With Wolves' progression into the FA Cup fourth round setting up a first visit to Grimsby Town in 23 years, Clive Corbett has delved into the history books to reveal why the Old Gold cannot take the League Two side lightly.
Having seen off Shrewsbury Town, I believe that the mid-February tie with Grimsby Town will be an altogether sterner test for Wolves.
First of all, the Mariners dumped Manchester United out of the League Cup earlier in the season, and despite some memorable Wolves’ moments, Grimsby have previous against the men from Molineux.
The first FA Cup encounter between teams came in February 1937. In the first game at Blundell Park, Tom Galley scored to salvage a 1-1 draw against top-flight Grimsby. They were then dispatched 6-1 in the replay four days later.
Two seasons later, Dennis Westcott scored four as Wolves beat Town 5-0 in a semi-final match at Old Trafford – more of this later. The next cup meeting came in a third round tie at Molineux in January 1955, Dennis Wilshaw scored twice as the Wanderers prevailed 5-2.
The teams did not meet again for almost 25 years, and when it did happen it was in a League Cup fifth round tie in December 1979 that involved two replays – again more of this later. It was in November 1989 that Grimsby first tasted cup success against Wolves.
The Mariners were then in Division Four and managed by Alan Buckley and they beat Graham Turner’s all-conquering third division champions-elect 1-0 at Blundell Park in the first round FA Cup match. It was one of only eight defeats that Wolves suffered all season.
It was followed by another 1-0 Grimsby home win in the Zenith Data Systems Cup in October 1991 when both teams were in the second-tier. The next and most recent cup game came in the League Cup (round two) in late September, early October 2000. Mark McGhee lead Wolves and having lost 3-2 away, a 2-0 home win through goals from Kevin Muscat and Adam Proudlock saw the Wanderers to a 4-3 aggregate victory.
But the game that still haunts me is when Grimsby came to Molineux on 16th March 2002. Dave Jones’s Wolves were strolling to automatic promotion to the Premier League behind Manchester City. Grimsby, languishing in the nether regions of the league table, won 1-0 and Wolves imploded to allow you know who to take second place.
Historically the Mariners have proved to be fertile ground for Wolves’ strikers, who have plundered seven hat-tricks against them, including:
- John (Jack) Shelton | 1907
- Gordon Clayton | 1937
- Dennis Westcott | 1938
- Dennis Westcott | 1939
- Jesse Pye | 1947
- Steve Bull | 1996
- Ade Akinbiyi | 1999
This puts Grimsby Town equal on seven, alongside Bristol City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town and Manchester City, a total only exceeded by Leicester City, who Wolves have scored eight hat-tricks against. However, history means nothing and as we experienced in 2002...
Do not underestimate Grimsby Town!
To encourage us on our way though, let me remind readers of two memorable Wolves/Grimsby matches.
The first Grimsby memory match is an FA Cup semi-final on 25th March 1939 and I am indebted to Steve Gordos for the match report that follows.
Before what remains a record Old Trafford gate – 76, 962 – Wolves strolled into the FA Cup final as Grimsby were reduced to ten men for 75 minutes. Dennis Westcott took full advantage, taking his goals total to 35 for the season in league and Cup. Already without their England goalkeeper George Tweedy, Grimsby lost his replacement, George Moulson, making his debut, when he collided with Dickie Dorsett.
Both players were carried off but only Dorsett returned. In the pre-substitute days it meant one of the remaining ten had to go in goal and the task was given to full-back Jack Hodgson. It was still ten against ten until just on the half-hour when the limping Dorsett returned to the fray, his left leg bandaged, and saw Dennis Westcott open his account on 32 minutes. Alex McIntosh beat Tommy Jones and England international centre-half Harry Betmead before passing to Westcott who drew Hodgson from his goal then slipped the ball into the net.
Winger Teddy Maguire needed treatment after a knock but was back on the field when Wolves went two up five minutes from half-time. McIntosh was again the provider with a pass that put Westcott in the clear and he again beat the advancing Hodgson. Soon afterwards Betmead headed off the line a shot from left-winger Jimmy Mullen, showing few big match nerves at the age of 16. It only delayed the inevitable and on 48 minutes it was 3-0. Westcott was all set to strike again but was fouled by Betmead. Tom Galley made no mistake from the penalty spot.
The Mariners refused to sink without trace and left-winger Fred Crack had a header saved by Alex Scott and a shot blocked by Stan Cullis. Scott also had to dive at the feet of right-winger Jimmy Boyd. Grimsby’s fight faded and on 86 minutes Westcott completed his hat-trick, taking a pass from Maguire before sidestepping Ned Vincent and then beating Hodgson yet again. Westcott was not finished and a minute later Joe Gardiner’s long ball put him clean through once more to draw the stand-in ’keeper and collect his 11th FA Cup goal in just five games. ‘Nomad’ had high praise for the four-goal man.
The Express & Star correspondent wrote: “Yet again Westcott demonstrated his greatness as a centre-forward. His four goals were only a minor, yet very important, part of a wonderful display of leadership.”
Westcott’s strike partner Dorsett paid for his bravery. He was in severe pain on the train journey home and was taken from the station straight to the QVNI (Queen Victoria Nursing Institute). Arriving at the High Level station, Dorsett was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people who, according to the Express & Star, “gave the player a heartening cheer besides expressing their sympathy”.
Hundreds of fans were at the LMS station hoping to greet the Wembley-bound players but Westcott and Co eluded them via the subway that led to the GWR’s Low Level station. With 32 league goals from 37 appearances, Westcott ended the season with 43 league and Cup goals from 43 matches which remained a club record until beaten by Steve Bull 29 years later. Despite Westcott’s contribution, there was no happy ending as red-hot favourites Wolves were beaten 4-1 by Portsmouth in the final at Wembley.
The second match I have chosen is definitely more from my era and was a fifth round League Cup tie played over three successive Tuesday evenings, the 4th, 11th and 18th December 1979. The first match, at Blundell Park was played with a gale force Cleethorpes wind gusting across the field. Wolves were fortunate to escape with a goalless draw against third division Grimsby, largely due to the calming influence of Emlyn Hughes.
John Barnwell appreciated this at the time: “We had to play extremely well to contain them and the conditions were absolutely foul. It really was an electric cup tie. During our two days on Humberside I had to pinch myself to make sure that we weren’t playing an important European cup tie in Valencia. It was only when I had my haddock for breakfast that I realised I was still in England.” The game was played on the day after Andy Gray’s 24th birthday, and although it was a stalemate, Kevin Moore hit the underside of the Wolves bar on the hour and John Richards put a chance over a little over ten minutes from the end.
The replay was played at Molineux on 11th December in front of 28,455 fans, with the winners drawn to face either Arsenal or Swindon in the semi-final. The match finished 1-1 with goal from Gray on 22 minutes. Wolves appeared to be cruising until 18 minutes from the end when Geoff Palmer horribly sliced a clearance under pressure from Guy Liddell to send the ball flying past Bradshaw.
On 18th December, John McAlle was given a start, replacing Peter Daniel in midfield for the second replay, this time at Derby County’s Baseball Ground. In order to play, Andy Gray had to pull out of the Scotland team to face Belgium, but he clearly did not regret his commitment to the Molineux cause: “I never dreamed I would enjoy it so much at Molineux. The whole atmosphere is different from at Villa, everything is more relaxed and the players at Wolves have been really great. I know that there were many people who were surprised when I came here but it was the best decision I have ever taken.”
Wolves went ahead with a hotly disputed penalty on 51 minutes from Ken Hibbitt after Clive Wigginton had fouled John Richards. Hibbitt had taken over the spot kick duties after Daniel had missed against both Norwich and Bolton.
Hibbitt explains: “When the referee blew for a penalty after the foul, I realised that it was my job to slot the ball away. I had completely forgotten that I had taken over from Peter. But I didn’t feel particularly nervous and while the referee was talking to the linesman I was having a chat with Grimsby’s left back, Kevin Moore. It helped to take the pressure off me and when I took the kick I did not even look to see where the goalkeeper was.
“It was not until I saw the picture in the newspapers the next morning that I realised I had sent him the wrong way. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had missed. Grimsby had given us quite a fright in the first two games and I believe that the penalty in the game at Derby gave us the conviction to move forward and win.”
Ken’s first penalty since having been denied by Birmingham’s Jim Montgomery two years earlier did give Wolves the platform and eight minutes later, the unfortunate Clive Wigginton turned a John Richard’s shot past his own ’keeper. Wolves of course went on to beat Swindon Town and Nottingham Forest to win the 1980 League Cup competition.
Now whether or not greater things await Wolves this season if they can overcome Grimsby at the lowest football ground in the UK (two feet above sea level) will only become clear in the future, but in the meantime it is worth repeating my warning...
Do not underestimate Grimsby Town!
