Cheltenham sink Mariners in Millennium’s final
Robins’ Grimsby win closes domestic season
Everton winning race for AJ
—– Cheltenham Town clinch promotion for the second time in their seven-year Football League career as they beat Grimsby Town 1-0 in the League Two Play-Off Final at The Millennium Stadium.
The Robins are much more comfortable winners than the scoreline suggests as the Mariners struggle to come to terms with the tricky Cardiff surface.
There’s an element of fortune about Steve Guinan’s 63rd minute winner but Cheltenham can afford to miss a penalty.
A disappointing day is especially hard to take for Grimsby who had been in the top three for almost all of the season.
As one of the game’s genuine nice guys, it’s a tremendous achievement by manager John Ward who is in charge of a club that are minnows even by League Two standards.
Typical of the man, in his moment of triumph, he took time out to spare a thought for one of his former clubs: “I’ve got sympathy for Grimsby. They are a quality side and it shows the enormity of what we have achieved that we beat them.
“But next season we’ll be playing the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bristol City and that’s just incredible.”
The game brings down the curtain on another domestic season and it’s also, dependent on Wembley finally being completed, due to be the final final to be played at the Millennium Stadium.
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—– The fall-out from Crystal Palace’s Play-Off failure continues as star striker Andy Johnson is on the verge of a £8.5million move to Everton.
Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic have also matched the Eagles’ valuation by the England marksman has, subject to the usual formalities, opted for a move to Goodison Park.
Meanwhile, manager Iain Dowie - who left Selhurst Park last week - is reported to be unveiled as the new manager of London neighbours Charlton Athletic tomorrow.
If it proves to be correct, the appointment will infuriate Palace chairman Simon Jordan who announced that Dowie was leaving to move nearer to his family in the north-west.
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