Pouton Joins Gillingham!

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 18/01/2004

MIDFIELDER Alan Pouton has joined Gillingham on a month's loan with a view to a permanent move. The sudden transfer of the former York midfielder, who was Alan Buckley's final signing when he joined Grimsby in 1999 from the Minstrels, brings to the end the spell at the club of a popular player.

With Pouton free to leave the club in the summer on a Bosman, Town appear to have cashed in while they can still get a small transfer fee, and at the same time remove one the biggest earners from the Blundell Park wage bill.

Town have now lost two players this week, with Marcel Cas having walked out of Blundell Park on Wednesday, having had a major disagreement with manager Paul Groves. With the club having already received one offer for top scorer Michael Boulding (from Peterborough, which they were able to turn down), it seems only a matter of time before the former Villa striker joins his two ex-team mates at pastures new.

Although the loss of two key players will be a bitter blow for many fans, transfers are part of today's game for a club with Grimsby's budget - but money has to be made available for replacements as soon as possible if Town are to sink without trace. Rotherham midfielder Nicky Daws, who Town could not afford following a superb loan spell back in September, would be a worthy successor to Alan Pouton if only he could be persuaded so sign a contract with the Mariners.

Meanwhile there is the small matter of a game at Port Vale on Saturday without Marcel Cas, Alan Pouton, Stuart Campbell (injured) and Tony Crane (suspended), amongst others.

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