John McDermott racked up an incredible 754 appearances for Grimsby over a 22-year period and is a worth addition the PFA Merit Awards list. The 40-year-old joins illustrious names such as Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Robson, Jimmy Armfield OBE, George Best, Pele, Brian Cough MBE, Sir Stanley Matthews and Peter Shilton OBE/MBE to name but a few.
However, he isn’t the first Grimsby player to lift the award as Tony Ford was also a recipient back in 2001. Both players have been stalwarts at Blundell Park amassing well over 1,300 appearances for the club between them and there must be something in the water at Grimsby that engenders loyalty.
However, McDermott, so often an unsung hero, was happy to share the stage with Ryan Giggs and Ashley Young at the PFA Awards Dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel on Sunday after receiving deserved recognition. Givemefootball’s Ian Clarkson spoke exclusively to McDermott about his achievements in football as he revealed he thought he was the victim of a practical joke.
WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU WERE TOLD YOU HAVE WON THE PFA MERIT AWARD?
First of all I thought it was one of the lads winding me up so Gordon had to ring me back later on in the afternoon to confirm it. It was a shock as I have been out of the professional game for two years so to still be recognised and get this sort of achievement then I am flattered and honoured.
I TAKE IT YOU ARE VERY PLEASED THEN?
I wanted to know what the award was and when I looked it up and saw who had actually won it then I saw that I was in fantastic company with some absolutely massive stars. I am on top of the tree this year and I am honoured for myself and my family.
DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT LEAVING GRIMSBY?
It was my club and they gave me my chance to break into professional football. It was always my dream to be a professional footballer. I was never motivated by the money side of things and for most of my career Grimsby played in the second tier. It was only in the latter stages that the club started to drop down. However, when they dropped down I felt I should give a bit of loyalty back to what they had given me. We always played fantastic football and why do you need to go anywhere else to play your football?
WERE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEAVE BLUNDELL PARK DURING YOUR 22-YEAR STINT?
Sunderland was an opportunity for me which, being from the north east, I would have liked but it didn’t come off. Hull was another one and I wanted to play in a big stadium and they had a big fan base and that was an attraction as it wasn’t that far away. It was towards the end of my career when that opportunity came and I had given Grimsby loyalty and they were going to give me their blessing to go. But things changed and there were also one or two clubs in the Championship at the time that I turned down as we were above these teams at the time. Seriously, I wouldn’t have changed anything. “
GRIMSBY DON’T ALWAYS RECEIVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION BUT THEIR FANS ARE AS PASSIONATE AS ANYONE’S AREN’T THEY?
If you do well then the fans are there and we went to Wembley twice and they took 35,000 fans. They are there and they love their football and it is just a shame at the moment that they are in the lower tier. Hopefully the hands of the clock will come round again and they can kick on from there.
Powered by: GiveMeFootball.com, for the
latest football news
