Grimsby v Newport Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 01/10/2010

THE last time Newport travelled to Blundell Park for a league match James Callaghan was PM, Argentina had just finished hosting the 1978 World Cup and Peter Furneaux had just celebrated 125th birthday.

Their History

Oh look another plucky Welsh club giving it to those big English bastards! Originally formed in 1912 the club were founder members of the Third Division back in 1920. The Exiles as they are known won the Welsh Cup in 1980 and subsequently reached the quarter finals of the Cup Winners Cup so that isn’t half bad. In 1988 the club were relegated from the Football League and unfortunately went out of business in 1989. It wasn’t long before the club were reformed and rejoined the pyramid scheme of football at the foundations. The club initially played in North Gloucestershire when reformed hence the nickname The Exiles. The club found themselves in the midst of a legal wrangling, which resulted in the High Courts setting a legal precedent stating the club could still be based in Wales and play in the English Leagues after that loop hole had been closed decades ago.

Last Season

The club were promoted as Champions of Conference South with a league record of 103 points, a massive 28 points ahead of Alan Pouton’s former club Dover Athletic. The team were heavily reliant on Craig Reid’s 24 league goals upfront helpfully supported by Sam Foley; while at the back the club conceded just 8 goals at home throughout the entire season! The team were undefeated at home in the league but were embarrassingly beaten by Monmouth Town in the Gwent Senior Cup in mid October ruining the chance of been unbeaten in all competitions. The club at 1 point lost just 1 game in 34 and went 19 unbeaten in the league.

This Season

Now many fans may shudder at the thought of Tommy Mooney on a team sheet. His inclusion would be an almost certain 1 goal advantage to the opposition even before play had started. Before him though we had Dean Holdsworth the former Bolton and Wimbledon man scored on us more times then (insert your mum joke here.) Now manager at Newport Holdsworth is hoping to come back and haunt us again. He was the brains behind last seasons fantastic campaign and even though on the official website his picture reminds me too much of Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (Con Air you moron go watch some decent films! No put the Notebook down. God. Man up!) He isn’t in fact a lunatic in charge of a prison plane but is a great former player working hard and succeeding at a new club. Newport are currently 4th in the league 3 points behind leaders Crawley and 5 ahead of ourselves. Having just lost 1 game so far, the first against Darlington, the club have gone on to be unbeaten obviously drawing away at Wimbledon and Luton as well as beating Mansfield all of whom are at the business end of the table early on. Craig Reid has continued his brilliant scoring record with 9 from 12 while after conceding only 10 goals so far it seems the defence is also continuing it’s form from last season. All very good for Newport. All very bad for us.

Key Player: Craig Reid, Number 9

He’s been mentioned too many times already but Craig Reid is without a doubt the most threatening player for Newport. The clubs leading goalscorer signed from Grays Athletics in the winter of 2008 after a successful loan spell (4 goals in 10 games). He managed a run of 7 goals in 5 games in September 2009 winning him player of the month for the Conference South and was later named player of the season after finishing the leagues top scorer. He started out at Ipswich under a scholarship before shipping out to Coventry but failed to get on the bench never mind get any first team action he was sent to Tamworth and Cheltenham before eventually landing at Grays.

Prediction

How fickle the masses are. The team have found their footing again and yet another tough in form opponent has been thrust at us. With home advantage and a new string to our bow upfront a win should shut up any doubters of Woods. Well till next week at least.

Grimsby Town 2-0 Newport

Grimsbuy

1 Kenny Arthur
2 Peter Bore
3 Lee Ridley
4 Mark Hudson
5 Darran Kempson
6 Scott Garner
7 Lewis Gobern
8 Michael Cummins
9 Charles Ademeno
10 Lee Peacock
11 Michael Coulson
13 Nick Colgan
14 Michael Leary
15 Dwayne Samuels
16 Steven Watt
17 Alan Connell
19 Bradley Wood
22 Mark Gray
24 Nathan Dixon
25 Robert Atkinson
28 Josh Fuller
29 Robert Eagle
38 Richard O'Donnell
40 Rob Peet
Andrew Wright

Newport

1 England GK Glyn Thompson
2 England DF Paul Bignot
3 England DF Lee Baker
4 England DF Jamie Collins
5 England DF Gary Warren (captain)
6 Wales DF Chris Todd
7 England MF Danny Rose
8 England MF Scott Rogers
9 England FW Craig Reid
10 Ireland FW Sam Foley
11 England MF Charlie Henry
14 England MF Wayne Turk
16 Tanzania DF Eddie Odhiambo
17 England MF Tony Taggart
18 Wales DF Andrew Hughes
19 England FW Robbie Matthews
20 England FW Darryl Knights
21 Wales GK Glyn Garner
22 England DF Martin John (on loan from Cardiff City)
23 England MF Charlie Clough (on loan from Bristol Rovers)
27 Wales FW Kerry Morgan (on loan from Swansea City)

Team News

Right-sided Peter Bore (hip) and centre-back Steven Watt (groin) are both doubts for Grimsby.

Add To Facebook

This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!

Related Stories

• Town Defeat Wrexham
• We Only Train on a Thursday
• Grimsby Town are Too Nice
• More Stories