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Manchester United loses to small soccer club Grimsby Town

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Grimsby Town, a small soccer club in the U.K. - so small, I'm going to guess even a lot of soccer fans don't know it.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Maybe not, but so much can change in just one night.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #1: Grimsby has beaten Manchester United.

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #2: They were more a united team than Manchester United were.

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #1: In the most dramatic circumstances.

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #2: This is why I love the game of football - because everything is possible. And that was a true David versus Goliath moment.

CHANG: That's CBS Sports covering the game.

KELLY: Manchester United is iconic. Grimsby Town is, well, not iconic. Imagine the Yankees losing to the Durham Bulls.

CHANG: It all came down to a penalty shootout after the two teams tied 2-2 in regular time. When it was over, Grimsby fans couldn't be happier about the win.

LILY CROOKES: It was banging. We were all buzzing because we love Grimsby and I hate Man U (laughter).

KELLY: That's 22-year-old fan and local Grimsby bartender Lily Crookes. She is a fixture at Grimsby's very own pub, The Barge.

CHANG: Crookes did not cheer on her team in the stands, even though it was a hometown game.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #3: Listen to the noise from the Grimsby fans.

CHANG: But she did watch.

CROOKES: I was at home. I was watching it on Now TV. I wish I was out.

KELLY: The Grimsby Town players are also a bit surprised that they beat one of the most prominent teams out there, as we heard from Sky TV.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #4: How are you processing the fact that you just beat one of the biggest clubs in the world?

CHRISTY PYM: Yeah, it's not sunk in yet.

CHANG: That is Christy Pym. Pym is not only the Grimsby Town goalkeeper from last night's game against Manchester, but in a total conflict of interest, he's a Man U fan.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PYM: I'm a Man United fan, so I'm half fuming a little bit.

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #4: (Laughter) Are you?

PYM: Yeah, I am, yeah.

KELLY: Get over it, Pym, you won. Meanwhile, Grimsby's manager had nothing but warm things to say about his team. Here he is on ITV.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DAVID ARTELL: But we've got an unbelievable group of players as well who want to play for this football club, want to live in the area, want to get better every day.

CHANG: Now, the reason why Grimsby winning over Manchester is such a big deal, well, it all boils down to league placement. Here's more from CBS Sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER #2: Manchester United have just lost to a League Two side, and it wasn't a game that we witnessed where we can say that they didn't deserve it, it was by luck. Grimsby Town were fantastic from start to finish.

KELLY: For fans like Lily Crookes, Grimsby's win was a long shot but one she was thrilled to see.

CROOKES: Banging mood.

KELLY: Banging mood. Cheers, Grimsby Town. A true David and Goliath story.

(SOUNDBITE OF BLUR SONG, "SONG 2") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Jordan-Marie Smith
Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.
Justine Kenin
Justine Kenin is an editor on All Things Considered. She joined NPR in 1999 as an intern. Nothing makes her happier than getting a book in the right reader's hands – most especially her own.