Since promotion from the national league conference in the 2015-16 season, Grimsby Town finished 14th, 18th, 17th in the last three League two outings.

In the 2018-19 campaign, they went in with high expectations because Michael Jolley helped them finish the 2017-18 campaign with 3 wins and a draw in the last four games.

But the campaign didn’t start the way they expected it to be and they found themselves in 23rd position 10 games into the campaign.

Apart from a good run of games in October, December, and February their form was not the best.

Their personal highlight of the season was their FA Cup third round visit to Selhurst Park.

Last season, Grimsby Town weren’t most proficient in front of the goal. They scored just 45 goals in 46 League games, which was the third lowest total in the league.

The Mariners seem to have made up their minds to overhaul their attack after an alleged altercation between their Top Goalscorer from last season Wes Thomas and their manager Michael Jolley.

Wes Thomas was also asked not to come to Cheapside Training Ground and missed their last 6 games. He was one of the four players to be released this summer.

Another forward player to be released by the club this summer was JJ Hooper. He had a great second half of the season on loan at Bromley having scored 14 goals in 22 appearances for the national league side.

Grimsby Town also released 38-Year-Old Former Welsh Center back Danny Collins and 33-Year-Old veteran winger Martyn Woolford.

Along with the experienced duo 24-Year-old Midfielder Reece Hall-Johnson
and 23-year-old Alex Whitmore also left the club as the club was unable to reach agreements with them and the club opted not to trigger a one year option they had in Alex Whitmore’s contract.

The Mariners sold an 18-Year-old Strong and Pacey striker Rumarn Burrell who broke into the first team at the end of last season to Middlesbrough.

They have a turnover of close to 3.2 million pounds which is nowhere close to some of the wealthier clubs in this division. So, they have build themselves sustainability year-on-year.

Grimsby Town manager

Michael Jolley is the current manager of Grimsby Town and has been in the role since March of 2018. He came through the Barnsley Youth academy but never turned pro as a player.

He opted to give priority to education after being released by Barnsley. He was a very talented student and after completion of his A-levels at college, he joined the Prestigious Cambridge University.

He did his bachelors and masters degree in Economics from Cambridge which is considered one of the six super brands in the world.

After his education, he joined HSBC as a bond trader. He was in New York during 9/11. That led to him returning back to London and close to his family.

During his time with HSBC in London, he started Volunteering as a coach at Crystal palace Academy in the evenings.

That volunteering job marked the beginning of his 15-year football journey. Which took him to Nottingham Forest, Stirling University and Scotland Universities Team. During his time in Scotland, he also studied for a diploma in sports coaching.

But one of the lowest points in his life came during that time, He was sentenced to one-year probation for having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl.

After proving that he was unaware of the girl’s age, he was cleared to continue his career in football management. After that, he joined Crewe academy followed by Burnley U23’s.

His senior management career started in 2017 after being appointed as head coach of the Swedish top flight team AFC Eskilstuna but in 2018 he decided to leave the Swedish club on mutual consent.

Just a month after leaving Eskilstuna he was given Grimsby Town job over Sol Campbell who was a former English International.

He likes his teams to play an attractive, high-tempo passing football game. He is a UEFA Pro Licence coaching license holder. His degree in Economics will also help the club in the financial side.

Grimsby Town 2019-20 New Signings

With the departure of Wes Thomas, and JJ Hooper and their known problems with scoring meant Grimsby needed to strengthen that area of the field. They have signed the following players

Matt Green

Matt green is a 32-Year-Old Veteran striker who has played predominantly in National Conference and League Two.

He scored on 42 occasions in 190 League Two appearances and 58 times in 108 National League appearances.

He has won Promotion from National League on 3 occasions with Oxford United, Mansfield Town, and Salford in 2009-10, 2012-13, and 2018-19 respectively.

He also credited with promotion from League Two with Lincoln City in the 2018-19 season as he spent the first half of last year with them and He also won EFL Trophy with them the 2017-18.

In the second half of last season, he was with newly promoted League Two team Salford city playing in National League. He scored 4 times in 21 appearances he made with for them. He usually plays as a striker.

James Hanson

James Hanson is a 31-Year-Old Center forward who has spent most of his career at Bradford City. He scored 96 goals from his 398 games in Championship, League One, and League two combined.

He was the product of Bradford city academy but was released in 2006 which meant he had to make his ends meet in Non-League. After 4 year spell in Non-league with Eccleshill United and Guiseley, he was resigned by Bradford City.

He spent seven and a half years at Bradford winning EFL League Two play-offs with them in the 2012-13 season. He was one of the key players that helped them reach the EFL Cup final the same season.

He left Bradford and helped Sheffield United in their promotion push to Championship. After an unsuccessful campaign with Sheffield United in championship, he went on Loan to bury and subsequently left The blades to join Wimbledon FC permanently.

Last season he scored 5 goals in 29 appearances he made for Wimbledon in League One.

He is a 6’4” Striker who uses his strength and his Jumping reach to his advantage. He is a hard worker who tries to bring his teammates into the game with his holdup play.

Moses Ogbu

Moses Ogbu is a 28-Year-Old Nigerian born attacking player who can play in both wings and as an Attacking midfielder who also holds a Swedish passport.

He spent close to 8 years at Swedish top-flight club IK Sirius Fotboll. He is known for his creative passing and dribbling skills.

He spent the first half of this year at Al-Ain FC, A club that plays in the second tier of Saudi football.

Elliott Hewitt

The 25-year-old former Welsh U-21 International Defender Elliott Hewitt likes to play as a Right back but can play in midfield as well as as a Center back. He is a product of the Macclesfield Town academy.

He impressed scouts from Ipswich Town whilst at Macclesfield and joined them in 2012. He has made 14 appearances for the championship club.

He has been to Gillingham, Colchester United whilst still at Ipswich. He wasn’t able to reach his full potential because of his injuries and was subsequently released by Ipswich Town.

After his release, he joined Notts County and stayed at the club and spent 4 years with the club. But following their relegation to National League in the 2018-19 season he joined Grimsby Town.

He had a good start to the 2018-19 campaign with Notts County but missed the second half of the campaign due to a knee injury he sustained in February.

Grimsby Town 2019-20 Away Journey

Grimsby Town fans have to travel 3810 miles if they want to attend all away matches, which means an average of 165.7 miles per game.

The longest trip for them will be the Plymouth Argyle match for which they have to make a 340-mile trip.

Grimsby Town 2019-20 Odds

According to bookmakers Grimsby town are favorites to get relegated this season. This means Grimsby Town fans get the best odds if they believe their team will get promoted this season.

Grimsby Town 2019-20 Fixtures

To read more club previews click here or visit 72 in 72 section from the menu.