Grimsby Town overview

Grimsby Town:

Grimsby Town Football Club, known as "The Mariners," has a long-standing history dating back to its founding in 1878. With their home ground at Blundell Park, the club has experienced various highs and lows in English football, traditionally being part of the fixtures and fittings in the lower leagues.

Over the past decade, Grimsby Town has faced significant challenges and a fair share of high points also. After a difficult period in the early 2010s, which resulted in their relegation to the National League in 2010, the club were determined to regain their status in the Football League. Their efforts bore fruit in the 2015/16 season when they won the National League play-offs, with a 3-1 in the final against Forest Green Rovers at Wembley, securing promotion to League Two.

Upon their return to the fourth tier, Grimsby Town showed promise but experienced a mixed bag of performances. They managed to retain their position in the league but proved to be inconsistent. After a change in management in 2020, when Ian Holloway took the reins at Blundell Park, the 2020/21 season proved challenging under his tenure, and Grimsby were relegated back to the National League.

Once again, The Mariners bounced back by securing promotion the following season through another play-off run. The club's recent history shows their persistent nature and need for stability and success as they continue to strive for a stronger footing in the Football League.

Manager: David Artell

Grimsby Town appointed David Artell as their manager back in November 2023 in replace of Paul Hurst who was sacked by The Mariners due to a poor run of form only picking up one win in 10 league Two games which left them in 21st at the time.

Artell signed a deal as head coach until the end of the 2025/26 season, so has become a key figure at Blundell Park now and in the future. The 42-year-old who was in charge of fellow League Two side Crewe Alexandra before making the move to Lincolnshire has exceeded expectation this campaign with Grimsby sitting 9th in the league and hunting down those play-off spots. With The Mariners only being 2 points off the top 7, a trip to Wembley come the end of the season could be on the cards especially with Artell piecing together good runs in form including four wins on the bounce in February.

3 key players

Danny Rose:

Grimsby Town striker and captain of the club, Danny Rose has had an outstanding season in front of goal, leading their play-off charge coming up with game winning strikes on multiple occasions such as against Carlisle, Fleetwood, Morecambe and AFC Wimbledon. The 31-year-old signed a contract extension until the end of next season back in October which pleased all those involved at Grimsby Town including manager David Artell who described the forward as a “leader.”

Rose joined Grimsby from Stevenage in the summer of 2023 and hit the ground running in his first season, having 16 goal contributions in 37 league appearances and has continued his fine form leading from the front having already hit double figures for goals in successive seasons. Grimsby fans will hope he is one to lead them into the third tier after having much experience playing at that level with his time at Northampton Town from 2020-2022.

Denver Hume

Denver Hume, the dynamic left-back for Grimsby, has been a revelation in The Mariners’ defence since joining the club at the beginning of last season. As well as Hume solidifying the Mariners' backline, he has also contributed to their offensive play with 10 league assists to his name this season with his overlapping runs and precise crosses becoming a crucial part of Grimsby's attack. The 26-year-old’s consistency having made 26 appearances this campaign has made him a fan favourite at Blundell Park.

After signing from Sunderland in the summer of 2023, Hume quickly adapted to his new team and has proved to be a reliable option for David Artell. With his contract secured until the summer of 2025, Hume is expected to continue playing a pivotal role in the team’s push for promotion.

Douglas Tharme

Douglas Tharme, the 25-year-old centre-back has been an instrumental part of the Mariners' defence since his arrival at the start of last season. Tharme joined the club from Southport after being spotted having a successful loan spell at Accrington Stanley and has since made a significant impact. Known for his aerial prowess and consistent performances, this season he has played a key role in keeping several clean sheets that have propelled the team into play-off contention. His leadership at the back, combined with his ability to read the game, has made him a non-negotiable on the team sheet of David Artell's squad. With the young defender’s contract running until 2026, Tharme is one for the future of Grimsby and their push for promotion to League One.