Grimsby send fans wild on famous night for club

Reece Staunton was carried by fans holding an inflatable fish - it was that kind of night

Grimsby Town fans ran on to the turf after witnessing their heroes pull off a monumental shock by dumping Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup.

While national headlines will focus on a latest humiliation for fallen giants United, the League Two Mariners dont care about that.

They care about eliminating one of the biggest teams on earth in a genuinely sensational cup tie.

Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren, a former United youngster, gave Grimsby a 2-0 lead within 30 minutes - roared on by a sellout 8,647 Blundell Park.

United battled back through Bryan Mbeumo with 15 minutes left and Harry Maguire in the 89th minute to break Grimsby hearts.

But then those hearts were put back together in a penalty shootout for the ages, which Town won 12-11.

Both goalkeepers scored and Grimsbys Jaze Kabia and Darragh Burns netted their second spot-kicks before Mbeumo hit the crossbar.

"Its wild," said BBC pundit Chris Sutton.

"The Grimsby fans invading the pitch, theyve never seen anything like this!

"Getting over the line and in many respects they deserved it for the way that they played inside the 90 minutes.

"The penalty shootout was as mad as the game itself. Now THAT is a giant killing.

"This is one of those evenings where the fans that were here tonight will remember that forever. Astonishing result. It will go down in the clubs history as one of their greatest ever wins."

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"Youve just been slapped by the fish," the official Grimsby Town Twitter account wrote after the game.

Grimsby keeper Christy Pym - who saved one penalty and scored his own in the shootout - told Sky Sports: "Its not sunk in yet.

"Im a Man Utd fan, so Im half-fuming a little bit. Nights like this is what you play football for. Just brilliant.

"I should have done a little bit better [in the shootout], shouldnt I? I made one save to keep us in it and the boys have done the rest. Its brilliant."

Manager David Artell, who has been in charge since November 2023, called it a "terrific night for the football club, the whole town and the community".

Four years ago the Mariners were not even in the EFL Cup as they sat in the National League.

Artell said: "The lads were terrific. They deserve every plaudit, every credit and accolade that will come their way.

"Its one weve been working towards for a long time - to put this club back on the map.

"I appreciate its one night. Theres a long way to go, weve just started off the league - were unbeaten this season - and nights like this dont come around very often."

United boss Amorim conceded afterwards "the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch" but added "the best players lost".

Grimsby join Villarreal in beating Manchester United in an epic shootout. The 2021 Europa League final ended 11-10 to the Spanish team

"ONE OF THE BIGGEST CUPSETS EVER!" screamed the Carabao Cup social media accounts.

United had never lost to a fourth-tier team in the EFL Cup, and were playing in the second round for the first time since 2014.

Manchester United may not be in Europe, may have finished 15th in the Premier League last season and may be winless this season.

But they would still have been expected to win this, and were 1-7 odds to win the match in 90 minutes.

In the end they were lucky not to lose in 90 minutes.

United have won 20 league titles, 19 domestic cups, three European Cups and various other bits and pieces.

Grimsbys highlights are the Second Division titles they won in 1901 and 1934 - and most recently the 1998 Auto Windscreens Shields Trophy.

Transfermarkt reckon Grimsbys squad is worth £3.1m, compared to Uniteds £765m players.

But they levelled the playing field in their own stadium, which has a capacity of just over 10% that of Old Trafford.

Sutton, who once managed Grimsbys local rivals Lincoln City, said: "Credit to David Artell. Credit to the Grimsby players. They were true to his word.

"It is one thing saying it [that youre going to stick to your style of play], but its a whole other thing for the players to go out against Premier League opposition, big stars, and actually have the courage to take them on, push them back and show that belief.

"There was no inferiority complex from Grimsby, far from it. If anything it was the other way around."

Former United striker Dion Dublin on 5 Live added: "Overall if there is a percentage on this game, the game itself, I think Grimsby nicked it 60-40, perhaps even more than that.

"With all the effort that they put into the first half I think they deserved to get past this immovable object you would expected to have seen in Manchester United.

"Grimsby, the way that they were organised, fully deserved this."