96-year-old fan moved to watch MU again after 77 years

Next week, Grimsby Town host Manchester United in the second round of the Carabao Cup, where a special 96-year-old fan will be able to watch the "Red Devils" live after 77 years of waiting.

Few people remember the last time Manchester United visited Blundell Park, but for Dr Jon Hall it is a memory that will never fade. At 96, the loyal fan still regularly attends Grimsby Town - the team he has supported since the 1940s. And next week, he will be in the stands when the "Red Devils" return to Blundell Park for the first time since 1948.

That encounter marked the end of Grimsby’s golden age, as the club were relegated from Division One and never again had a chance to play at the top of English football. In the two seasons after World War II, Grimsby played Man Utd many times, both home and away, leaving unforgettable memories for people like Jon Hall.

He recalls his first visit to Grimsby in the 1946/47 season, when the Barratt Stand at Blundell Park would resound with the sound of feet stamping on the wooden boards as the players came out, a sound like thunder. Jon’s passion for football was greatly influenced by his father Jack Hall – a former soldier and later a nurse in Grimsby – who would walk with him from their home in Hope Street to the ground, never missing a home game.

At that time, most of the spectators were men and boys, who walked or cycled to the stadium, and he still remembers the sight of the gardens around Blundell Park filled with bicycles, with parking for as little as twopence.

Now, as Manchester United meet Grimsby again after nearly eight decades, Jon Hall remains optimistic: “I think we have a chance, albeit a slim one. The team is playing well, the manager has built a strong team and done a great job.” With that belief, he believes the Mariners will make it difficult for the “Red Devils” to go through a match.

Source: https://znews.vn/cdv-96-tuoi-xuc-dong-khi-duoc-xem-lai-mu-sau-77-nam-post1579238.html