Very sad news - former Grimsby Town goal-scoring hero Trevor Whymark dies aged 74

                                              

Trevor Whymark in action for The Mariners

ONE of Grimsby Town FC's star players of the early 1980s has died aged 74.

Between 1980 and 1984, Trevor Whymark played 93 matches and scored 16 goals for the Mariners.

He had arrived at Blundell Park not long after two season in the North American Soccer League with Vancouver Whitecaps, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Tampa Rowdies in a cup final.

However, it was while at Ipswich Town in the 1970s that Suffolk-born  Whymark made his name scoring a hatful of goals in the old First Division. His manager for much of that time was Bobby Robson.

Despite being only 5ft 11in, relatively short for a striker, he scored many of his goals with his head.

He played once for England, in 1977, coming on as substitute for Terry McDermott in a 2-0 win against Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier.

It was when George Kerr was manager that The Mariners signed Whymark for what was then a club record transfer fee of £80,000.

His experience proved invaluable because the side had been struggling in the Second Division having enjoyed successive promotions in the previous two seasons. 

Early on, he was also Kerr's assistant manager but stepped down from this role to concentrate on playing. 

Whymark also had spells with Southend, Derby County, Peterborough and Colchester, before retiring from league football and taking up the post of player-manager at Diss Town where his career started.

Married to wife Rita for many years, the couple have a son who reportedly performs as a drag queen entertainer under the name Fanny Galore.

A little-known fact is that Whymark was godfather to Alexandra Drinkell, eldest of the three daughters of his former Town strike partner, Kevin Drinkell. 

Last year his family revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

Trevor Whymark was born on May 4, 1950, and died on October 31, 2024