As Newport County prepare to take a trip to Blundell Park to face Grimsby Town this Saturday afternoon, we take a closer look at the Mariners.
Grimsby’s Story
Founded in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham Football Club, the Mariners changed their name to Grimsby Town a year later and have played in their current stadium Blundell Park since 1898. Grimsby are the most successful side from Lincolnshire, being the one of the three to play in the top-flight of the English pyramid. Notably, the Mariners were managed by Bill Shankly – who infamously guided Liverpool to three league titles, two FA Cups, four Charity Shields and one UEFA Cup – during a four-year spell in the early 1950s. Following Shankly’s departure, Grimsby became the first English side to appoint a foreign manager, Hungarian Elemér Berkessy. However, Grimsby’s most successful manager is Alan Buckley who managed the club between on three separate occasions between 1988 and 2008. The Englishman guided the club to three promotions and helped them to Wembley two separate times during the 1997-98 season, winning both the Football League Trophy and the Football League Second Division Play-Off Final.
In recent years, the Mariners spent a long time in the National League, finally gaining promotion back to the Football League via the 2015-16 National League Play-Offs, defeating Forest Green Rovers 3-1 in the final. From 2016 to 2020, Grimsby had seemingly established themselves as a mid-table League Two side. However, disaster struck for the Mariners in the 2020-21 season when they finished bottom of League Two on 43 points and were therefore reintegrated into the National League. The following season proved to be a bit of a Challenge for the club, but they were able to finish in sixth place and regain promotion once again through the play-offs. Now back in League Two, Grimsby have improved every season and even made a later push to qualify for the play-offs but were ultimately subject to a ninth-place finish, just two points short of Chesterfield in seventh.
The Manager
Grimsby Town manager David Artell, 44, enjoyed a distinguished playing career as a commanding centre-back, making almost 500 Football League appearances for clubs including Morecambe, Crewe Alexandra, and Mansfield Town. He also earned seven international caps for Gibraltar.
After hanging up his boots, Artell moved into management, taking charge of Crewe Alexandra in January 2017. Tasked with steering the club away from relegation trouble, he made an immediate impact, winning four of his first five games and claiming the League Two Manager of the Month award in March 2017.
His tenure went from strength to strength, culminating in a third-place finish in the curtailed 2019–20 season, which secured promotion to League One. Artell’s leadership during that campaign earned him the League Two Manager of the Year award.
Following his departure from Crewe in 2022, Artell took the reins at Grimsby Town in the summer of 2023. He quickly stabilised the Mariners, guiding them clear of relegation danger in his first season before mounting a promotion push in his second.
The Captain
Grimsby Town captain Danny Rose, 31, has been leading the line for the Mariners since joining the club in 2023. The experienced centre-forward arrived on the back of a successful spell with Stevenage, where he played a key role in their promotion-winning 2022–23 season.
Rose began his career at Barnsley before making his mark at Bury, scoring 14 goals in 62 appearances. He then became a fan favourite at Mansfield Town, where he netted 38 goals in nearly 150 league appearances. A brief spell at Northampton Town followed before his move to Stevenage in 2021, where his tireless work rate and eye for goal helped transform the club from relegation battlers to promotion contenders.
Renowned for his aerial prowess and tenacity despite not being the tallest forward, Rose brings both versatility in attack and strong leadership qualities, making him a pivotal figure for Grimsby Town on and off the pitch.
Key Player
Jaze Kabia
Born in Cork in 2000, Jaze Kabia began his football journey in his native Ireland, quickly making a name for himself as an exciting young winger. His breakthrough came at Shelbourne, where he scored seven goals in just 16 appearances in the League of Ireland Premier Division. His impressive form earned him a move to Scottish Premiership side Livingston.
During his time with the Lions, Kabia made 10 appearances and scored once. He also found himself at the centre of a memorable moment when Celtic captain Scott Brown struck him in the face, resulting in a straight red card for the veteran midfielder.
After a series of loan spells, Kabia returned to Ireland with Cork City before having a short stint at Scottish side Clyde. His career reignited at Truro City last season, where he rediscovered his goalscoring touch. Netting 16 league goals — including a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Worthing — he played a pivotal role in guiding the Tinners to the National League South title.
That success paved the way for a move into the EFL, as Kabia signed a two-year deal with Grimsby Town. His start to life with the Mariners could hardly have gone better, with the Irishman scoring three goals in his first three matches in black and white.