and suggested taking something mad to the next game there – a tree, or an ironing board. We settled on a mariachi band and it’s spiralled. I got in too deep and realised that I had to do it.”

An online fundraiser secured in excess of £1,800, more than enough pesos to hire Beato Burrito for the fixture at The Hive (the rest of it went to fund matchday travel for disabled Grimsby supporters). And after some “pretty strange phone calls” with the Bees, the group were allowed in to join the sombreroed Mariners.

“It’s put smiles on so many fans’ faces,” says Hewson. “And of course, ‘Sing when you’re fishing’ is to the tune of a Mariachi song, Guantanamera. So that worked well.”