Share and Follow
While it might not be a classic David and Goliath tale, David Artell’s Grimsby Town is set to face another Premier League powerhouse in their latest challenge.
Having already stunned Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and followed that with a defeat against Brentford, the League Two outfit is now gearing up to welcome their third top-tier opponent of the season, Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Mariners are eager to land yet another significant victory.
Artell, leading with a mix of wisdom and ambition, hopes the match will inspire moments of pure joy, akin to a celebratory kiss from a grandmother, a unique thrill only such occasions can deliver.
The manager believes his team could have clinched the league title if the season hadn’t been cut short, resulting in their promotion being confirmed by a points-per-game calculation over the phone.
“They missed out on the jubilant celebration that comes with promotion, having only experienced a sterile announcement over the phone. Hence, games like these, especially after the Manchester United triumph and now with Wolves visiting, are crucial for everyone to relish and savor the experience,” Artell remarked.
League Two minnows Grimsby Town will aim to topple a Premier League giant for the second time this season after triumphing over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in August
Boss David Artell says his players deserved their euphoric celebrations after beating United -as they were denied the same glory when they won promotion during the Covid-19 pandemic
Artell takes a stroll around Blundell Park where Grimsby will look to stage another shock upset
‘A herd of wildebeest wouldn’t stop 9,000 Grimsby fans getting on the pitch! It’s just emotion, elation. We know what it means to people. That’s why we love the FA Cup, Macclesfield beating Palace, the holders, that’s the beauty of it.
‘People may say our pitch is a leveller, but I’d prefer a bowling green so no one can say we’ve had that. It might help.
‘Can you do it on a wet and windy night in Stoke, they say… What about a cold Sunday afternoon in Grimsby! I don’t know anyone who can control the weather.’
Grimsby beat Ruben Amorim’s beleaguered side 12-11 on penalties having led 2-0 in regulation time only to see the Red Devils equalise, then toppled Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in the next round before falling to Brentford.
Artell remembers that day fondly and says he will never tire of being asked about it. Asked about the morning after, he says: ’My first thought was, “Is it that time already? I didn’t get home until 3am, I got to bed about 4.15am and my first interview was at 7.30am.
‘So my first thought the morning after was, “Bloody hell is that the alarm already?” We want to put our little football club on the map. Not many people outside of this country had heard of Grimsby. By Thursday, I was on CNN! We are good, honest people, hard working.
‘I did interviews, watched the game back, spoke to my staff. Then it was just another day. There was no time to say “that was nice, last night”, it was soon chip shop paper. Haddock and chips here served on the paper about (the win). We had another game 48 hours later.
The Mariners take on Rob Edwards’ out-of-form Wolves in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday
Thousands of fans flooded the pitch at Blundell Park after pulling off the upset over Man United
‘You always believe you have a chance (in cup games). It’s a two horse race, the best team does not always win.
‘The best team won on the night, the best players did not. Amorim said so himself. We have to make sure we’re the best team on Sunday.
‘All things being equal, they should have absolutely walloped us. Did they? No. That’s the beauty of knockout football. We’re not playing basketball, a high-scoring game where there’s hardly any upsets. I am sitting here now as confident as I was before United.’
Artell, who has a degree in forensic biology, knows all about punching above his weight. Capped seven times by Gibraltar, the former Morecambe and Crewe Alex defender came up against the likes of Robert Lewandowski’s Poland and Thomas Muller’s Germany during his playing days.
‘We played against Germany about three months after they won the cup and walloped Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final,’ recalls the 45-year-old. ‘We were sitting having a team meal thinking, “Never mind this sauerkraut, this could get tasty!”
‘We were the Macclesfield of international football. Muller was there, we had a corner and he was saying, “This is your chance lads!” and I was like “thank you, Thomas, thank you, I’m just trying to breathe!”.’
There will be a similar gulf in class when Wolves come to town on Sunday. Here at Blundell Park in Cleethorpes, they have a giant cover over the pitch, which a groundsman’s dog is enjoying running underneath as the wind batters in from the nearby sea.
‘The area is being renovated, the fishing industry was decimated,’ says Artell. ‘Grimsby Town FC is a constant in their lives. This and the bank account. We understand the importance of who we are to people and the area, that is not lost on me. We sweat black and white blood.
‘People change partners, people fall out with family sometimes, but you never change your bank account or football club. This club has been here 148 years, it means a lot to people. I would never, ever take it for granted.
Artell, who has a degree in forensic biology, knows all about punching above his weight
Grimsby sit 10th in League Two but will be full of belief with Wolves rock bottom in the top flight
‘They told me when I first came here that I would struggle to attract people here. Why? There’s no traffic, people are unbelievable and friendly, they are all so nice to us. We don’t walk past people with our heads down here we say “Morning!”.’
Hopefully by Monday morning, this community will be celebrating another famous scalp.