Last Season
Lets be honest, last season was an unmitigated disaster for the Mariners. Alan Buckley started the season in charge but failed to win a league game before being sacked in late September. Former Luton Town manager was appointed at Blundell Park much to the excitement of fans, but he failed to have the instant impact expected. Newell started with a credible draw against top of the league Wycombe Wanderers but it took him nine games to finally get the Mariners a victory as they won 2-0 at Bury.
Having been caught up quickly by Rotherham United and with Bournemouth and Luton catching up, Grimsby spent much of the season looking over their shoulder and fighting to keep their Football League place, and in truth it was only John Fenty's money that kept the club in the league. Newell was allowed to bring in a host of loan signings, and the likes of Wayne Henderson, Peter Sweeney, Rob Atkinson and Joe Widdowson lead the club on an improved late run to see them finish four points above the drop zone.
The Manager
Former Everton and Blackburn Rovers player Mike Newell made his name as a manager at Luton Town, when he lead the Hatters to the top of the Championship before seeing the likes of Warren Feeney, Rowan Vine and Steve Howard sold (although, it must be added, Newell allegedly pocket 10% of these fees) and the club slip back down the table. Newell left and Luton carried on their decline into non-league, and Newell spent some time out o
f the game before re-emerging at struggling Grimsby last season.He had a difficult first season at Blundell Park as he inherited a squad low on confidence and quality, and the club could well have been relegated without a clutch of loan signings that added to the Mariners' squad. However, Newell was still disappointing in his first season and came perilously close to leading the club to relegation. The club may have ended the season well but not all of those players are still at the club and the squad were fired up as the prospect of relegation finally appeared to dawn on them.
The Squad
Newell has devoted much of his time this summer to chasing the loanees that improved Grimsby so much towards the end of last season, and has managed to secure Peter Sweeney, Barry Conlon, Joe Widdowson, Adrian Forbes and Rob Atkinson on free transfers. While they helped improved Grimsby's form, the Mariners were hardly world beaters at the end of last season so the wisdom of concentrating almost specifically on former loanees does seem somewhat misguided.
The only players Newell has brought to Grimsby without a previous loan spell this summer are goalkeeper Nick Colgan, who was once alright at Barnsley but hasn't played much footballer recently at Sunderland and Paul Linwood, a defender from Chester City, the only side even worse than the Mariners last season. Oh, and Michael Leary, a midfielder released by Barnet who's only quality seems to be picking up yellow and red cards. who's replaced Paul Bolland, meaning the Mariners have somehow managed to get the wrong end of that swap.
Already at the club is Ryan Bennett, a highly rated young defender who has been courted by a host of higher division clubs. Already captain, Bennett is tipped for the top but will be partnered by Rob Atkinson, only a couple of years older. Such an inexperienced centre back partnership at this level could pose problems for Grimsby, while Joe Widdowson at left back is also a youngster. Robbie Stockdale is an excellent right back and should prove an asset, but no other players really jump out at you. Adam Proudlock will score the occasional goal, while Frenchman Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro simply isn't suited to League Two. Youngsters Nick Hegarty, Peter Bore and Danny North are useful squad men but not really up to League Two standard.
Prediction
Mariners fans seem so infatuated with Newell and his side's late season run that they are even willing to forgive the signing of Michael Leary, something which NCM simply doesn't understand. Signing so many former loan players is also a risk, all Football League clubs will have countless stories of players who impressed on loan only to lose all worth when signed permanently. Of course they could click and we could be wrong, but we'd be surprised.
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