Welcome back to Blundell Park as we prepare to welcome Bristol Rovers for another Sky Bet League Two fixture at the home of the Mariners.
David Artell’s side have made a positive start to the new league campaign, taking points from each of their opening five fixtures. Town began with a 1-0 victory over Exeter City before drawing away at Walsall, followed by a 2-2 draw against Fleetwood Town at Blundell Park. The Mariners then shared the points again on the road at Accrington Stanley, before picking up another point last weekend – coming from behind to draw 2-2 away at Cheltenham Town.
With another big crowd expected at Blundell Park and plenty to look forward to around the ground, we’ve pulled together all the key information you’ll need ahead of kick-off, including stadium access, turnstile opening times, ticket details, food and drink outlets, entertainment, travel and parking, and everything else supporters need to know before arriving.
We encourage all supporters to arrive in plenty of time to avoid queues and make the most of everything on offer around the ground.
Ahead of kick-off, David Artell shared his thoughts on Town’s unbeaten start, the importance of building momentum and Saturday’s challenge against Bristol Rovers:
Opening Times
9am: Ticket Office & Club Shop opens
10:30am: The Lower Bar open to supporters
11am: Turnstiles open
12:30pm: Kick Off
Fan Zone Update
We can confirm that the Fan Zone will not be open ahead of tomorrow’s fixture against Bristol Rovers.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank supporters for their understanding. We are working hard on a solution that will allow the Fan Zone to reopen as soon as possible, with further details to follow.
As part of these changes, Docks Beers will no longer have a presence within the Fan Zone. We would like to place on record our thanks to the team at Docks Beers for being part of the Fan Zone project since it first opened in 2021 and for helping to enhance the matchday experience at Blundell Park over the past five years.
There are still a number of refreshment options available around Blundell Park, with food vendors located around the ground. The Lower Bar will open from 10:30am, while the bars inside the stadium will open from 11am.
Ticket News
7,300+ tickets have now been sold for this fixture, with seats still available around Blundell Park. Supporters can purchase online or from the Ticket Office, which will be open until kick-off.
We’d like to remind fans to enter Blundell Park via the entrance stated on their ticket to help avoid any delays on arrival.
Andy Tillson in McMenemy’s
We are delighted to welcome former Mariners defender Andy Tillson back to Blundell Park as our Returning Legend for Saturday’s lunchtime fixture against Bristol Rovers. Supporters inside the stadium will also be able to welcome Andy back to Blundell Park, with the former defender set to be presented to the crowd on the pitch ahead of kick-off.
Born in Huntingdon, Tillson joined Grimsby Town in 1988 and quickly established himself as a classy and dependable centre-back in Alan Buckley’s side. He made 133 appearances for the Mariners between 1988 and 1990, playing an important role in a memorable period for the club and helping Town secure promotion during the 1989/90 season.
His performances in black and white soon attracted attention from higher up the Football League, with First Division Queens Park Rangers moving to sign the defender in 1990 under manager Don Howe. After two seasons at Loftus Road, Tillson returned to Grimsby for a brief loan spell in 1992, making a further four appearances for the Mariners.
Later that year, he joined Saturday’s opponents Bristol Rovers in a then club-record £370,000 transfer. Tillson went on to enjoy a hugely successful eight-year spell at Eastville and then the Memorial Stadium, making 252 league appearances and captaining the Gas.
He later represented Walsall, helping them to promotion via the Second Division play-offs in 2001, before finishing his playing career with Rushden & Diamonds. Tillson’s career saw him make almost 500 Football League appearances, while his performances for Walsall during the 2000/01 campaign earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
Following his playing career, Andy moved into coaching, working with Team Bath before joining Exeter City as First Team Coach under Paul Tisdale. Saturday’s fixture provides a fitting opportunity to welcome Andy back to his former home, with the Mariners taking on the club where he spent eight memorable years. Supporters attending the game will have the opportunity to hear from Andy in McMenemy’s ahead of kick-off, as he reflects on his career and shares memories from his time in black and white.
Match Sponsors
The Match Sponsor for tomorrow lunchtime’s fixture is Rock Accounting.
Retro Shirt Day
We’re calling on supporters to dig out their favourite Mariners shirts for Saturday’s Retro Shirt Day against Bristol Rovers at Blundell Park.
Tomorrow’s fixture will once again be a chance to celebrate the history of Grimsby Town and the iconic shirts worn by the Mariners across the years, as we build towards the club’s anniversary later this month. From promotion-winning campaigns and memorable cup runs to shirts worn by some of the greatest players to pull on the famous black and white, every era has its own stories and memories. Whether it’s a classic from the 1980s, a favourite from the 1990s, a promotion-winning shirt or something a little more recent, we want to see as many different Mariners shirts as possible around Blundell Park.
Supporters wearing a retro Mariners shirt to Saturday’s game will have the chance to win one of 30 spot prizes, along with a selection of match ticket vouchers.
Mighty Mariner will be keeping his eyes peeled around the ground for some of the best, most unusual and eye-catching shirts on display, with the majority of prizes being handed out at half-time.
So, whether you’ve got a treasured classic tucked away in the wardrobe or a shirt that brings back memories of a special Mariners moment, make sure you wear it with pride on Saturday.
Ahead of the game, we’ll be looking back at some of the most iconic shirts in the club’s history across our social media channels – and we want supporters to get involved too.
Share photos of your favourite Mariners shirts, collections or retro shirt selfies using #GTFCretroshirts.
Whether your favourite is black and white, red, blue, yellow, pink or any of the other colours Town have worn over the years, we want to see it.
Mighty Mariner
Mighty Mariner will be around the ground with his selfie frame and will be available for photos with supporters.
Women’s Team
There will be a special focus on our women’s team at half-time, with Scarlett Norman, Abbie Emslie and Ben Thomas joining PA Announcer Kev Rogers on the pitch.
The trio will look ahead to the women’s team’s big game at Blundell Park on Sunday, discussing the occasion and what supporters can expect from the fixture.
Make sure you stay in your seats at half-time and give Scarlett, Abbie and Ben a warm Mariners welcome as they preview what promises to be a special day for our women’s team.
Half Time Bonanza
The Half Time Bonanza is Grimsby Town’s instant cash prize draw where supporters can win up to £750!
Tickets cost just £1 each and are sold all around the ground on a matchday. The draw takes place on the pitch at half-time, and the winning numbers will be announced by the stadium announcer.
Travel Info
Stadium Address:
Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, DN35 7PY.
By Car
Follow signs for Grimsby via the M180, continuing as it becomes the A180. Blundell Park is located adjacent to the McDonald’s Drive-Thru on Grimsby Road.
Supporter and team coaches should turn off Grimsby Road onto Tiverton Street and will be parked along Harrington Street.
By Train
The nearest station is Cleethorpes, approximately a 20-minute walk. Upon exiting, turn right and follow the High Street until reaching Blundell Park on your right.
By Bus
Stagecoach services stop directly outside Blundell Park. Matchday services include route 3.
Timetables are available by clicking HERE.
Parking
Parking near the stadium is extremely limited. Supporters are encouraged to arrive early and use street parking where available, noting that some surrounding areas operate matchday restrictions.
Matchday Info
Stay up-to-date with important matchday information, including in-match updates, by following our social media accounts.
Food Choices
A wide selection of hot food, snacks and drinks will be available from kiosks around the ground.
External Food Vendors For This Fixture
- Lower Ramsdens Home Interiors – Food Dudes
- Upper Ramsdens Home Interiors – Sharkey’s
- Pontoon – The Hot Dogs
- Technical Absorbents Stand – Cooky Cooks
- Osmond Behind the Goal – HatricksÂ
- Osmond Corner – Dave at No.1
Matchday Programme
The latest edition of our award-winning programme, The Mariner, will be on sale for £3 at outlets around the ground and in the Club Shop. We are delighted to confirm that programme sellers around the ground will be able to take both cash and card payments for this fixture.
This week’s issue features:
- A feature interview with one of our latest signings, Mark Shelton
- The latest on our opposition, Bristol Rovers
- A deep dive into Mariners legend, Kevin Donovan
- A look at some Mariners’ heroes and villains from times gone by
- A look back at 5 shirts from Mariners’ history
- Columns from David Artell and Andrew Pettit
- Updates from our Women’s Team, Youth Team, Foundation, the Mariners Trust, and the Disabled Supporters Club
Club Shop
The Club Shop will be open from 9am until kick-off, and provides the perfect opportunity to grab some Mariners gifts. Available is our brand new kits, along with the new range of club merchandise and summer essentials.
Reporting & Safeguarding
We believe that football is a game for everyone, everywhere and we are proud of the welcoming atmosphere that you create at Blundell Park every matchday. However, every season, there are hundreds of reports of discrimination across the game and likely more that go unrecorded.
We would like to reiterate our zero-tolerance policy to any form of discrimination, anti-social behaviour, sexual harassment and abuse of any kind at Blundell Park.
You can report any discrimination directly to the Club by texting 07926575610 on matchdays, alerting your nearest steward or completing this short online form.
Matchday Contacts
David White, Facilities Manager & Safety Officer – david@gtfc.co.uk
Graham Hackney, Supporter Liaison Officer – slo@gtfc.co.uk
Amanda Jane Stephenson, Disabled Liaison Officer – janestephenson@gtfc.co.uk
Vikki Harries, Lead Designated Safeguarding Officer – safeguarding@gtfc.co.ukÂ
You can also Tweet @GTFC_SLO on X or message the Club on our social media channels.
We are always looking for supporter feedback on the matchday experience, you can contact the Club by emailing enquiries@gtfc.co.uk.
First Time Fans
If tomorrow afternoon is someone’s first game, just contact fran@gtfc.co.uk and we’ll provide you with a complimentary certificate.
UTM
