WORLD SPORT

Man Utd Prepares for a Wave of Inflatable FISH Banned by Former Premier League Club as They Touch Down in Grimsby

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Ruben Amorim and his Manchester United players will be confronting a wave of haddocks on Wednesday as they head to League Two Grimsby for the Carabao Cup.

Thousands of home supporters are anticipated to bring the club’s iconic ‘Harry The Haddock’ inflatables to Blundell Park, eager to witness a United defeat.

Dejected Manchester United players after a 1-1 draw.

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Manchester United have had a poor start to the new season
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Ruben Amorim, Manchester United manager.

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Ruben Amorim will look to pick up his first win of the season away to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night
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Grimsby Town's mascot, The Mighty Mariner, holding an inflatable fish at a soccer game.

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United will face a fiery reception from Mariners fans, who will greet the Prem strugglers with scores on inflatable haddocks
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Grimsby is historically renowned for its fishing community on the north Lincolnshire coast, and the club is nicknamed The Mariners.

Southampton BANNED the massive, metre-long Harry the Haddock before an FA Cup match at St Mary’s two years ago, only to retract their decision under pressure from fans and media.

A club source told SunSport: “We recently distributed 2,000 to fans, so we fully expect a massive shoal at Blundell Park for the United match.

“Undoubtedly, this is the biggest game the club has had since it last faced Manchester United in 1948!

“Harry The Haddock is greatly cherished and has become a key part of our cup football folklore going back to the 1980s.”

The fish first made its debut during the Mariners’ FA Cup journey in 1989, resembling more of a rainbow trout back then.

This emerged from a trend initiated by Manchester City in 1987, where fans brought inflatables to matches.

When they traveled to then-top-flight Wimbledon’s Plough Lane, 7,000 Mariners fans crammed in, outnumbering the home supporters, most carrying inflatable haddocks.

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Grimsby Town fans holding inflatable haddock at a soccer match.

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Grimsby Town fans love Harry the Haddock and take inflatables wherever they go
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Grimsby Town fans holding inflatable fish at a soccer match.

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Mariners fans are expected to hold up thousands of replicas of Harry for the visit of United
Credit: GETTY

Even Match of the Day presenter Des Lynham waved the giant fish in the studio before highlights of the game, which saw the lower division Mariners lead before ultimately falling 3-1.

Harry made a return at Wembley when the Mariners clinched the EFL Trophy against Bournemouth in 1998 with a redesigned look, resembling a haddock more closely.

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The Mariners reintroduced Harry three years ago, where it has become a saleable item in their club shop.

In fact, during the FA Cup journey that saw Grimsby advance to the quarter-finals, beating Southampton along the way, the items sold out before they could restock.

And if Grimsby manages to shock United, you can be certain it will be prominently featured on “Catch of the Day.”