Carabao Cup shockers aren’t exactly new. But they aren’t all that common, either.
With the money available to top-flight clubs rising exponentially and teams down the English football pyramid often forced to cut costs, upsets have grown increasingly unlikely. It’s hard to imagine things going much differently in the years to come — not as sides like Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City erect teams valued at hundreds of millions of pounds.
So, on the few occasions when David does best Goliath, viewers tend to be entranced. That was the case on Wednesday evening when Grimsby Town downed Manchester United, 2-2 (12-11 on penalties) in front of a raucous pro-Mariners crowd.
MORE: What to know about Man United’s record under Ruben Amorim
Grimsby looked like the favorites to emerge as victors from the match’s opening salvo, enjoying a healthy amount of possession in the first half and tallying two goals. The Mariners were led by a pair of Red Devils, with goal-scorer Tyrell Warren having previously spent time in Manchester United’s academy and U23s and goalkeeper Christy Pym supporting the club throughout his childhood.
Grimsby’s Tyrell Warren came through Manchester United’s academy and featured for their U23s before being released in 2019.
Since then, he hasn’t played above League Two.
Tonight, he scored against his former club to make it 2-0 in the League Cup.
Football. 😮 pic.twitter.com/QC6MoZmgUi
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) August 27, 2025
“I’m a Man United fan so I’m half fuming to be honest” 😂
Christy Pym and Charles Vernam react to a historic win for Grimsby Town 😍 pic.twitter.com/ViJned0y8P
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 27, 2025
Post-match, Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim admitted that Grimsby Town was “the only team that was on the pitch,” per WTOP. But just what are Grimsby Town’s origins? And where do the Mariners play their games? Here’s everything you need to know about Grimsby Town.
Where is Grimsby Town?
Grimsby Town is based in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire. Cleethorpes carried a population of 29,678 in 2021. It is located on the Humber estuary and Greenwich meridian and regularly draws some of the lowest average annual rainfall in the United Kingdom.
MORE: Amorim future under huge scrutiny after humiliation at Grimsby
The Mariners play their games at Blundell Park, a 9,052-seat stadium built in 1899. The colosseum is named after Peter Blundell, a 16th-century merchant who bequeathed Sidney Sussex College with money to buy the land.
What division does Grimsby Town play in?
Grimsby Town currently plays in League Two, the fourth division in England’s football pyramid. The Mariners have never played in the Premier League. They secured promotion to the First Division on two occasions (1898-99 and 1933-34). But they have largely fluttered between the second, third and fourth divisions, as well as non-league play.
Grimsby Town fish meme, explained
Grimsby’s Town’s social media team had plenty of fun after the Mariners downed the Red Devils, enshrining their victory with a meme that continues to spring eternal.
Was hoping we could use this… #GTFC pic.twitter.com/lftTZgHg8b
— Grimsby Town F.C. (@officialgtfc) August 27, 2025
The image itself dates back to a similar meme used by Bradford City fans. That iteration of the meme features a chicken, a reference to Bradford City’s bantam roots.
You’ve just been pecked by the chickens! 🐓 #BCAFC | #STOvBRA | @OFFICEINTERIOR5 pic.twitter.com/zsr3VxhZTa
— Bradford City AFC (@officialbantams) August 26, 2025
Grimsby’s mascot is a mariner. The fishing industry represents a major draw for Cleethorpes and other towns in the region. As such, its mascot — at least as far as the meme is concerned —is a fish.
