Grimsby Town stadium manager Nick Dale has issued an apology twenty-four-hours after making comments criticising the club’s fanbase.
Dale said the Mariners were a club no one wanted to play due to a ‘small minority’ of supporters who ‘feel they have a right to cause trouble.’ He made the comments during an interview with Grimsby Live which discussed measures taken by the club to cut out disorder on match days.
He added: ‘It is high time they grew up. And it is not just kids. Some are in their 40s and 50s. They should grow up. We have one 68 year old coming up for a ban.’
Dale also spoke of how he was pushing for tougher sentencing by the courts, proposing that troublemakers compensate a football club and the police for the damage they cause, as well as introducing universal bans preventing the attendance of convicted offenders from any football stadium.
The article caused a backlash on social media and Dale has issued a statement apologising for the comments which he said ‘went too far’ and explained were due to his frustrations ‘with a very small minority of supporters who spoil the Matchday experience for others.’
‘It was disrespectful to the 99% of law-abiding, passionate fans of the Club.’
‘We have some of the most dedicated and passionate supporters in the country who will not identify with my comments.’
‘While I wanted to share a frustration with a small minority who do break the rules, I went too far, and those who break the law at Blundell Park should be dealt with via isolated interventions in the courts – not via the media.’
‘The views in the article do not reflect those of the Club, and I would like to retract them. Once again – my sincere apologies.’
The latest statement did not appear to appease the fans who returned to social media to demand the sacking or resignation of the club official. Many felt the damage caused to the connection between the fans and club was unrepairable and demanded the stadium manager resign.
Here is a selection of responses to the apology on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/JonasPeteJustin/status/1156129783937323008?s=20
https://twitter.com/MNorvock/status/1156125176028966913?s=20
What a disgrace to the club,fans and management team bringing the club in to disrepute should be sacked by the club for destroying good will between fans and club which will cost the club support and money #gaff
— steve dimberline gtfc (@SteveDimberline) July 30, 2019
Retract a statement less than 24 hours after publishing. Not sure you mean that. In any professional role, there is a code of conduct. If nick is frustrated, he should manage that emotion better and not use the media to vent his frustration.
— james crockart (@jamescrockart) July 30, 2019
What more is it going to take for the club to finally get rid of this man ? Breached the data protection act releasing fans names and addresses onto the open web for anyone to see and now this. Take some action against the man that is banning innocent people
— Tom J Patrick (@TomPatrick_) July 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/marinerbob1/status/1156125991942705152?s=20
It's sad, he's a puppet for the regime. He should do the right thing and resign his position after all this.
— Alex W. Ramsden (@TheCloneOfAlex) July 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/paulswedenils/status/1156125715596816384?s=20
Shouldn’t have said it in the first place. Time to go.
— Linx Business (@grahamstark) July 30, 2019
Now do the decent thing Nick and resign, you have tarnished the club and it’s fans, the people who pay your wages and you obviously have no respect for fans
— Wayne Brightmore (@scooterboy0212) July 30, 2019
Seems to me that Nick Dale is absolutely spot on.