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This, on paper should be easier against a struggling Sheffield Wednesday side, but as we all know, as Grimsby Town fans, football hardly ever goes by the form book.
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The Story So Far
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| Town | Sheff Wed |
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Town are now where most of the fans would say they would be at the start of the season- in the bottom half. This is no disgrace for such a small club the size of Grimsby, but the manner in which Town have descended to this position has left the fans unhappy and bitter in recent weeks. After topping the table in September, the Mariners plummeted down the table, losing nine of their last twelve league games, scraping just six points in the process. Sandwiched in between this run, however, was a fantastic 2-1 win at Anfield against a full strength Liverpool side in the Worthington Cup. This strange sequence has left all Town fans bewildered at this alarming dip in form, and it seems a relegation battle is again on the cards. This makes Saturday's game against Sheffield Wednesday massively important, and a failure to win either this game or the next game at home to Milwall will mount further pressure on the back of Lennie Lawrence's shoulders.
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Sheffield Wednesday lie in a similar place in the table to the Mariners, languishing in 21st place, one point behind Lennie Lawrence's side. The season has never really got going for the Hillsborough side, and after a string of bad results and lack of money to spend in the transfer market, manager Peter Shreeves resigned from his post just a few weeks ago. Since then, coach Terry Yorath has taken the reigns, leading the Owls to three victories and two losses. This decent start for the former Huddersfield manager has made him a prime candidate for the Wednesday post, and his reputation to get the best out of his players will stand him in good stead, especially when the club are £18 million in debt and have no funds to wheel and deal in the transfer market with.
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Recent Form
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| Town | Sheff Wed |
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| L | Portsmouth | (h) | 2-3 |
| W | Forest | (a) | 1-0 |
| L | Coventry | (a) | 0-2 |
| W | Barnsley | (h) | 3-1 |
| W | Walsall | (h) | 2-1 |
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Overall League Record
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Leading Goalscorers (League + Cup)
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| Town | Sheff Wed |
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| Jevons | 5 |
| Rowan | 4 |
| Jeffrey | 2 |
| Pouton | 2 |
| Allen | 2 |
| Broomes | 2 |
| Campbell | 2 |
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| Sibon | 6 |
| Bonvin | 5 |
| Johnson | 3 |
| Di Piedi | 2 |
| Ekoku | 2 |
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Town Team News
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The Mariners treatment room has been crowded out this week, with masses of injuries hampering Lennie Lawrence's plans.
Paul Groves and Marlon Broomes have been visiting physio Paul Mitchell this week for treatment but should be OK to take their place at the back for Saturdays game.
Similarly, Stacy Coldicott, Ben Chapman and Phil Jevons will be fit enough to take some part in the proceedings.
Players with outside chances of making the game include midfielder Wayne Burnett, Alan Neilson, Jonny Rowan, Paul Raven and Michael Jeffrey.
Definitely out are Steve Livingstone, John Mcdermott and David Smith.
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Sheff Wed Team News
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Tommy Johnson and Efan Ekoku are definitely ruled out with injury, meaning Gerald Sibon and Simon Donnelly continue up front, despite worries over Sibons fitness.
Ex QPR defender Danny Maddix is expected to get the chop, meaning a start for the young Tony Crane at the back.
Elsewhere, Leigh Bromby is expected to continue his duties at right back rather than moving back into the centre.
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Expected Line Ups
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| Town | Sheff Wed |
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Danny Coyne
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| Probably Town's most prized asset in the team, Danny Coyne has transformed himself into an absolutely outstanding keeper in the last year, and was given his reward last season with the Player of the year award.
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Stacy Coldicott
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| Committed player who gets stuck in and gives his all wherever he plays. Returned against Man City to play in midfield, but against Wimbledon played right back and is expected to continue there unless Alan Neilsen makes a quick recovery from injury. |
| Tony Gallimore |
| Solid left back who is a undoubtedly Town's first choice in that position, after signing for Town in 1996 from Carlisle for £230,000. Made Captain when Paul Groves was rested, which is a testament to how highly he is regarded at Town.
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| Marlon Broomes |
| Centre half who has represented England at U21 level. Currently on loan from Blackburn where he is looking to get away from after failing to hold down a first team position there. Expected to sign for a third month next week. |
Paul Groves (c)
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| Captain, and defensive rock for the Mariners, Paul Groves is vital to Towns success. Despite being rested for two games a few weeks ago, Grovesie game back last week and played his heart out in defence, despite calls from many fans to play him in midfield. | Menno Willems
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| Dutch midfielder signed from Vitnesse Arnhem just less than a year ago for £160,000. Defensive midfielder who can also operate at the centre of defence.
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Alan Pouton
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| Returned to the centre of midfield a few weeks ago, where he prefers to play, but now looks like he'll have to play down the right yet again. Tough tackling player who likes to get forward. |
| Danny Butterfield |
| Accomplished midfield player who just lately has covered at right back. Now moved back into midfield where he has become used to in the past year. Will keep his place in the centre of midfield on Saturday. |
Stuart Campbell
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| Summer signing from Leicester for £200,000. The Scottish midfielder can play in the middle, on the right or on the left, but has recently being playing on the left. |
Phil Jevons
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| Another summer signing, this one from Everton for £200,000. Jevons has netted five goals so far this season and looks to have settled in well at Blundell Park. |
| Bradley Allen
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| Experienced forward who has had a run in the first team recently, putting in some assured displays. Expected to stay there on Saturday. The former QPR hitman has hit the back of the net twice this season. |
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Kevin Pressman
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| Former England U21 goalkeeper who has been with Wednesday all his career. Now regarded as one of the best keepers outside the top flight. |
| Leigh Bromby |
| 21 year old defender who can operate anywhere across the back. Highly regarded as a star for the future and has been linked with Middlesbrough this week. |
Derek Geary
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| Another product of the Owl's youth system to break into the first team. Geary is An Irish defender who made his debut for the Owls only last season. |
| Ashley Westwood |
| Accomplished defender who was signed by previous manager Paul Jewell last August from his former team Bradford City. Commanding defender who started his career at Manchester United. |
Tony Crane
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| 19 year old player who can operate in defence or midfield. Made his debut last season at the tender age of 18 and is tipped to go onto great things at Hillsborough. Expected to displace Danny Maddix from the starting 11. |
| Alan Quinn |
| Aggressive midfielder who has a sweet left boot. Made his debut in the 1997/98 season with one appearance, and has gone on to make over 60 appearances for the Owls to date. A former Eire under 21 player. |
Trond Egil Soltvedt
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| Norwegian midfielder with 4 caps to his name. Started off at Viking and has played for Southampton and Coventry in the Premiership. Made his move to Hillsborough permanent last season after an initial loan spell. |
Simon Donnelly
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| Attacking midfielder who played up front last game with Gerald Sibon. Donnely's career has taken a tumble in the past few years. In 1998 he was a Scottish international playing for Celtic, whereas now he is playing the first division. |
| Owen Morrison |
| Irish under 21 international who has bags of talent and an eye for goal. Made his mark last season, scoring six goals in 31 games, including a goal away at West Ham in the cup, which eventually meant they beat the Premiership side. |
Gerald Sibon
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| Gangly Dutch striker who hit 13 goals for the Owls last season. For a tall man, Sibon has great skill and a fantastic shot on him. Sibon will be vital to Wednesdays aspirations this season. |
Aaron Lescott
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| Midfielder who has previously had a loan spell at Towns local neighbours Lincoln City. Started off as an apprentice at Aston Villa before making a switch to Sheffield, for whom he made 30 appearances for last season. |
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| Subs | Subs |
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| Jonathan Rowan |
| Michael Boulding |
| David Beharall |
| Ben Chapman |
| Steve Crousdon (GK) |
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| Danny Maddix |
| Peter Bonvin |
| Steve Harkness |
| Paul McClaren |
| Chris Stringer (GK) |
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Last Time Out
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The last time the two sides met was at Hillsborough when Sheffield Wednesday snatched a 1-0 victory in the first league match of 2001. The Mariners side, including loanee David Nielsen were unlucky not to get at least a point in a vital six pointer at the foot of the table. This seasons game is likely to be the same, with both sides struggling already, at the wrong side of the table. Previous to that, Sheffield Wednesday won once again in a 1-0 victory at Blundell Park, when a goal from Michelle Di Piedi grabbed all three points for the Owls in front of a full Blundell Park house.
Town Team: Coyne, Butterfield, Fostervold, Groves, Enhua, Coldicott, Donovan, Campbell, Willems, Burnett, Nielsen.
Subs: R Smith, Livingstone, D Smith, Gallimore, Crousdon.
Sheff Wed Team: Pressman, Hendon, Harkness, Haslam, Blatsis, Walker, Cooke, Sibon, Di Piedi, Morrison, Quinn.
Subs: Lescott, Hamshaw, O'Donnell, Beresford, De Bilde.
Report
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Sheff Wed Head-to-Head
(96th on The Opposition Ladder).
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Fishy Prediction
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Since the Birmingham game, things looked up for Town, but now we are back in trouble again. This makes Saturdays game very important and, anything but a loss will satisfy most Town fans
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