2008–09 Grimsby Town F.C. season
| Grimsby Town | |
| Season 2008-09 | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | John Fenty |
| Managers |
Alan Buckley (until 15 Sept. 08) Mike Newell |
| Team captain | Matthew Heywood |
| Home stadium | Blundell Park |
| Football League Two | 22nd place |
| FA Cup | First Round |
| League Cup | Second Round |
| Football League Trophy | Second Round |
| Lincolnshire Senior Cup | Runners Up |
| Top goalscorer |
League: Adam Proudlock (8 goals) All comps: Adam Proudlock (8 goals) |
| Highest home attendance |
7,095 v Aldershot Town 28 March 2009 |
| Highest away attendance |
12,816 v Bradford City 31 January 2009 |
| Lowest home attendance |
1,858 v Tranmere Rovers 12 August 2008 |
| Lowest away attendance |
1,200 v Accrington Stanley 28 December 2008 |
← 2007–08  2009-10 →
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Grimsby Town Football Club entered the 2008-2009 as a member of the Coca Cola League Two for the 5th season on the trot. The club were still managed by Alan Buckley until September, when he was dismissed after poor pre-season and poor start to the club's League campaign. Mike Newell was given the job on a permanent basis after Assistant Manager Stuart Watkiss briefly took control of first team affairs. The club are still aiming to leave Blundell Park within the next few seasons.
The Mariners struggled to gel in pre-season, and it became clear the club would struggle in the league. Manager Alan Buckley included utilised his first team squad in the games against Corby, Oldham and Gainsborough, while a weakened side took a 5-1 drubbing by Eastwood Town.
A late strike from Peter Bore gave a youth dominated Grimsby side the win against Lincoln City in the semi finals, only to see another youthful side get be well beaten, in the next round by Scunthorpe United.
Brentford made a return to League One as champions, the second club to win the fourth tier three times since Doncaster Rovers. Exeter won their second successive promotion, and on the final day of the season managed to pip Wycombe Wanderers for the runners-up spot. Wycombe themselves managed the final automatic promotion spot by virtue of a single goal over Bury. The play-offs were won by Gillingham, who made an immediate return to League One after the previous season's relegation.
Several teams suffered heavy points deductions during the season. Rotherham were docked 17 points at the start of the season and Darlington 10 points later on. Without these penalties they would have both qualified for the play-offs, but instead managed only mid table. Bournemouth also suffered a 17-point deduction pre-season, and halfway through it looked to be enough to cost them their League status; however, a fightback under new manager Eddie Howe saw them climb to safety and secure survival with a game to spare.
Luton suffered the heaviest deduction however, and the loss of 30 points proved too much for them to survive. They suffered their third successive relegation and dropped out of the league, making them only the third English team to suffer three successive relegations, and the first to drop from the second tier to the Conference in successive years. The other relegated team was Chester City, who were statistically the worst team in the division and returned to the Conference after only five years. Grimsby would also have suffered relegation, if not for Luton's points deduction.
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