Football Season Guide

Grimsby Town will be a little disappointed with last season’s showing, despite avoiding the relegation scare of the previous campaign. Having kept them in the Football League, manager Michael Jolley will have hoped for better than a lowly 17th placed finish last time around. He has started to shape his squad for an improved showing but still has plenty of work to do in the transfer market this summer. He has concentrated on adding some firepower with last season’s leading goalscorer Wes Thomas leaving after the pair fell out over his refusal to sign a new deal. James Hanson and Matt Green arrive at Blundell Park with plenty of pedigree and could form a classic big man, little man partnership. The return to fitness of Elliott Whitehouse after a long-term knee injury is a real boost and will soften the blow of losing midfield playmaker Elliott Embleton, whose loan move from Sunderland was ended early through injury. There was a sense of disappointment when promising young striker Rumarn Burrell was sold to Middlesbrough having made just four substitute appearances. The Mariners have one of the best goalkeepers in the division in James McKeown and if Jolley can make some shrewd additions to his squad in August, they can feel optimistic about the new campaign.