Month by month
August 2003
A new hope
September 2003
The Mariners strike back
October 2003
Return of the Geordie
November 2003
Great, kids - now don't get cocky
December 2003
All too easy
January 2004
Watch out for those fighters
February 2004
Stay on target
March 2004
The emperor's March
April 2004
Almost there
May 2004
Let's blow this thing and go home
About this series
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November 2003: Great, kids - now don't get cocky
Mat Hare
17 July 2003
November in our virtual 2003-04 season has the Mariners tucking in to a feast of football, with no fewer than nine matches being played this month. That's six league matches and three cup games. The month opens with a match away at Blackpool. There follow league matches against Brentford (a) and Barnsley (h) before the Vans Trophy 2nd round clash with Wrexham (h). Gravesend (a) are Town's opponents in the FA Cup first round before we continue the league schedule with Bournemouth (a), Swindon (h) and Luton (h). I know that's only eight matches but I don't want to spoil the surprise of what the ninth is just yet.
As October drew to a close we were second in the table and Livvo was on fire. Not literally, don't worry. But as November kicks off Grimsby are, amazingly, outplayed by a Blackpool side that runs out worthy 2-0 winners. But the players must learn from this experience as only a few days later Livvo bags a brace in a 2-0 win over Brentford. These efforts from the big man, however, are the only shots on target Town manage. The shooting is better against Barnsley, with Town players having 15 shots throughout the game and five being on target, giving another 2-0 win for Town with Boulding and Pouton on the scoresheet. Goalscoring superstar hero Livvo picks up a knock, though.
The Mariners go into the Vans Trophy match against Wrexham having kept two clean sheets in a row - and they make it another as Wrexham fail to have a shot all game. But that's what happens when you are down to 10 men inside 12 minutes. Boulding gets a pair in a very easy 5-0 win. This cup football lark obviously suits Town, so how in the name of fuck do they then only scrape a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup with Conference side Gravesend? I don't know, but they do. Worked out what that ninth game is yet? Yep - a replay with Gravesend at Blundell Park.
This dodgy cup game obviously affects the players a lot as they are utterly outclassed and thrashed 4-0 by Bournemouth in their next league game. But they recover enough to pip 10-man Swindon with Livvo - again - scoring the only goal of the game.
And so to the replay. Surely Town's class must show here. Yeah, it does, but only after Gravesend get a man sent off after 15 minutes. Town must have bought a few referees Bradford-style when you think about the number of sendings-off their opposition have had. Anyway, Livvo bags two more and Boulding gets one in a very comfortable 5-0 win for Grimsby. A 2-1 win over Luton with a goal each for Livvo and Boulding rounds off the month.
You might have noticed several mentions for Steve 'Livvo' Livingstone in those match summaries. If not, re-read the last few paragraphs and tell me which other word containing a double 'v' you thought it was. Steve L continues to have a great season, with 17 goals to his name now. Boulding is four behind on 13. Paul Groves is top performer so far, averaging 7.7 out of 10 in each game.
So Town make it through to the next round of the two cup competitions they are still in but display patchy league form, with four wins and two defeats from the six league games this month. Is that enough to regain top spot? Nope - it is in fact enough to slip to third in the table instead. Arse. QPR hold on to that valuable top spot while Oldham move above the Mariners to take the second promotion place.
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P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
+/- |
Pts |
| 1 |
QPR |
19 |
13 |
4 |
2 |
38 |
9 |
29 |
43 |
| 2 |
Oldham |
19 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
39 |
23 |
16 |
39 |
| 3 |
Grimsby |
19 |
12 |
2 |
5 |
35 |
18 |
17 |
38 |
| 4 |
Blackpool |
19 |
12 |
2 |
5 |
35 |
21 |
14 |
38 |
| 5 |
Stockport |
19 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
31 |
18 |
13 |
36 |
| 6 |
Bristol City |
19 |
10 |
3 |
6 |
33 |
21 |
12 |
33 |
| 7 |
Hartlepool |
19 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
28 |
16 |
12 |
32 |
| 8 |
Brighton |
19 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
37 |
27 |
10 |
32 |
| 9 |
Swindon |
19 |
9 |
4 |
6 |
28 |
17 |
11 |
31 |
| 10 |
Notts Co |
19 |
9 |
2 |
8 |
30 |
30 |
0 |
29 |
| 11 |
Chesterfield |
19 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
20 |
15 |
5 |
28 |
| 12 |
Brentford |
19 |
8 |
3 |
8 |
24 |
25 |
-1 |
27 |
| 13 |
Colchester |
19 |
7 |
5 |
7 |
28 |
26 |
2 |
26 |
| 14 |
Sheff Wed |
19 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
26 |
24 |
2 |
25 |
| 15 |
Tranmere |
19 |
8 |
1 |
10 |
28 |
34 |
-6 |
25 |
| 16 |
Port Vale |
19 |
7 |
4 |
8 |
22 |
28 |
-6 |
25 |
| 17 |
Rushden |
19 |
6 |
4 |
9 |
23 |
30 |
-7 |
22 |
| 18 |
Wrexham |
19 |
6 |
2 |
11 |
26 |
33 |
-7 |
20 |
| 19 |
Luton |
19 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
18 |
27 |
-9 |
20 |
| 20 |
Plymouth |
19 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
22 |
36 |
-14 |
19 |
| 21 |
Barnsley |
19 |
5 |
2 |
12 |
27 |
43 |
-16 |
17 |
| 22 |
Wycombe |
19 |
5 |
1 |
13 |
23 |
47 |
-24 |
16 |
| 23 |
Bournemouth |
19 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
17 |
34 |
-17 |
13 |
| 24 |
Peterborough |
19 |
2 |
1 |
16 |
17 |
53 |
-36 |
7 |
It doesn't get any better for Peterborough: just one point from their five league games this month and they are six points adrift now. And they have an awful defensive record. Oh dear. Tranmere finally get a draw this month to stop the table looking quite so odd. And take a look at QPR's defence - just nine goals conceded in 19 league matches. Awesome. Not much more to say really, other than that I am still enjoying watching Sheffield Wednesday struggle.
How is life for the other English clubs then? In the Premiership Liverpool have risen to the top of the pile, displacing Fulham who drop to third behind Bolton. There is also a change in the bottom three. Wolves have only gone and bloody won a game, haven't they. In fact they now have four wins to their name and have climbed out of the drop zone, which is now occupied by Portsmouth, Man City and Leicester. In the first division it is Coventry who have sneaked ahead of Millwall and into the lead, pushing Sunderland into the play-off places. The bottom three are Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United. And in the mighty third division Hull have crept back to the top ahead of Cambridge and Swansea. Lincoln and Yeovil are the two clubs holding up the rest.
Grimsby Town came close to being put out by a Conference side but came through in the replay. Did any other bigger names fail in their tasks against 'lesser' opposition? In the southern section of the Vans Trophy, Barnet put out Bristol City. In the FA Cup, Burton Albion eliminated Brentford of the second division and Halifax knocked Blackpool out. But mostly it all went to plan.
In the European competitions only Arsenal looked to be getting as far as November but Manchester United pulled it out the bag and qualified from the first group stage of the Champions League. They are now second in their second round group, the same position as Arsenal occupy in theirs. Chelsea and Newcastle drop into the UEFA Cup where they join Liverpool, Southampton having gone out on away goals in the second round. Of those three, Newcastle managed a 1-0 home in the first leg, Liverpool a 1-1 away draw and Chelsea have a lot to do next leg after a 3-1 away defeat.
December will be an important month for many clubs. Some will be looking to pull themselves away from the relegation dogfights; others will be settling for mid-table obscurity as they chase cup glory; and the best teams will be battling it out at the top of the table. Which of those categories will Grimsby Town fit into? Find out next time.
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