Ban on Grimsby Town fans' 'Harry Haddock' mascots reversed

Fans were warned that any inflatables taken into St Mary's for the FA Cup fixture would be confiscated

A ban on football fans taking blow-up fish mascots into their club's next FA Cup tie has been reversed.

Grimsby Town previously said its call for the inflatable "Harry Haddocks" to be allowed at the Southampton match on 1 March had been turned down.

But the two sides had "worked together to find a solution" for the mascots at the match, a club spokesperson said.

Mariners chief executive Debbie Cook said she could not wait to see lots of fans "proudly waving" the fishes.

"Ever since the 1989 FA Cup, he's been present at every big game in the club's history," she said.

"It would have been a real shame for him not to be there."

Fans had earlier been warned that any inflatables taken into Southampton's ground for the FA Cup fixture would be confiscated.

A similar ban on the inflatable fish mascots was imposed on Mariners fans in 2017 when the side travelled to Barnet on the final day of the season.

In response, supporters raised more than £1,000 to pay for a Mariachi band to attend the game.

The clash with Southampton will be the first time Grimsby Town has played in the last 16 of the FA Cup since 1996.

Nearly 5,000 Grimsby fans are expected to travel to the match next month.