What’s Next For Grimsby Town Following Paul Hurst’s Dismissal? – Opinion

On Saturday, barely half an hour after Grimsby Town’s 1-0 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers in League Two, The Mariners decided it was time to cut ties with long-term manager Paul Hurst and his trusted assistant Chris Doig after nearly three years at the club.

Chair Jason Stockwood went on to explain to BBC Radio Humberside following the 1-0 defeat at the Eco-Power Stadium that the decision to make a change in the management team was “not a snap decision on a Saturday afternoon,” but admitted it was “time to turn the page” following a run in which Grimsby have only won three of their last 20 games in all competitions, losing their last four league matches in a row.

It was later confirmed by the club that both Ben Davies and Shaun Pearson will take interim charge of the first team, while the club conducts a search to appoint a new head coach to lead the team forward.

The duo, who tasted promotion with Grimsby back to the Football League in 2016, returned for a second spell at Blundell Park following Ian Holloway’s resignation as manager in late 2020. Despite their best efforts, The Mariners suffered a second relegation back to the National League since 2010 following a dismal season, then still under the ownership of previous owner John Fenty.

Despite dropping back down to non-league with Jason Stockwood now the owner, he helped the North East Lincolnshire outfit return to the Football League at the first time of asking following a 2-1 victory against Solihull Moors after extra time at West Ham United’s London Stadium.

It was a playoff run that was made even more incredible as they finished the regular season sixth in the division, with the black and white army booking their place in the final following a 2-1 victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane after extra time in the eliminator round, followed by a dramatic 5-4 thriller over Wrexham at the Racecourse ground in the semi-finals, which, once again, went to extra time.

Following their miraculous run back to the EFL, Grimsby went one step further the next season, this time in the FA Cup where they reached the quarter-final stage. Victories over Plymouth Argyle, Cambridge United, Burton Albion, Luton Town and Southampton meant The Mariners made the last eight of the FA Cup for the first time since 1939, where they eventually bowed out of the competition following defeat to Premier League Brighton and Hove Albion.

In the League, it was also Grimsby’s highest league position in 17 years as they finished the season 11th on 61 points, with the overriding feeling around Blundell Park that it’s been a successful season on the whole.

However, following their league position and incredible cup run, Grimsby were tipped by many as potential outsiders to mount a playoff push, with their claim being made stronger following a summer transfer window which included the signings of Stevenage promotion winner Danny Rose, Accrington Stanley defender Harvey Rodgers, and young Sierra Leone international Kamil Conteh, who impressed on loan at Gateshead the previous season.

Despite those signings and pre-season optimism, things haven’t quite gone to plan for The Mariners this campaign as they currently sit 21st in the League Two table, only four points clear of the relegation zone. The club have also dropped the most points from winning positions and are yet to taste victory away from home, winning only three games in total to date.

With Grimsby being a well-run productive club that wants to keep building all aspects of everything they do, with matters on the pitch, results haven’t been good enough, which have led the club to call it a day on Hurst’s tenure in North East Lincolnshire in what is a devastating end to a largely successful spell. Not just this spell, but his first spell, also.

Unfortunately, despite the good times he had produced for the club, it was probably a decision that had to happen as the club had dug a hole and you sensed near the end of Hurst’s spell, he was unsure himself what was going on and how they could get out of it. It certainly wasn’t down to a lack of effort on the player’s side. The results have been more down to poor defensive mistakes, not being decisive enough in the final third and, ultimately, not being able to see games out in which they had the upper hand.

Despite what’s happened in regards to his dismissal, I’m sure Hurst will leave Blundell Park with the best wishes from near enough everyone associated with Grimsby Town Football Club. The two promotions and last season’s record-breaking FA Cup run will certainly live long in the memory of many Mariners fans for many years to come and wherever he was to end up next, he will smash it.

So What’s Next?

For the first time under his ownership, Jason Stockwood now has the task of appointing a new head coach to lead the club forward for not just for the situation they currently find themselves in, but beyond as well.

In an interview on Grimsby Town’s X channel (formally known as Twitter) a few days after the decision to make a managerial change, Stockwood explained that the club have a “really strict criteria” in the process of appointing a new head coach and mentioned that Grimsby already had at least five applications sent through for the post whilst Stockwood drove home from Doncaster.

In a previous article written by Ryan Whelan in which he named five managers whom The Mariners could look to appoint, there were some interesting names mentioned that certainly got the brain working on who could lead the club to the next level.

Writing this piece as a Grimsby Town fan myself, I see quite a few names being brandished out for managers who are mainly without a job, but also a couple that are currently in jobs at this moment in time.

What I think Grimsby will look to do is appoint someone who is here for the long-term, plays an attractive style of football and, above all, really get to grips with what Grimsby is all about and how much people care about the club.

In saying that, a name which I feel will be a very solid appointment is Phil Parkinson, in which he’s done a fantastic job with Altrincham in the National League and deserves his step up to the EFL. Whether he wants to leave all the good work he’s done for Altrincham to manage in the Football League is a different conversation, but certainly one to look at.

David Artell is another option who I’d look to explore following his time at Crewe Alexandra where he won promotion to League One and produced players such as Charlie Kirk, Tom Lowery, Harry Pickering and current Mariner Callum Ainley. Despite being out of the game for some time now, it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in a dugout at a club.

A few other names are being mentioned in the same conversation at the minute but looking at the bigger picture, the likes of Bradford City, Tranmere Rovers, Colchester United and Lincoln City are also on the hunt for managers who could also be looking in the same pool as Grimsby.

Whoever Grimsby do decide to appoint, I have full confidence it will be the right appointment.

The club will go above and beyond in researching potential candidates, doing their due diligence on names and, ultimately, someone who shares the same ambition of the Blundell Park hierarchy.

Above that, I firmly believe the Grimsby Town job is an attractive proposition, which involves an owner who wants nothing but the best for the club as they look to move to the next level, but it is also a job in which whoever comes in will be well-backed, not just at board level, but from the supporters as well.

When the club went on a poor run midway through the 21/22 National League promotion season, it could have been easy for Stockwood to let go of Hurst there and then as I think most clubs would’ve done. He didn’t, he stuck by him and the club have reaped the rewards as a result. That sort of backing could be music to the ears of many football managers out there.

It remains to be seen what the next steps are for Grimsby Town in terms of appointing a new man to sit in the dugout at Blundell Park, but the main thing is, whoever was to take the post is joining a club with a rich history (despite the current league position), a loyal fanbase and an owner who wants nothing but the best for the football club as it looks to get back on the bike and continue it’s upwards trajectory.