Swindon Town make their final away journey of the 2023/24 season this weekend, with the trip to Grimsby Town coming up on Saturday.
Grimsby will be looking to pick up some vital points this weekend to mathematically ensure their League Two status, with the Mariners sitting in 21st point and six points of ahead of the bottom two with two games left to play. Swindon meanwhile will be looking to finish their 23/24 away trips with a positive result with the opportunity to move up the League Two table with a couple of positive final results.
A lowdown on the visitors
Grimsby Town Football Club was founded in 1878 and is one of the oldest and most storied football clubs in England, boasts a rich and colourful history that spans well over a century.
The club's early years were marked by humble beginnings, with matches played on local pitches in and around Grimsby. It wasn't until 1890 that Grimsby Town became a member of the Football League, competing in the Second Division. The late 19th century saw the club gradually establish itself, but it was in the 1930s that Grimsby Town enjoyed its first major success.
Under the stewardship of manager Billy King, the Mariners secured promotion to the First Division in 1934, marking a historic moment for the club. They remained in the top tier for a decade.
The 1950s and 1960s brought about a period of fluctuating fortunes for Grimsby Town, with relegations and promotions, but the club maintained its presence in the Football League. The 1970s saw another high point when the Mariners achieved a famous victory in the 1972 Anglo-Italian Cup, defeating Bologna in the final. The 1980s, however, ushered in a challenging era as financial difficulties and on-field struggles led to relegations.
In the 1990s, Grimsby Town experienced a renaissance, with successful spells in the lower divisions. The club enjoyed memorable FA Cup runs and playoff triumphs, including promotion to the First Division (now the Championship) in 1998. Legendary players like Clive Mendonca became heroes among Grimsby Town supporters during this period.
The early 2000s marked another high point when the Mariners reached the final of the Football League Trophy in 2008 and secured promotion to League One. However, financial instability and managerial changes plagued the club in subsequent years, leading to a series of relegations.
In recent years, Grimsby Town has returned to its previous League status with promotion via the play-offs in 2021-22 with a 2-1 victory after extra time and continues to be a competitive team in England’s fourth tier of English football.
Memorable Match
League 2 – 07/12/2019 - Swindon made it six wins on the spin five years ago, as they comfortably saw off Grimsby at Blundell Park back in 2019.
The well-known duo of Jerry Yates and Eoin Doyle were on hand to supply the goals, with Yates grabbing a brace as Doyle opened the scoring as Town achieved an impressive away victory up in Lincolnshire.
Head-to-head
19/20: Grimsby Town 0-3 Swindon Town
19/20: Swindon Town 3-1 Grimsby Town
21/22: Grimsby Town 1-2 Swindon Town
22/23: Swindon Town 5-0 Grimsby Town
23/24: Swindon Town 2-1 Grimsby Town
The manager: David Artell
Artell, a 42-year-old with nearly 500 matches in his playing career, transitioned into management after retiring, starting with Crewe in January 2017. He initially saved the team from relegation and garnered recognition as League Two Manager of the Month. Notably, he fielded a lineup of Crewe Academy graduates in a victorious match against Cheltenham Town. Under his guidance, Crewe steadily progressed, culminating in promotion during the 2019/20 season, earning Artell the League Two Manager of the Year award. He then took charge at Grimsby, aiming to stabilize the team's performance, achieving six wins, nine draws, and 10 defeats in his current campaign.
One to watch: Danny Rose
An experienced forward in the EFL, former Stevenage and Mansfield forward Danny Rose joined at the start of the 2023-24 campaign and has proven his worth to the Grimsby side, with 13 goals and three assists in 37 appearances so far this season. Swindon Town will need to keep him quiet to ensure they can deliver a positive away performance this weekend in their final away fixture of the current campaign.
