John Fenty (right) - seen with Cleethopes MP Martin Vickers (left) and the deputy leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Mick Burnett |
ALTHOUGH he is a highly successful businessman and a member of North East Lincolnshire, John Fenty's profile is probably highest as shareholder-in-chief/ main board member of Grimsby Town FC.
It is probably fair to say that
his 13 years or so at the helm have been marked by
more disappointment than joy, notably when the unthinkable
happened and The Mariners tumbled out of the Football League,
never to have returned - at least as yet.
But the darkest hour is just before dawn,
and ultimately, possibly this season, the good times will return.
Footballing highlights for John
- who endeavours to attend all matches, home and away - have
included thrilling cup wins against Liverpool and Spurs and visits both
to Wembley and Cardiff's Millenium Stadium.
At one time, when Town were still in the
Football League, he was linked with what, for inexplicable reasons
came affectionately to be dubbed by the media as the "South London Mafia " -
its other members being Karren Brady (then Birmingham chairman), Theo Paphitis
(then Millwall chairman), Paul Scalley (Gillingham) and the flamboyant Simon
Jordan (then Crystal Palace chairman), the last of whom he decribes as "crackers
but a great bloke and a lot of fun".
When the striker Steve Kabba surprisingly
came on loan from Palace to Blundell Park in 2002, it
was apparently because Jordan wanted
to nettle the club's manager, Trevor Francis, with whom he had lost
confidence.
Scoring six goals in 14 matches, Kabba was
much more of a success in Grimsby than in his native South London, and he could
have become part of a player-plus cash transfer arrangement in exchange for
Town goalkeeper Danny Coyne, but the latter decided against the move, so
the deal fell through.
One of the low points of John's spell in the
hot seat was the much publicised bust-up
which resulted in the dismissal of manager Mike Newell following a
match with Rochdale.
There was massive embarrassment to both
parties with the publication in the Grimsby
Telegraph of High Court documents which suggested that, following
verbal fireworks, the pair may even have come close to blows in the car
park.
Newell sought £53,000, plus costs, for
wrongful dismissal, but, in the end, he had to settle for just £5,000 -
reflecting a technical breach of Employment law by the club. His application for costs
was rejected.
Looking back, John reckons the
post-Rochdale row came about because both men were simultaneously so
passionate that the club should do well and so disappointed that the results on
the pitch remained steadfastly poor.
"I haven't seen Mike since he
left,"says John. "We were good friends, and I certainly harbour no
grudge.
"I don' think we could be faulted for
appointing him - as a manager, he had achieved success at both his
previous clubs Hartlepool and Luton."
Was John himself any great shakes as footballer? Up until
about 10 years ago when he resumed playing at local league level, he had never
pulled in a pair of boots since he was 12.
Since being elected to North East
Lincolnshire Council as a Conservative representative for the Humberston
and New Waltham ward, John has also been actively engaged across a broad
spectrum of community life.
He had always been interested in
politics and needed little encouragement
when Keith Brookes, NELC's then Conservative Group leader, encouraged him to throw his
hat into the ring.
Much of his council work he has founded
rewarding, though he admits to frequent frustrations at how slowly the wheels
of local government turn - for instance, when it comes to
economic renewal and regeneration.
He believes there needs to be much more
drive, determination, imagination and tenacity - and much less
procrastination - if Grimsby is again to enjoy the prosperity of its fishing heyday.
Assuming he retains his appetite for
politics, does he aspire to higher things - perhaps even a seat in parliament?
"It's not something I've thought
of,"comes back the father-of-six’s coy response. "Since his election,
Martin Vickers has been doing a good job for Cleethorpes."
But what if vacancy came up for a
candidate in another seat? "Never say never," he replies.
THE FENTY FACTFILE
Favourite food: Indian.
Favourite book: I have only read two in my life -
one on tropical fish, the other on DIY. The bulk of my reading matter today
consists of council agendas.
Favourite film: Spartacus.
Favourite pop singer: Debbie Harry, vocalist with the pop group, Blondie.
Family pets: Dogs, chinchillas, ornamental
ducks, tortoises, koi carp and a blue-and-gold macaw called Molly.
Person you would most like to meet over dinner:
Margaret Thatcher in her prime.
NOTE: This feature is an adaptation of one that originally appeared in the Cleethorpes Chronicle in Agust 2010
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