A squad short of firepower
With less than two weeks remaining in the January transfer window, Grimsby Town have so far registered one new signing.
Highly rated 18-year-old Mikey O’Neill joined the Mariners on loan from Championship side Preston North End until the end of the season. He debuted in the recent 5-0 loss away to Swindon Town.
He is a versatile forward player and can play on either wing in a front three. He looks a good acquisition but one signing alone isn’t enough to plug a hole in Town’s starting 11 or add some much-needed depth and options to a team which lacks goals.
Ryan Taylor is currently Grimsby Town’s only out-and-out number nine and is facing an extended time on the sideline after suffering an injury set-back. Now aged 34, he is not reliable enough in terms of fitness and may choose to retire at the end of the campaign.
Town must also start thinking about life after John McAtee,, who will join Luton Town at the end of the season. Such an influential player is essential to replace and said replacement would be best to get in this season.
Forwards Aribim Pepple and Keyendrah Simmonds were both recalled from their loan spells by Luton Town and Birmingham City respectively, and it looks as if youngster Lewis Richardson has returned to parent club Burnley.
Town are severely lacking in the forward area and time is running out. Paul Hurst knows the squad is in need of a bolster to his attack but thus far has seen two bids turned down for unnamed players.
Here is a look at some players heavily linked with the Mariners, as well as some who they should potentially be looking at should they want a strong second half of the season.
Charles Vernam
Local lad Charles Vernam enjoyed a relatively successful couple of years for the Mariners after making a loan move from Derby County permanent in 2018. In 81 appearances, he scored 13 goals.
Included in these goals was a spectacular hat-trick in a 3-2 victory away against Colchester United. For his third goal he dribbled the ball from his own half, taking on all on-comers before slotting past the keeper.
Upon the expiry of his contract, he opted to move to League One side Burton Albion, recently dispatched in Town’s impressive FA Cup run this season. He failed to make a real impact for the Brewers and then signed for League Two side Bradford City.
He enjoyed a much more fruitful couple of years for The Bantams, scoring ten goals and registering six assists in 54 appearances. This earnt him a move to League One side Lincoln City.
Again, he has struggled to find good form in League One and has just one goal in 22 games for the Imps. He has recently fell out of favour with manager Mark Kennedy and is looking for more gametime.
There is also no knowledge yet on the future of Brendan Kiernan, so the extra depth is needed to cover his possible exit if he isn’t signed permanently or sees his loan extended. The arrival of Vernam would also allow for Stephen Wearne to leave again on loan.
Tom Hopper
Tom Hopper is an experienced striker who also currently plies his trade for Lincoln City. He is another who has fell out of favour with Mark Kennedy and would be looking for more chances to play.
The 29-year-old has played for Scunthorpe, Southend and Lincoln since leaving Leicester City as a youngster. He has never struggled with injuries and would be a reliable option to get in and use as a focal point.
In his last season as the preferred striker option in 2020/21, he scored ten goals and recorded four assists in 42 league appearances.
Perhaps not as prolific as Town fans would have hoped from an incoming striker, but he would play a similar focal role as Ryan Taylor and aim to bring his team-mates into play.
He is a physical handful at 6”1 and his experience could be vital to a team which lacks a real presence up front. He is the sort of player that would unlock the best attributes of John McAtee, who’s at his best playing off a ‘proper’ striker.
At 29, he is at an ideal point in his career to be playing more football and could potentially take the baton from Ryan Taylor should he choose to retire at the end of the season. Alternatively, he would provide great cover and competition.
Caolan Lavery
Caolan Lavery currently plays for Town’s struggling local rivals Scunthorpe United. Given their desperate state regarding looming administration as well as their current place in the National League it is likely they’ll take any sort of fee they can.
The Iron recently let Joe Nuttall leave for a fee to fellow non-league side Oldham Athletic, so it is likely should the right offer come in they would let Lavery go as well.
Lavery is a 30-year-old striker who has been quite the journeyman throughout his career, having featured for Sheffield Wednesday, Southend United, Plymouth Argyle, Chesterfield, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Rotherham, Bury, Walsall, Bradford and finally Scunthorpe United.
He has also represented both Canada and Northern Ireland at youth level. To his credit, despite all the short spells spent at clubs, he has scored a few goals almost everywhere he has been.
He has found the net eight times in 18 games this season – a good record especially given the situation at Scunthorpe.
He is a different kind of striker to Ryan Taylor and Tom Hopper. He is slightly smaller at 5”11, and his game involves being in the right place at the right time and is deceivingly quick. His movement is a real handful for defenders.
Scunthorpe were recently given permission from the National League to offer him an extension to his contract on a ‘case-by-case basis’. It is yet to be seen whether Lavery will accept, but it would be hard for them to turn down any offer especially if he wishes to leave.
Cameron Wilson
Another current Scunthorpe United player linked with a switch to Grimsby Town is youngster Cameron Wilson. Born in 2002, Wilson is only 20 years old, but is extremely highly rated.
He was recently sent out on a month-long-loan to Scarborough Athletic but was recalled shortly after. He received mixed reviews for his time at Scarborough but has performed well for Scunthorpe since his return.
Wilson is an exciting forward player, slotting in behind the striker much like John McAtee, or playing on the right of a front three.
It is expected he would be brought in to take over McAtee’s role once he leaves for Luton, and Town could be looking to take advantage of Scunthorpe’s struggles and offer him a way out.
A consortium looking to take over The Irons have pulled out as recently as today, so it unfortunately looks as if they are in an even worse position. Grimsby Town will likely be a beneficiary of this.
Scott Pollock
Scott Pollock is a very exciting player who has been heavily linked with a move to Grimsby. Pollock is an attacking midfielder and currently plays for Boston United in the National League North.
So far this season, he has scored 14 goals in just 24 games. He’s in his first full season at the club after a loan spell last season from Northampton Town. He has also had a spell at St. Neots Town on loan.
Northampton picked him up from Hashtag United, who are now in the Isthmian League. Pollock won Hashtag’s ‘Hashtag Acadamy’ series, which saw footballers from across the country without a club play for a chance to feature for The Tags.
The winner received a contract at the club, and Pollock was the clear winner from day one. Northampton decided to take a gamble on the player, but he was released at the end of his contract and signed for Boston permanently.
It is likely he’d take the step up should the Mariners come knocking. Though, when asked about the player, Paul Hurst said in typical fashion “I never say never, but it’s not one we’re planning on contacting Boston with.”