Striker Eludes Groves

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 24/07/2003

PAUL Groves has admitted that it is proving difficult to find a target man of sufficient quality willing to come to the club. "There are people out there, but you are looking for the best deal - you're also looking for the best man for the job", the Town boss told Mariners Net.

Groves is now in the position where it is looking probable that he will not manage to find a new striker before the start of the season in just over two week's time. "We're getting to the stage now where we have spoken to a lot of strikers and very few of them have even got down to money", said Groves.

The Town boss has been forced to widen his net in order to find someone, after his immediate choices have proved fruitless. "We are having to look at younger, unproven players and older players who could provide a short-term solution. We are also having to look at a season-long loan but those players, again, are often young and somewhat unproven."

Groves is staying tight-lipped who his latest targets might be. "We like to conduct our business on the quiet and hopefully announce it when it's all signed and sealed. The last thing we want to do is end up where we alert another club and it ends up in an auction or something like that."

Town have just three forwards on their books with any first team experience (excluding out-of-favour Phil Jevons) in the form of Michael Boulding, Darren Mansaram and Jonathan Rowan. It may be that Grimsby will have to make do with that trio, or opt to promote youngster Giovanni Carchedi to first team duties, for the first few games of the season at least.

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