During a dismal 2008–09 fourth-tier season that nearly saw them demoted out of the Football League, Grimsby Town supporters had little to cheer about. But there was one bright spot: Wayne Henderson, the custodian on loan from Preston North End, had amazing end-of-season play. Without his bravery, Mike Newell’s team may have been eliminated.
Although he didn’t play for the Birmingham powerhouses as a senior, Irishman Henderson started his career as a young player on the books of Aston Villa. Over the following few years, he had loan stints with Tamworth, Wycombe Wanderers, Notts County, and Brighton & Hove Albion, the last of which he signed for permanently in early January 2005.
The Dublin-born goalie spent two years in East Sussex and played 56 games for the Seagulls before joining Preston North End of Lancashire in 2007 for an initial £150,000.
Henderson’s progress was unfortunately halted by a bad back injury early in his Deepdale tenure, which ultimately limited him to a few outings wearing a Lilywhites shirt.
He did, however, battle his way back to fitness in time to sign with a struggling Mariners team at the bottom of the EFL in 2009, led by former Premier League champion Mike Newell.
Henderson’s heroics at Notts County were pivotal in the Mariners’ survival
For Grimsby and their fans, the 2008–09 season was a failure. When former Blackburn Rovers striker Newell took over, it only got worse. It began in September when manager and club legend Alan Buckley was fired.
Any possible relegation scrap shouldn’t have been in the cards because Luton Town and Bournemouth started the season with points deductions of 30 and 17, respectively, due to off-field problems.
But due to bad hiring and a lack of professionalism, Newell’s team barely made it through the last weekend, ending 22nd with 41 points (behind Bournemouth), and winning just nine games this season.
Henderson, who originally joined on a month-long loan in February when regular number one Phil Barnes was struggling for form, probably would have made things worse.
The Irishman covered some of the gaps left by a disorganised backline that gave up 69 goals during the season with a streak of excellent performances in goal.
Henderson played in 14 games while wearing a Mariners shirt, and fans still admire his performances today. None more so than the 2-0 victory at Meadow Lane in Notts County in April, where the Dubliner made a series of clutch saves and let goals from Rob Atkinson and Danny Boshell at the other end to give the East Coast a crucial three points, somewhat against the flow of play.
That came before Grimsby defeated Port Vale 3-0 at Blundell Park, making it four wins in six games. This run ultimately proved crucial in keeping Grimsby in the league.
Henderson played a significant role in that, maintaining clean sheets in each of the four victories and acting as a sort of lifeline for Newell and company.
Grimsby were relegated the following season
Lessons were not learnt despite their near-miss with the non-league trapdoor, and a miserable Mariners team left the Football League the following season.
Again winning just nine league matches, Grimsby were relegated on the final day and joined Darlington in heading to the fifth-tier.
Newell had been replaced by youth team boss Neil Woods in the dugout in October, but the former Grimsby striker couldn’t repair the damage done by his predecessor, who’d left a poorly-assembled squad in dire straits and spiraling.
Henderson had returned to Preston following his earlier, hugely successful loan spell at Blundell Park, but, with injury to his back and spine flaring up with regularity, he was forced to retire in 2011 at the age of just 28.
Although the 41-year-old made fewer than 100 senior games during his career, the Mariners supporters will always remember the ones he made while wearing a Grimsby shirt. He currently works as a goalkeeping coach with Scottish League Two team Forfar Athletic.
