Maybe you haven't been following the goings-on at lowly Grimsby Two, who currently occupy 18th place in League Two, but maybe you should be. The Mariners are in the midst of a seven game winless run and on Friday, they relieved manager Michael Jolley of his duties. Today, ownership of the club confirmed that Jolley was sacked in part because of the contents of a sweary, four minute rant at team reporters after Grimsby were shellacked 4-0 at home by Leyton Orient in October that has been doing the rounds on social media.
The rant was aimed at BBC Humberside journalists, namely Matt Dean and John Tondeur. It was intended to be off the record but was secretly recorded. Reporters with the Grimbsy Telegraph have transcribed what they say is Jolley ranting at reporters, which is reported to contain least at 58 F-bombs. Below the transcript of the alleged rant.
Michael Jolley: “You’re a fucking disgrace as a collective. Outrageous. The fucking negativity around this football club. It’s a fucking disgrace. An absolute disgrace.
“Have you seen our fucking budget. Have you seen our budget. Do you know where we fucking should be? Do you know where we fucking should be?
“Have you said that on the radio? Or have you just said ‘you’re not doing very well’. All the fucking negative things you ask all the time. Your style is so antagonistic.
“Come on Matt. You know yourself, you try to catch people out. You might get a bit more respect if you tried to build a relationship. Rob’s coverage is reasonable and balanced. Your coverage isn’t balanced.
“You must be fucking buzzing – ‘4-0 Grimsby lose at home, fucking brilliant, this is exactly what we fucking want’. You must be fucking delighted. It’s actually fucking true.”
Matt Dean: “Why are you raising this now?”
Jolley: “I have been waiting for an opportune moment when I’ve had you in the room.
“You lot are a fucking disgrace. You’re antagonistic, confrontational – fucking Jeremy Paxman. You fucking are an absolute fucking disgrace of a journalist.
“Do your fucking research. fucking ask a straight question…you try your best? You are antagonistic, fucking patronising, arrogant you are a fucking disgrace of a journalist.
“The fucking radio station gives us no fucking positive coverage whatsoever
“Fucking you and fucking Gwilym criticising playing man-for-man at Chelsea.
“I go on the fucking Monday night show with Rob (Statton) because he is a fucking professional journalist and a fucking straight shooter and you don’t fucking ask me a question. And then I go off you say ‘yeah it was the wrong decision to play man for man’ – fucking ask me then.
“Ask the fucking manager. You’ve got no boxxxcks. You’ve got no fucking bollocks.
“You’re snide, behind people’s fucking backs. Every fucking manager of this football club has had a problem with you. Every manager. Has had a fucking problem. Every single manager has had a problem with you.
“I’ve fucking spoke to them all. Trust me. About you. As an individual.
“And fucking Burns is an absolute fucking disgrace as well. A fucking disgrace.
“Ask me some fucking decent questions. Your fucking confrontational. Jeremy fucking Paxman.
“I’ve said to you, ask me any question you want. You’re fucking shit at it, you should do your fucking research.
“You put a negative spin on everything. You’ve never ever given us any fucking credit.
“How did Chesterfield get on today? How did Barnet get on today? That’s who we could be competing with. You could be going to fucking Braintree. And fucking Borehamwood, you people. Have you fucking spoken about that?”
"Have you seen our fucking budget. Have you seen our budget. Do you know where we fucking should be? Do you know where we fucking should be?
“Have you said that on the radio? Or have you just said ‘you’re not doing very well’. All the fucking negative things you ask all the time. Your style is so antagonistic.
“Come on Matt. You know yourself, you try to catch people out. You might get a bit more respect if you tried to build a relationship. Rob’s coverage is reasonable and balanced. Your coverage isn’t balanced.
“You must be fucking buzzing – ‘4-0 Grimsby lose at home, fucking brilliant, this is exactly what we fucking want’. You must be fucking delighted. It’s actually fucking true.
