League Two Form Guide

		P	GD	Pts
1	Port Vale	6	+6	16
2	MK Dons	6	+8	13
3	Doncaster	6	+5	13
4	Walsall	6	+5	11
5	Bradford	6	+4	11
6	Crewe	6	+4	11
7	Notts County	6	+3	11
8	Salford	6	+2	11
9	Chesterfield	6	+6	10
10	Cheltenham	6	+1	10
11	Accrington Stanley	6	+1	10
12	Grimsby	6	-5	9
13	AFC Wimbledon	6	+4	7
14	Bromley	6	0	7
15	Newport County	6	-2	7
16	Fleetwood Town	6	+1	6
17	Swindon	6	-1	6
18	Barrow	6	-2	5
19	Tranmere	6	-4	5
20	Harrogate Town	6	-5	5
21	Morecambe	6	-8	4
22	Colchester	6	-6	3
23	Carlisle	6	-9	2
24	Gillingham	6	-7	1

Full Form Table
Prem|Champ|L1|NL|VN|VS
SPL|SC|S1|S2

Question of the Week

Is football a business or a sport?

Sheff Wed Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 18/04/2003

TOWNâ€™S visit to Hillsborough this weekend undoubtedly marks their biggest game of their season yet. With both Town and Wednesday stuck at the foot of the table, the Mariners have to win if they are to avoid relegation, whilst if they lose they will almost certainly be relegated.

Home > 2002-2003 Season > Previews > Sheff Wed (a)

The Bottom Line

Grimsby have to win. A draw is not much good. A loss coupled with another defeat on Monday at home to Walsall could see us relegated.

The Opposition - Any Good?

Sheffield Wednesday may not be in a much better position that Town, but they do have some very good players in their squad. Finnish international Shefki Kuqi (left) will lead their line, who at Â£1 million, cost more money than the whole Grimsby team put together. Joining him will be Michael Reddy, who scored that vital winner at Portsmouth last weekend to secure three precious points for the Sheffield side. He is currently on loan from relegated Premiership side Sunderland and had a loan spell at neighbours Hull City last season. In defence for the Owls will be ex QPR defender Danny Maddix, who was of course sent off at Blundell Park last season, while the vastly experienced Kevin Pressman will again be in goal.

Recent Form

Town

Wolves

W	Palace	(h)	1-4
D	Wolves	(h)	0-1
L	Leicester	(a)	0-2
D	Burnley	(h)	1-1
W	Rotherham	(a)	1-0

W	Portsmouth	(a)	2-1
W	Wimbledon	(h)	4-2
D	Watford	(h)	2-2
L	Millwall	(a)	0-3
D	Bradford	(a)	1-1

Players To Watch

Town	Sheff Wed

Stuart Campbell	Alan Quinn
The Mariners top scorer with seven goals, and one of our most consistent performers this season, playing anywhere across the midfield. A Â£200,000 signing by Lennie Lawrence in 2001, Campbellâ€™s versatility is a major plus in a very small squad. Will be one of the favourites for the clubâ€™s player of the year award.	Northern Ireland international midfielder who has a lethal left foot and can also play on the wing. He is a determined player who has tremendous energy. Has played over 100 games for the Owls despite having broken his leg in April 2001 against Sheffield United. A vital member of the Owls midfield who has the potential to exploit spaces in defence and shoot from distance.

Top Scorers

Town	Sheff Wed
Campbell 7 Oster 6 Kabba 6	Sibon 9 (Now left Club) Kuqi 8 6 players on 6 goals

Team News

Town

Sheff Wed

Apart from the loss of long term injury victims Darren Barnard, Alan Pouton and Stacy Coldicott, the Mariners now have almost a fully fit squad.

After recovering from illness, Richard Hughes, Steve Livingstone, Tony Gallimore and Michael Keane return to the squad.

However, an even bigger boost to the squad will be the return of George Santos who was badly missed last weekend at home to Crystal Palace. He should have recovered from his groin injury in time to play.

More of a concern is the fitness of his central defensive partner, Simon Ford who has had a sore achilles tendon all week. If he fails to make it then the experienced Steve Chettle will play his second game in a week alongside Santos.

This gives Groves the option of sticking with the 4-4-2 formation that he used last week or going back to the 4-5-1 formation that has given the Mariners some decent results, especially away from home.

The Owls have few new injury problems to contend with and are expected to name an unchanged side from the one that beat Portsmouth last Saturday.

The good news for Wednesdayâ€™s survival campaign is that captain Daryll Powell could play again before the season ends. It was feared that the former Portsmouth and Derby player could miss the rest of the season through injury but it is now hoped he may yet play a part in the Owls final run in.

Striker Simon Donnelly could be in the squad after bagging a couple of goals for the reserves on Wednesday in a more advanced striking role.

Trond Egil Soltvedt, David Burrows, Derek Geary and Craig Armstrong are still all injured.

Probable Starting XI's

Town

Sheff Wed

Danny Coyne

John McDermott

Steve Chettle

George Santos

Tony Gallimore

Stuart Campbell

Richard Hughes

Paul Groves

Michael Keane

Michael Boulding

Darren Mansaram

Kevin Pressman

Danny Maddix

Dean Smith

Steven Haslam

Ashley Westwood

Leigh Bromby

Brian Barry-Murphy

Paul McLaren

Alan Quinn

Shefki Kuqi

Lloyd Owusu

Subs

Town

Sheff Wed

Steve Livingstone

Chris Bolder

Terry Cooke

Wes Parker

Sean Allaway (GK)

Michael Reddy

Richard Evans

Grant Holt

Richard Wood

Chris Stringer (GK)

Last Time Out

Town last played Wednesday just before Christmas, in a game the Mariners won 2-0 thanks to goals from George Santos and Darren Mansaram. This match started a small run that saw Town win at Derby and pick up a point against Norwich, with John Oster instrumental throughout.

Town TeamCoyne, Ward (Gavin) Barnard, Santos, Ford, Coldicott, Campbell, Oster, Pouton, Mansaram, Livingstone.
Subs (not used): Cooke, Soames, Groves, Allaway (GK)

Attendance: 8,224 Report

Sheff Wed Head-to-Head (67th on The Opposition Ladder).

Prediction

Fishy prediction: 2-1 to Town

Reader's POMs

Directions

Click on the link for directions to Hillsborough.

Pubs

Click on the link for pubs around Hillsborough.

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League Two Form Guide

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Sheff Wed Preview

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