Ex-Grimsby player and fans turn on Ian Holloway for his role in club’s relegation

An ex-Grimsby player and fans have decided to turn on Ian Holloway for his role in the club’s relegation which was confirmed on Tuesday.

The former defender Gary Croft has slammed the 58 year old after the Mariners fate was sealed as defeat to Exeter City saw their five-year stay in the EFL come to an end.

Grimsby are now facing up to their second stint in non league, having spent six years there following their relegation back in 2010.

It comes after a stormy campaign, which started with Holloway in charge at Blundell Park, with initially surprised everyone, before he resigned as manager in December amid takeover talk, although the Grimsby fanbase are still feeling the effects of his troubling time on the touchline.

Speaking on BBC Radio Humberside when his former side lost against Exeter, Croft was pulling no punches on his assessment of Holloway’s part in the club’s relegation from League Two.

“It’s been a disaster, it’s truly been a disaster,” Croft said.

“It’s easy to point at one thing, but I do think this season’s disaster started with the manager.

“He’s done miles more than me in the game, Ian Holloway, but I feel like it was just a bit of a play thing, a toy for him to play with.

“I just can’t believe that people have stood around and watched it happen, watched it unfurl without getting into him, questioning him, and finding out what’s going on.

“He was like that all-powerful person that no-one dare question. Crazy interviews that once were entertaining YouTube viewing, and are now completely not funny.

“He’s come here and turned this season into a disaster.”

Croft added: “I don’t think this is a particularly strong league, I don’t think Town needed to do an awful lot, and for a club of our size in this league, we shouldn’t be down where we are.

“For me, Grimsby’s a big club, I do honestly. I know we’ve got a small fan base and we haven’t got the stadium still, but if we ever get success again, the passion and the desire around our parts is huge.”

Meanwhile, keeper James McKeown makes an emotional apology to Grimsby Town fans after club’s relegation from EFL.

“Sorry. Sorry for what we’ve produced this year as a football club and as individuals,” McKeown said.

“It’s horrific, and it’s not just one night. The hope’s been there because we won on Saturday, and you always believe while you still can.

“To a degree, tonight’s irrelevant, that’s not why we’ve gone down. There’s obviously lots involved in the game, but we’ve got it wrong as players, as individuals, myself, as a club, we’ve got it wrong probably from the minute we came back this year, maybe even the last couple of years being that team floating down the bottom.

“I can only apologise to the fans and my family because we’ve let everyone down.”

McKeown added: “It’s a hell of a wake-up call for everyone. We certainly got it wrong coming back – we played one pre-season game, and that can’t be right.

“Everyone’s got to look at themselves, there’s no-one who’s blameless in this situation.

“Sorry is never going to be good enough. To be part of this club going down is a disgrace.

“We have to deal with that as individuals. We have got it massively wrong, and we haven’t performed, and we’ve let it drift by, and this club should never be in this position.

“It shouldn’t have been in it 11 years ago. For it to come around again, I’m ashamed to be a part of it. It should never have happened.”

Incoming chairman Jason Stockwood has offered some optimism for Grimsby Town.

“Disappointed but I’ve never been one to dwell on negatives,” Stockwood tweeted.

“PH (Paul Hurst) has done well in the circumstances and the work rate over the last few games have been a source of pride and optimism.

“Let’s take the long view and build something we can be proud of for the next 143 years.”

As mentioned, an ex-Grimsby player and fans turn on Ian Holloway for his role in club’s relegation…

@edward_w97: The fact that Grimsby’s relegation is going on Paul Hurst’s CV and not Ian Holloway’s really annoys me. Should not be allowed to walk away scot free from this.

@DN35GTFC: I reckon Fenty, Holloway and Day should be charged with attempted murder. #GTFC

@BenThompson_3: Absolutely gutted! Can’t blame Hurst and the players the last few months they’ve given their all and if Runaway had fucked off earlier no way we’d be in this position tonight. This ones on both of you John Fenty and Ian Holloway. Not bad for a well run club eh Ollie?

@BaWBarmy: This has been the worst season for #gtfc ever. Holloway, May and Fenty with his appalling behaviour have made this season far darker than any other in our 142 year history.

@sgharneissGTFC: Anger towards many individuals at board room level for leading our great football club into relegation. Fenty, Day & Holloway should be hanging their heads in shame for their approach to the season. However, time to move on with the imminent announcement of new owners. #GTFC #UTM

@We_AreTown: It’s all on two men, John Fenty and Ian Holloway. Cheers lads.

@mfcstu: Another club associated with Ian Holloway relegated. Absolute fraud.

@WillGale12: fuck Ian Holloway and John fenty

@petakirk: Holloway, it was always about him. The more he said he loved the fans and the club the more it meant he loved himself and how he felt when he was centre of attention. An ill-judged ego trip on his behalf. PH’s understated approach and team mentality was & is a tonic to that #gtfc

@ConnSwales: The lads have battled and Fought. And i couldnt ask for much more. Absolutely gutted, its gonna hurt for a while because of whats happened off the Pitch. But fuck Ian Holloway and John Fenty to Hell, and rebuild #GTFC from the bottom up. Some time away needed for me. Devastated

@leahcoleypants: Ian Holloway you’re a cunt

@SJ_Barrick: There’s not really anything left to be said on our relegation. Long been coming, sure we all deluded ourselves that we could miraculously survive. I give credit to Hursty though, the team he assembled in a few weeks was not a relegation team. Damage was done under Holloway. #gtfc

@MattMcardlx: Ian Holloway should not be trusted to be in charge of a football club again.

@theonejoeyd: Ian Holloway’s ‘funny man’ with a ‘soundbite’ rep must surely be dead in the water after not only some of his remarks this season but by the sounds of it he properly shit all over Grimsby

@JamesDorney3: Grimsby relegated. Can we all just agree that Ian Holloway is an absolute fraud of a manager. Been getting away with it for years from the media on the back of giving silly interviews and click bait sound bites. Nearly every club he touches then leaves in the shit, he ruins!

@Baz_GTFC: As for Ian Holloway, I hope the man is never allowed near a football club again. Absolutely fucking joke the state he left our club in and he honestly couldn’t care less #GTFC

@mattw1980: John fenty phillip day ian holloway I will never for give any of you for what you have done to our club! Fenty and day have craved relegation since the day we won promotion! Just loved being the big fish in the small pond! I wouldn’t piss on any of you if you were on fire! #gtfc

@StuWallis: Why does Ian Holloway get an easy ride from the media, Sky Sports fucking love him, another club he was part of ruining in Grimsby. Man’s a fucking knob.

@Toby_G15: Fenty has to go, absolutely useless owner. Appointing the likes of Ian Holloway was a one way trip to relegation and even Hurst couldn’t save us. A massive rebuilding job is needed and I hope we’ll be back in the Football League soon