Homesick for Haddock – Why I love Grimsby

I was born and raised in Grimsby. That’s not something most Grimbarians would be proud of saying but I love my hometown even though I no longer live there. Let me explain what’s so great about Grimsby from an exile’s point of view.

Grimsby has the best fish

If I’m going to talk about all the positives Grimsby has to offer I have to start with the fish. The town is renowned for its fishing industry. Or rather it was. But still, the best fish you can get arrives via Grimsby. You’ve seen all the adverts by Youngs Seafood on TV “From Stornaway to Stoke… via Grimsby”. It really is still the fish capital of the UK even though our fishing fleet was decimated by the Common Fisheries Policy.

In its heyday Grimsby had the largest fishing fleet in the world with over 700 trawlers in Grimsby Docks. Sadly that number is now around six. But you still won’t get a better haddock anywhere else in the world than in Grimsby. And don’t forget the scraps!

We only sing when we’re fishing

Secondly we have arguably the greatest football club in the world. Yes that’s my personal opinion and I’m sticking with it. Results over the past few years haven’t been what you’d expect from the world’s greatest club but Grimsby Town Football Club has a proud history. The late great Bill Shankly once graced the hallowed Blundell Park dugout, as did Lawrie McMenemy, Alan Buckley (our greatest manager) and now Ian Holloway. Big things are planned for the Mighty Mariners with a new stadium in the pipeline, potential new owners and lots of hope.

So that’s football and fish covered, what else is great about Grimsby? Family. Both my parents still live there, as do many other relatives. I don’t get to see them half as often as I’d like and I regularly get bouts of homesickness because in these tough times (see earlier posts) I need my family. I will be heading back “up norf” in April though, seven months after my last visit. It’s too long and I miss my family terribly.

Fish, Football and Family. What more could you ever need? Up The Mighty Mariners!