‘THIS CAN’T HAPPEN AGAIN’
FIVE YEARS AFTER BRINGING THEM BACK INTO THE EFL, TOWN LOOK INCREASINGLY LIKELY TO BE HEADING BACK INTO NON-LEAGUE...
WITH the takeover just around the corner, Paul Hurst has called for Grimsby Town to move forward – and believes the club are behind the curve on so many levels.
Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit look set to complete their purchase of John Fenty’s stake in the club, thus signalling a new era for the Mariners.
A general meeting has been called for May 5, when it is expected that shareholders will vote to re-register Town as a private limited company, thus enabling the takeover to be completed.
It’s looking increasingly likely though that they will be taking over a club heading back into non-league.
Hurst spoke after Saturday’s defeat at Bradford of his bemusement at the way in which the club has gone since his departure from his first spell in charge in 2016, when he had Town close to League Two’s play-offs after bringing them back up from the National League.
And the Mariners boss hopes he can play a part in ensuring the club never find themselves in a similar situation again.
“A lot of what I hear is positive for the football club, I really do,” Hurst said.
“I think things will change, but 100 per cent it has to.
“If the worst happens (relegation), I don’t want that situation to be there again.
“I said from day one when I came back, we worked ever so hard to get the club back in the league.
“This isn’t a criticism of managers or anything, but I’m not sure what’s happened since. We can’t have that situation.
“You have to move forward, the football changes, some of the things I maybe say or the things you hear, you have to try and stay on board with it.
“Dave Moore’s got a great saying about not reinventing the wheel, it’s the same game, but some things do change, and I think you have to be openminded enough about that. “We’ve got to try and do that. I’ve said we’re behind the curve in so many aspects, and we need to get better.
“I want to be part of that. I’ve said that to the guys, and I’m hoping that we can really improve, but at this moment in time obviously what we’re interested in is the here and now and what’s happening on the pitch.”