By GTFC Chairman on investments, ground expansion and promotion
The GTFC chairman spoke to BBC Humberside Sport following victory against Cleethorpes Town.
Jason Stockwood, the chairman at Grimsby Town Football Club, spoke with Matt Dean about an array of topics at the weekend.
Firstly, Jason spoke about the “unbelievable” play-off final, a fixture that will go down in the GTFC history books, and his excitement following victory, adding that he would often “flick through the Sky planner” to remind himself of the occasion.
The popular figure then stated how the club moved on quickly, ready for the upcoming League Two campaign before suggesting the season ticket roll-out “could” reach near 5,500!
This line of dialogue inherently sparked a new topic of conversation following the ticket notion – ground expansion.
Jason suggested Debbie Cook, GTFC Chief Executive, and Andrew Pettit, GTFC co-owner, were working extremely hard and “looking at other options” regarding stadium capacity.
Whilst Blundell Park will hold just under 10,000 fans, Jason quite rightly pointed out the club are on track to reach 5,500 season tickets, adding “there are still a couple hundred (people) to renew season tickets.”
Matt Dean asked the Town chair if temporary seating was an option in the ground’s corners, to which Jason confirmed it had been “one of the options” before stating the Osmond Stand was also being investigated.
“If we have a good run this season, it gives us a real headache for next year and we want that headache,” Jason added when asked how quick ground expansion could be sought after.
Then, Jason admitted the club had sparked several investment interests from multiple sources, some overseas, adding:
“We’re not desperate to bring in investment. I think, for us, if we ever bring people in, they need to be the right type of people.
“We want to make sure anyone who comes in, they pass the sniff test.
“If you’re a financial investor coming in here to make a quick turn of the investment or doing it for sport for yourself, that doesn’t work for us.
“Fans need to know if we do something it would be about character as much as money. One without the other won’t serve the long-term things we’re trying to build.”
With the season set to kick-off at the end of the month, and the first home fixture to be played in early August, GTFC fans have a lot to be excited about!
