As Newport County prepare to face Grimsby Town, we take a closer look at Saturday’s opponents.
What’s their story?
Grimsby Town Football Club, known as The Mariners, was founded as Grimsby Pelham in 1878 and became Grimsby Town the following year. In 1898, they moved to their iconic home, Blundell Park. The club is the most successful in Lincolnshire, being the only one to have played in the top flight of English football and spent significant time in the top two divisions.
The Mariners have had several key figures, including Bill Shankly, who later became a Liverpool legend, and Lawrie McMenemy, who led Grimsby to promotion in the 1970s before achieving FA Cup glory with Southampton in 1976. Alan Buckley is the club’s most successful manager, guiding them to three promotions and two Wembley victories in 1998. However, his third trip to Wembley in 2008 ended in a defeat to MK Dons.
Grimsby has also had near-misses in the playoffs (2006, 2013, 2016) but returned to the Football League in 2022 after winning the National League play-off final. The 2022–23 season saw them make headlines with a remarkable FA Cup run, including a win over Premier League Southampton.
The club holds historical records, including the highest-ever crowd at Old Trafford (76,962) for their 1939 FA Cup semi-final. In 1954, they became the first English club to appoint a foreign manager, Hungarian Elemér Berkessy. The club’s all-time appearance record is held by John McDermott (754 appearances), and their leading goal-scorer is Pat Glover(180 goals).
Who’s the boss?
Grimsby Town's current manager is David Artell, a 44-year-old former professional footballer with almost 500 appearances in the Football League. Artell had a solid playing career with clubs like Morecambe, Crewe Alexandra, and Mansfield Town. He also represented Gibraltar seven times internationally.
Artell moved into management after retiring as a player, beginning with Crewe Alexandra in January 2017. Initially brought in to steer the club clear of relegation, Artell's efforts were impressive, and he earned the League Two Manager of the Month award in March 2017 after guiding Crewe to four wins in five matches.
He continued to build on that success, leading Crewe to a third-place finish in League Two in 2019/20, which resulted in promotion. The season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Artell's leadership was widely praised, and he was named League Two Manager of the Year in 2020.
After leaving Crewe in 2022, Artell took over at Grimsby in the summer of 2023, with a goal of stabilising the club and improving on their recent relegation struggles.
Who’s the captain?
Grimsby Town's current captain is Danny Rose. The 31-year-old centre-forward joined the Mariners in 2023, having previously enjoyed success with Stevenage in their promotion-winning season in 2022-23.
Rose’s career began at Barnsley, before he moved on to a productive spell at Bury, where he scored 14 goals in 62 appearances. He then joined Mansfield Town, where he became a key figure, making almost 150 league appearances and scoring 38 goals.
After a short stint at Northampton Town, Rose joined Stevenage in 2021, playing a pivotal role in their rise from relegation struggles to promotion. Known for his work rate and aerial ability despite his height, Rose is a versatile forward and a strong leader on and off the pitch.
Key Players
London-born Evan Khouri joined Grimsby Town in 2019 after leaving the prestigious West Ham United academy. The midfielder quickly made his mark, signing a scholarship deal with the Mariners and making his debut as a second-half substitute in the EFL Cup against Morecambe in September 2020, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
The following season, Khouri made his league debut in a memorable 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in April 2021. His impressive performances earned him a professional contract with the club shortly thereafter. A further contract extension in the summer of 2022 kept him at Grimsby until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Khouri played an instrumental role in the club's remarkable run in the Emirates FA Cup during the 2022-23 season, including a memorable appearance in the 2-1 victory at Premier League side Southampton, helping the Mariners reach the Quarter-Finals.
In October 2023, Khouri signed another deal with the club, committing to Grimsby Town until 2026, solidifying his place as a key figure in the squad for years to come.
Another key plater for Grimsby is Jordan Davies. A highly-rated attacking midfielder, Davies joined Grimsby in 2024. The Welshman began his career at Wrexham, where he quickly became a standout player.
After a successful spell at Brighton & Hove Albion's U23s, he returned to Wrexham in 2020 and played a key role in their rise from the National League to League One, amassing over 20 goals during the 2021/22 season. Davies' ability to create chances and link up play makes him an exciting prospect for Grimsby Town.
