Macca on Verge of Signing

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 30/03/2001

JOHN McDERMOTT, who this season broke the record for the greatest number of appearances for the Mariners, has given the club a boost by agreeing in principle to a sign new two-year deal. The 32-year-old right back, in his 14th season at Blundell Park, hopes to sign a contract in the next few days.

"I'm expecting to have a gentleman's handshake on the deal." McDermott told Radio Humberside. "All I'm waiting for is to have the contract drawn up and I'll sign it. The Club secretary is ill at the moment. but I expect to sign later in the week or on Monday."

The Middlesborough-born defender will be the second senior player to sign up for a new deal, joining teammate Steve Livingstone, who put pen to paper last month. McDermott, who has played 465 league games for the Mariners, could set an appearance record that could stand for years if he signs the deal, which he hopes won't be the last of his playing career. Town skipper Paul Groves is also reported to be close to a deal, saying this week the contract talks were "still ongoing, hopefully we will get something sorted out fairly soon".

Grimsby manager Lennie Lawrence is attempting to keep the nucleus of his side together for next season's campaign, with a large number of players out of contract in the summer. However, as Town Vice Chairman Bryan Huxford indicated this week, getting players to sign on the dotted line is difficult without knowing what division the Mariners will be competing in next campaign. Town need approximately three more wins in their remaining eight games to avoid the drop to the second division.

"We're not procrastinating. It's the circumstances that are making it difficult. Some of the players want to see what division they're in, and I've told them that if they keep us up it gives them a better bargaining position." said Huxford this week.

The remaining list of players out of contract at the end of the season is

• Kingsley Black
• Matthew Bloomer.
• Wayne Burnett
• Danny Butterfield
• Daryl Clare
• Stacy Coldicott
• Kevin Donovan
• Tony Gallimore
• Peter Handyside
• Andy Smith
• Richard Smith

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