Blundell Park

Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire. It has been home to Grimsby Town Football Club since 1899. The stadium stands on land bought in 1616 by Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge with money from Peter Blundell. One original stand from 1899 remains, though most parts have been rebuilt over the years. Floodlights were added in 1953, using second-hand towers bought from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The ground once held over 31,000 spectators, but now seats just over 9,000. The stadium’s history includes several record attendances and notable matches. In 1937, 31,652 watched Grimsby Town play Wolverhampton Wanderers in an FA Cup tie. The two clubs also share the record attendance at Old Trafford, where 76,962 saw them meet in the 1939 FA Cup semi-final. The Main Stand dates to 1901 and is often said to be the oldest in the Football League. The Findus Stand, opened in 1982, offers views across the Humber Estuary to Spurn Point and the North Sea. The Pontoon Stand, rebuilt in 1961, is known for its vocal supporters and drummers. Visitors find four main stands around the pitch. The Main Stand houses the tunnel, dugouts and changing rooms, though some seats have poor sightlines. The Findus Stand, the largest, has two tiers and includes the boardroom, ticket office, club shop and a restaurant named after former manager Lawrie McMenemy. The Pontoon Stand sits behind one goal and is painted in the club’s black-and-white stripes. The Osmond Stand, built in 1939, is a two-tier structure on the opposite side. The ground is surrounded by the coastal town of Cleethorpes, close to the Humber Estuary and the North Sea.