lørdag, desember 09, 2006

Supporterklubben med helside

Forrige lørdag hadde lokalavisen i Grimsby en helsidesreportasje om norske supportere.
Under følger transkript av reportasjen.

Liverpool, United? Nor-way! Give me Grimsby

PREMIERSHIP giants Manchester United and Liverpool can easily boast fans across the globe and most notably in Scandinavia.
But in some corners of Norway, the name of Grimsby Town is just as fervently followed.
A recent visit to Blundell Park by Norwegian youngster Tobias Lea showed that the Mariners gospel has successfully spread across the North Sea.
But the 15-year old from Åsgårdstrand isn't alone in his adoration of all things Town.
Jostein Jensen from Stavanger is also Mariners-mad and has been following Town's fortunes from afar for more than 20 years - despite only ever seeing his heroes in the flesh in pre-season friendlies.
While his friends following the big Premiership sides in England. 28-year old Jostein keeps the faith with the Mariners, despite their barren run in the last few years.
And he isn't about to switch his allegiance and follow the glory of the big boys.
Jostein told the Telegraph: "I discovered Grimsby as a kid in the late 80's.
"A friend had borrowed a book about English football and when I read through it iI got a fascination of the name.
"A 10-year-old find such things entertaining I suppose.
"But it was in 1991 with the promotion to Division Two (now the Championship) when I first started to follow the club properly as my local paper started to print the results.
"I started to look everywhere for information about the club and the town and couldn't get enough.
"An underdog team that played the finest football (which Alan Buckley represented at the time) - what more could you ask for?
"I was perhaps the last AM radio user in Norway as I kept track with BBC Five Live for years.
"Then I had to buy soccer magazines from England to find out the latest team news.
"The last few years I have trawled through the whole internet with my thirst for Grimsby!"
Jostein's addiction to Town has never waned and he has even set up his own website in Norway for like-minded Scandinavians.
He reckons there are at least 28 other Norwegian Mariners fans who log on regulary to the site at http://grimsbynorge.blogspot.com/.
And without a recognised supporters' club, they keep in touch through that.
Jostein went on: "I have run websites about Grimsby since 2000 - the same day as I bought a computer for the first time!
"I update the news here in Norwegian.
"There was a fan club in the mid-80s before I noticed it, but it just disappeared.
"With the introduction of my website. I started a list where I asked every Grimsby fan in Norway to sign up on.
"Today that list includes 28 members.
"The fan club don't do much, but we try to stay in touch through the website, e-mail or MSN.
"In Scandinavia, all people with an interest for football have a favourite team in England.
"I have heard about several Town fans in Denmark and Sweden, but I think the club has its largest fanbase in Norway.
"To follow lower league clubs here isn't that unusal. "We got 28 registred Norwegian fans, I think there are many more.
"In addition to that I know it's a fact that many people support a Premier team, but have a second team down in the divisions and Grimsby are very popular.
"Sadly my friends support the big clubs - United and Liverpool are the big ones."
Jostein is certainly as avid as the Blundell Park faithful but his biggest regret so far is that he has never had the chance to visit Cleethorpes and join them for a game.
One day he is hoping to follow fellow Norwegian fan Tobias and live out his dream.
But until then he is determined to stay true to the cause from his Stavanger home.
He added: "Embarrassingly, I have only seen Grimsby live during the trips to Scandinavia so far.
"I see all the games on Sky TV, but of course I hope to travel to Grimsby.
"Several other Norwegian fans have.
"It would be great to see my heroes.
"There have been so many over the years.
"My boyhood favourite was perhaps Gary Childs for his trickery down the flanks.
"The last few years have seen so many changes, but John McDermott's got a high regard at the club so he is my favourite.
"I also like to see young players come through."

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonym said...

"There was a fan club in the mid-80s before I noticed it, but it just disappeared.



"The Mariners Magazine"... Det var tider det.
Desverre måtte jeg legge ned driften, flere årsaker til det. Men moro å se at denne siden er oppe og går, og kan samle norske Grimsby-fans.

11 desember, 2006 23:17  
Blogger Jostein said...

Morten - jeg har alltid lurt på hvordan 80-tallet fanklubb var?

Hvor mange medlemmer var dere?
Hadde vært moro om du kunne ha kommet med noe informasjon til en liten sak her på nettsiden.

Finnes det gjennlevende utgaver av medlemsbladet?

Går det an å få tilsendt dette mot x kroner?
Evt. kopiere eller scanne elektronisk format til e-mail?

Mail meg gjerne på grimsby@lyse.net.

12 desember, 2006 07:24  
Anonymous Anonym said...

I wish not approve on it. I regard as precise post. Specially the title attracted me to be familiar with the sound story.

16 januar, 2010 06:25  

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