2019–20 Grimsby Town F.C. season explained

Club:	Grimsby Town F.C.
Season:	2019–20
Manager:	Michael Jolley (until 31 December)^[1] Ian Holloway (from 31 December)^[2]
Chairman:	John Fenty
Stadium:	Blundell Park
League:	League Two
League Result:	15th
Cup1:	FA Cup
Cup1 Result:	First round
Cup2:	EFL Cup
Cup2 Result:	Third round
Cup3:	EFL Trophy
Cup3 Result:	Group stage
Prevseason:	2018–19
Nextseason:	2020–21

The 2019–20 season is Grimsby Town's 142nd season of existence and their fourth consecutive season in League Two.^[3] Along with competing in League Two, the club will also participate in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.

The season covers the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[4]
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[5]
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[6]
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[7]
16 August 2019					Free transfer	^[8]
9 January 2020					Free transfer	^[9]
15 January 2020					Undisclosed	^[10]
31 January 2020					Free transfer	^[11]
31 January 2020					Undisclosed	^[12]

Loans in

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date until	Ref.
1 July 2019					1 January 2020	^[13]
2 September 2019	CM		Ethan Robson	Sunderland	1 January 2020	^[14]
7 January 2020					30 June 2020	^[15]
16 January 2020					30 June 2020	^[16]

Loans out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Date until	Ref.
1 August 2019					January 2020	^[17]
1 August 2019			Jock Curran		January 2020
14 August 2019			Ollie Battersby		September 2019	^[18]
8 November 2019					December 2019	^[19]

Transfers out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2019					Undisclosed	^[20]
1 July 2019					Released	^[21]
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[22]
1 July 2019					Released	^[23]
1 July 2019					Released	^[24]
1 July 2019					Free transfer	^[25]
1 July 2019					Released	^[26]
22 December 2019					Mutual consent	^[27]
14 January 2020					Mutual consent	^[28] ^[29]

Pre-season

Grimsby revealed their pre-season programme in June 2019.^[30]

First Team Squad

	Name	Nationality	Position	Date of birth (age)	Signed from	Signed in	Contract ends
Goalkeepers
—	James McKeown		GK	August 2, 2019		2011	2021
—	Sam Russell		GK	August 2, 2019		2018	????
—	Ollie Battersby		GK	August 2, 2019	Academy	2017	2021
Defenders
—	Luke Hendrie		RB	August 2, 2019		2019	2021
—	Elliott Hewitt		RB/CM	August 2, 2019		2019	2021
—	Ludvig Öhman		CB	August 2, 2019	BP	2019	2021
—	Harry Davis		CB	August 2, 2019		2018	2020
—	Mattie Pollock		CB	August 2, 2019	Academy	2018	2021
—	Sebastian Ring		LB	August 2, 2019	ÖSK	2019	2020
—	Liam Gibson		LB	August 2, 2019	Newcastle United (Loan)	2019	2020
Midfielders
—	Jake Hessenthaler		CM	August 2, 2019		2018	2020
—	Elliott Whitehouse		CM	August 2, 2019		2018	2020
—	Harry Clifton		CM	August 2, 2019	Academy	2007	2021
—	Jock Curran		CM	August 2, 2019	Academy	2017	2020
—	Charles Vernam		CAM/CF	August 2, 2019		2018	2020
—	Jordan Cook		CAM/CF	August 2, 2019		2018	2020
—	Brandon Buckley		CAM	August 2, 2019	Academy	2009	2020
—	Max Wright		RW	August 2, 2019	Academy	2008	2020
Attackers
—	James Hanson		ST	August 2, 2019		2019	2021
—	Matt Green		ST	August 2, 2019		2019	2021
—	Moses Ogbu		ST	August 2, 2019		2019	2020
—	Harry Cardwell		ST	August 2, 2019		2017	2020
—	Ahkeem Rose		ST	August 2, 2019		2017	2020

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2019–20 season (Friday 2 August).

Competitions

League Two

See main article: 2019–20 EFL League Two.

Matches

On Thursday, 20 June 2019, the EFL League Two fixtures were revealed.^[31]

FA Cup

See main article: 2019–20 FA Cup.

The first round draw was made on 21 October 2019.^[32]

EFL Cup

See main article: 2019–20 EFL Cup.

The first round draw was made on 20 June.^[33] The second round draw was made on 13 August 2019 following the conclusion of all but one first-round matches.^[34] The third round draw was confirmed on 28 August 2019, live on Sky Sports.^[35]

EFL Trophy

See main article: 2019–20 EFL Trophy.

On 9 July 2019, the pre-determined group stage draw was announced with Invited clubs to be drawn on 12 July 2019.^[36]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Michael Jolley Departs Grimsby Town . . 15 November 2019.
2. Web site: Holloway Appointed First Team Manager . . 31 December 2019 . 31 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191231143354/https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2019/december/holloway-appointed-first-team-manager/ . dead .
3. News: History . Statto . 6 May 2019 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203018/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/grimsby-town/history . dead .
4. Web site: Green Becomes First Summer Signing . . 10 June 2019.
5. News: Grimsby Town sign striker James Hanson from EFL League One side AFC Wimbledon . Grimsby Live . 18 June 2019 . . 18 June 2019.
6. Web site: Elliott Becomes Our Fourth Summer Signing . . 26 June 2019.
7. Web site: Frontman Is The Third Summer Signing . . 25 June 2019.
8. News: Grimsby Town sign defender Luke Waterfall from EFL League One side Shrewsbury . Grimsby Live . 15 August 2019 . 16 August 2019.
9. News: Clarke Joins The Mariners Until End Of Season . 9 January 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
10. News: Tilley Signs For The Mariners . 15 January 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
11. News: Garmston Signs On Deadline Day . 31 January 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
12. News: Grandin Joins The Mariners Subject To International Clearance . 1 February 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
13. Web site: Mariners Sign Gibson On Loan . . 16 July 2019.
14. Web site: Robson joins Grimsby on loan. 2 September 2019 . Sunderland A.F.C.. 2 September 2019.
15. Web site: Glennon Becomes First January Signing . . 7 January 2020.
16. News: Benson Joins On Loan Until End Of Season . 16 January 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
17. Web site: Duo Head Out On Loan . . 1 August 2019.
18. Web site: Battersby Departs On Short Term Loan . . 14 August 2019.
19. Web site: Vernam Departs On Short Term Loan . . 8 November 2019.
20. Web site: Boro Sign Grimsby Youngster Rumarn Burrell . . 24 May 2019.
21. News: Decision day at Grimsby Town sees four players released as retained list published . Grimsby Live . 5 May 2019 . . 6 May 2019.
22. News: Northampton sign defender Hall-Johnson . BBC Sport . 17 June 2019 . 17 June 2019.
23. Web site: Striker JJ Hooper Signs For Wrexham AFC . . 18 June 2019.
24. Web site: Notts County sign striker Wes Thomas . West Bridgford Wire . 14 August 2019.
25. Web site: Defender Whitmore Signs for AFC Fylde . 17 June 2019 . . 27 June 2019.
26. Web site: And Two More Sign Before The Start Of The Season . 15 August 2019 . . 15 August 2019.
27. Web site: Ring Departs By Mutal Consent . . 22 December 2019.
28. News: Ogbu Leaves By Mutual Consent . 14 January 2020 . Grimsby Town F.C..
29. News: Former Grimsby Town forward Moses Ogbu signs for Swedish side Mjallby . 9 March 2020 . Grimsby Telegraph.
30. Web site: Pre Season Fixtures . . 6 July 2019.
31. Web site: Sky Bet League Two fixtures 2019/20 . . 20 June 2019.
32. News: FA Cup first-round draw . BBC Sport . 21 October 2019 . 24 October 2019.
33. News: Carabao Cup first-round draw . BBC Sport . 20 June 2019 . 20 June 2019.
34. Web site: Carabao Cup Round Two draw . . 14 August 2019.
35. Web site: Carabao Cup Round Three draw confirmed . . 30 August 2019.
36. Web site: EFL Trophy Round One Group Stage Draw . . 9 July 2019.