FA Cup Journey Ends, but History Made for Grimsby Borough

Grimsby Borough bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup last night after a tough 6–1 replay defeat away at Halesowen Town. While the end result wasn’t what the club had hoped for, the bigger picture tells a different story as this is the furthest the club has ever progressed in the competition. History has been made, and the players can hold their heads high.

Saturday’s 1–1 draw at Technica's home of Grimsby Borough showed the character and determination of the squad, and while the replay brought disappointment, it also reminded us of the unpredictability that makes the FA Cup so special. On any given night, it truly can be anyone’s game.

The hard work put in during pre-season by the management, staff, board, and players alike has set strong foundations for the season ahead. The attitude and drive the lads have shown is everything we want in a team, and exactly what we want them to represent as Grimsby Borough. That commitment and pride in the shirt speaks volumes for how far the club has come, both on and off the pitch.

While the FA Cup adventure ends here, the focus now turns back to the league where Boro have made an excellent start. Confidence is high, belief is strong, and the lads are ready to push on for rest of the season.

We’re really proud of the players, proud of the club, and proud of the history made. Onwards and upwards, the best is still to come!

Dan Barrett – Manager
“Well, the FA Cup run has unfortunately come to an end. It goes without saying it’s been a great run for us as a club, and I’m proud to say we’ve taken the club further than it’s ever been in the competition. The FA Cup is such a special tournament — it brought a real buzz to the club and had everybody eagerly waiting for the draws to see who we would face next.

From a management perspective, I have to thank the board for their hard work in making the experience a memorable one — from luxury coach travel and food, to their constant support and, most importantly, their time.

On Saturday we were dealt a couple of tough blows: an early sending off and a goal ruled out for offside which could have seen us progress. Unfortunately, that gave Halesowen a lifeline.

The replay was always going to be a step too far with lads missing through work commitments and injuries, on top of a busy run of games in the short space of time at the start of the season and with a small squad to rotate it becomes difficult. That said, we had Halesowen on the ropes in the first 35 minutes of last nights game and could easily have scored two or three. At half-time, nobody would have argued if the score had been 3-3.

We are extremely proud of the lads, the club, and our fans for their incredible support throughout the cup run. Now our full focus turns back to the league, and we’re determined to kick on from the excellent start we’ve made to the season.”

#OneBoro