Grimsby Town: Michael Jolley left club after expletive-laden rant at reporters
Michael Jolley’s foul-mouthed tirade towards local journalists played a part in him losing his job as Grimsby Town manager, the director John Fenty has said.
The League Two side announced on Friday that Jolley had left the club by mutual consent following a sevengame winless run. Fenty, the club’s majority shareholder, has revealed that Jolley’s departure followed an expletive-laden rant at BBC Humberside reporters.
The outburst, directed to journalists Matt Dean and John Tondeur, is reported to have included 58 swear words. It came after the Mariners’ 4-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient on 19 October, with club directors becoming aware of the recording earlier this month.
“You are an absolute fucking disgrace of a journalist,” Jolley appears to say in the leaked audio. “The fucking radio station gives us fucking no positive coverage whatsoever.”
The 42-year-old also apparently accused the duo of having “no fucking bollocks” and “sniping behind people’s backs”, before complaining about the budget he was operating under.
“We were fucking 10th going into today, mate. Near the fucking play-offs. Have you seen our fucking budget? Do you know where we fucking should be?”
In a video on the club’s official website Fenty said “fans deserve some answers” over Jolley’s departure, adding that the board “knew nothing” of the incident until the leaked audio was passed to them.
“Radio Humberside had complained to directors and, given that we had now seen the footage and listened to what was said, it is a matter of fact that the club would need to take disciplinary proceedings,” Fenty said. “The investigation found there was a need for a disciplinary hearing, which was planned to be held [last] Friday.”
Fenty then said he had been approached by Jolley on the Wednesday before the hearing. “[Michael’s] view was he knew where this was going and he sought an opportunity for a compromise arrangement, which resulted in his leaving on mutual grounds.”
“Clearly he wasn’t sacked. We’re really disappointed in the whole affair, Michael knows that.”
In the four-minute rant Jolley asks Dean and Tondeur: “Every time you interview me you’re antagonistic, confrontational. Who do you think you are, Jeremy Paxman?”
“Fucking you and fucking Gwilym [Lloyd] criticise us for playing manfor-man at Chelsea. Why not ask the manager? Because you’ve got no fucking bollocks, you have to snipe behind people’s fucking backs.”
“I go on the fucking Monday night show with Rob [Staton, Humberside sports editor] because he’s a professional journalist and he’s a fucking straight shooter. You don’t fucking ask me a question or when I go off you say, ‘Yeah, it was the wrong decision to play man-for-man’.”
Fenty said he “had his problems with BBC Radio Humberside in the past”, but had been “shocked and stunned” at Jolley’s behaviour. “It’s a serious tirade. When you’ve just lost 4-0 it’s not the right time to pick a fight with a radio station.”
“I’m concerned and disappointed there was mention to the budget, and a suggestion goading the press to say they should have said something about the budget in the past. I find that a strange comment.”
BBC Radio Humberside have said it was a matter for the club but it is understood no official complaint was made to Grimsby Town. Jolley’s departure comes 18 months after he arrived, following an unsuccessful spell with the Swedish club Eskilstuna.