The strong midfielder, who was equally at home playing central defense, left his former team Sheffield United before joining the Mariners under a cloud after playing a part in what was known as “the battle of Bramall Lane,” a spectacular, intense match between the Blades and West Bromwich Albion that took place 22 years ago.
In 1997, Santos, who was born in Marseille, began his career with Toulon in the South of France before moving to Birkenhead to play for Tranmere Rovers, a second-tier team then coached by former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge.
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The Thistle man has the potential to have an impact at Blundell Park, just like the wide player did during his year-long tenure.
The Cape Verde international, who was born in France, was a member of the Rovers team that famously advanced to the EFL Cup Final in 2000, where they would lose to Leicester City by a slim margin. But at this time, Santos had lost favor and was set to sign a short-term contract with West Brom just weeks before the 1999–2000 season ended.
Before the chaos of that terrible day in the spring of 2002, the physical competitor would soon go on to fresh pastures once more, joining with Sheffield United, a team in the second division. There, he would contribute to Neil Warnock’s team for the following twenty months or so.
The visitors to Bramall Lane were Santos’ old team, West Brom, who featured midfielder Andy Johnson, who was born in Marseille and had a fractured cheekbone in a previous match.
In the second half, Santos was brought on as a substitute because the Blades were already down to ten men. However, he immediately sought retribution by launching himself into a risky, reckless ‘challenge’ on Johnson, making his brief appearance memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Santos was dismissed right away, and further heated arguments ensued as Patrick Suffo took his teammate to the early bath after he headbutted Derek McInnes of Albion.
With just eight men remaining and down 3-0 after eighty minutes, United was unable to finish the ninety minutes due to late injuries that left them with only six players, which was insufficient to finish the match in accordance with FA regulations.
Flashpoint paved the way for Santos’ controversial Mariners move
The Blades and Santos received a lot of criticism as a result of the happenings at Bramall Lane, which naturally caused a stir in the national media.
Santos was released in the summer after Warnock put him on the transfer list right away. He never played for United again.
His past transgressions may have deterred many clubs from making a deal offer to the seasoned player, as he remained without a club until the end of the year. After earning four caps for his nation, the Cape Verdean player ultimately agreed to a contract with Division One underdogs Grimsby in December 2002 for the remainder of the season.
Since some questioned his recent disciplinary record, it initially appeared to be a contentious move on the part of the Blundell Park team. That couldn’t be further from the reality, though, as Santos gave a composed reassurance to a Mariners team that was struggling against much more established teams with significantly more resources in the second division.
With calm yet committed performances at the center of the defense, Santos won over the Grimsby faithful. His goal in a 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday stands out in the memory of the team’s supporters to this day.
Despite his outstanding performances and the efforts of a small team assembled on a shoestring budget, Santos was unable to stop Grimsby from dropping to the third division in 2003; yet, his influence has earned him a cult-hero status in North East Lincolnshire.
Santos’ outstanding tenure at Grimsby resulted in his transfer to Ipswich Town.
Later that summer, Santos left Grimsby due to their relegation, but his performances while wearing a Mariners shirt had drawn interest from other second-tier teams, and the 33-year-old signed with Ipswich Town, where he would play in the 2003–04 season.
| Georges Santos’ career path in English football | |
|---|---|
| Season(s) | Club |
| 1998–2000 | Tranmere Rovers |
| 1999–2000 | West Brom (permanent) |
| 2000–2002 | Sheffield United (permanent) |
| 2002–2003 | Grimsby Town (permanent) |
| 2003–2004 | Ipswich Town (permanent) |
| 2004–2006 | QPR (permanent) |
| 2006–2007 | Brighton & Hove Albion (permanent) |
| 2006/07 | Oxford United (loan) |
| 2007–2008 | Chesterfield (permanent) |
| 2007–2008 | Alfreton Town (permanent) |
| 2007–2008 | Farsley Celtic (permanent) |
| 2008–2009 | Fleetwood Town (permanent) |
After a year, Santos left Portman Road. After stints with Brighton & Hove Albion, Oxford United, and Fleetwood Town, the veteran played for Queen’s Park Rangers for the next two seasons before retiring at the age of 39 in 2009.
Although he arrived at Blundell Park under strange and somewhat contentious circumstances, it was a wise decision for everyone involved, and the 54-year-old Frenchman will always be highly regarded by Grimsby supporters for his brief but remarkable tenure with the team at the beginning of the century.
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