There cannot be too many clubs who finished the previous season 92nd in the Football League and yet started the new campaign with such positivity.
But that was the case at Grimsby Town where a change of manager and ownership has Blundell Park rocking and the team top of the National League going in to the weekend.
The new owners, Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit, completed their takeover from the deeply unpopular former owner John Fenty in May.
The pair were born in the resort and returned after successful careers of their own. Stockwood held senior roles at Skyscanner and lastminute.com whilst Pettit has a venture capital background working for Lehmann Brothers among others.
The philosophy behind their investment is three Ps, as they told The Times: “Passion for the club we love.
“Philanthropy — giving back to a community that has been home to our families.
“And Pride — developing and growing the Mariners as a community asset which can be a significant catalyst for the regeneration of the area.”
It is certainly going down well with supporters as the DN35 Podcast told us on the latest edition of the Gloverscast – listen here.
On the pitch, the return of Paul Hurst, who got them promoted back to the Football League after a six-year absence in 2016, seems to be doing the trick.
He very quickly and quietly assembled a squad which gives them options in just about every position and the results have been impressive.
Eight wins already in the National League puts them two points clear at the top of the table with a 100% record at Blundell Park.
Oh and last time out at home they won 6-0 against Dover Athletic and 5-0 at Bromsgrove Sporting in the FA Cup last weekend.
The Cup tie saw Hurst make seven changes, including resting his first choice strikers, and they didn’t have 120 minutes plus penalties in the p*ssing rain in W*ymouth either.
FROM THE MANAGER
Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst has said he expects Yeovil Town’s FA Cup heroics at local rivals will give them a lift as they face a Mariners side with a 100% home record so far this season.
He described the Glovers’ form so far this season as “a bit mixed” but he said he is preparing for a challenge this weekend.
He said: “Yeovil are not going to come to Blundell Park and roll over, they will be buoyed by a win in midweek albeit on penalties.
“So we have got to bring our best game to it and hopefully we can keep our 100% record.
They are a couple of games behind, so that could be improved upon.
“(Yeovil manager) Darren (Sarll) has talked about missing players, everyone has to go through that but he is missing some experienced players.
“They would have preferred not to have gone through extra time on Tuesday night, but they have come out the right side in the end. I am sure that will give them some confidence.
“But, we want to perform and give them something to think about and maybe even worry about.”
TEAM NEWS
Grimsby boss Paul Hurst has a selection headache (oh, for one of those!) with the return from suspension of Michee Efete from suspension for the weekend.
Ryan Sears has played every game during the summer signing’s absence following a red card which led to the 3-1 defeat at Bromley in late September.
Hurst had the luxury of resting his first choice front two John McAtee and Ryan Taylor for last weekend’s whitewash of Bromsgrove Sporting, but both seem certain to return for the visit of Yeovil.
He can even have experienced heads like Sean Scannell, not seen in the best part of two years, Giles Coke and former Glover Joel Grant missing and not even notice it.
Grant, who arrived on the East Coast following his release by Swindon Town in the summer, played half-an-hour for his new employers in pre-season and has not been seen since.
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS
Yeovil Town striker Adi Yussuf seems likely to be the only member of either playing squad to feature in the starting XI.
He spent the second half of the 2016-17 at Blundell Park having been released by Mansfield Town, scoring twice in 11 times before departing to Barrow.
In fairness, he must have made an impression as Grimsby fans were talking about getting him back last summer – let’s hope he can be the returning old boy who does some damage this year.
The other ex-players with a foot in both camps who seem unlikely to feature at Glovers’ midfielder Mitch Rose. He spent two years at Grimsby between 2017 and 2019.
In the Mariners’ camp is forward Joel Grant who was part of Gary Johnson’s squad in our Championship season in 2013-14 and stuck around for the ill-fated plunge through League One in 2014-15.
He departed to be a fan-funded acquisition for Exeter City before spending time with Plymouth and Swindon Town, where he was last season before joining Grimsby in the summer.
But, see the Team News for details of why Grant seems unlikely to feature on Saturday.
Other honourable mentions for having spent time with both clubs are late Yeovil Town legend Stuart Housley who played 34 times in five years at Grimsby in the 1960s before moving to Huish.
The Doncaster-born winger had two spells as a player with the Glovers followed by holding just about every other role at the club before sadly passing away earlier this year.
Phil Jevons, a hero of our Football League heyday, joined us from Grimsby Town where he was similarly popular having scored 18 times in 63 appearances between 2001 and 2004.
Still doesn’t hold a candle to his record of 42 in 84 matches in green and white. What a player!
Others who have a foot in both camps:
- Terrell Forbes
- Russell Slade
- James Tilley
- Rhys Browne
- James Berrett
- Diallang Jaiyesimi
- Jordan Cook