Grimsby Town vs. Tranmere Rovers match preview

Last updated : 11 August 2008 By Matthew Jones
Rovers looking for Carling Cup victory
After the season opened, somewhat poorly for both Tranmere and Grimsby you might say, just a couple of days ago, the League Cup kicks off this week, with all teams from the Coca-Cola Leagues involved in First Round action, as they start their bid for an unlikely trip to Wembley.

Ronnie Moore's Tranmere side have been handed a tough first round draw as they travel East to take on League Two side Grimsby Town at Blundell Park, and they will be looking to over turn a poor run of form in the League Cup over recent years, as well as book their place in the second round where they will hopefully be pitted against a Premier League side.


Grimsby Town club profile:

Formed: 1878

Ground: Blundell Park

Manager: Alan Buckley

Nickname: The Mariners

Season Finish 2006/07: 16th (Coca-Cola League Two)

Previous Meetings:

It's a few years since Tranmere and Grimsby last met, as for the last five seasons, the Mariners have been stuck in the Football League's basement division after a brief flirtation with the Coca-Cola Championship less than a decade a go.

The last time the two clubs met was the 2003/04 season, when Rovers and Grimsby were both in League One together after Grimsby had just been relegated from the Championship.

In this season, Rovers, now managed by Brian Little after the early-season departure of Ray Mathias, travelled to Grimsby in November and picked up a pleasing 1-0 victory, with Gary Jones, later to become a Grimsby player, the scorer of the only goal on the night in the second half.

Come the final day of the same season, Grimsby were in dire trouble at the bottom of League One and they were up against Tranmere at Prenton Park.

A win for Rovers would relegate the Mariners and indeed Brian Little's side picked up that win, with Hume and Dadi scoring second half goals for Rovers to complete a 2-1 win after Mansaram has put Grimsby 1-0 up on 24 minutes and given the Grimsby fans brief dreams of survival.

The result meant Tranmere finished in eighth place, just six points off the play-offs, whilst Grimsby were left one point off survival in the final relegation spot, agonisingly close to Chesterfield in 20th.


Vital Stats:

Rovers have won five of the last six meetings between these two teams

In 30 meetings between these two sides in Grimsby, Rovers have picked up just three away wins, with Grimsby winning on 17 occasions

These two sides have met just once before in the League Cup, with Tranmere pulling off an emphatic 4-1 victory at Prenton Park in the 1993/94 season, a year in which they made it to the League Cup semi-final

Rovers and Grimsby have previously played six games in August, with Tranmere winning two and drawing three

Often, games between the two teams produce goals, with Grimsby picking up 8-0, 6-0, 6-1, 5-1 5-0 and 6-3 wins over Tranmere, as well as 5-1 and 4-1 wins for Tranmere


On This Day:

2006: Ronnie Moore's Tranmere draw a tough game against Doncaster Rovers 0-0 in their final trip to the old Belle Vue stadium

2005: In a Friday night encounter, Tranmere hammer Oldham 4-0 at Prenton Park as their push for the play-offs, with Greenacre (x2), Sharps and Robers scoring for Brian Little's side

1997: Rovers beat Hartlepool United 3-1 at Prenton Park in the League Cup first round, first leg

Tranmere have played a total of nine previous games on August 12th, picking up three wins, four draws and just two defeats. They have scored a total of eleven goals, whilst they have conceded just six.


Recent League Cup History:

In recent years, Tranmere have been less than successful in the League Cup. Indeed, in the last three seasons, Tranmere have in fact been knocked out of the trophy at the first round stage.

Last season, Rovers lost 1-0 away to Stockport, this following up a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Hull the previous season and in Brian Little's final season in charge, a 2-1 defeat away to Scunthorpe United.

So the draw hasn't exactly been kind to Rovers, with this being their fourth successive match on the road in the tournament, perhaps making up for the 1999/2000 season, where in every round, Tranmere played a match at home on their way to the final when they lost 2-1 to Leicester City at Wembley.

Rovers last victory in the competition came over Shrewsbury Town in 2004/05, when Rovers won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Zola and McAteer, before being knocked out of the trophy by Portsmouth in the next round at Prenton Park.

Grimsby have been somewhat more successful in the League Cup over the recent years though, although that wouldn't be difficult, as they

Last season, they were unlucky to lose on penalties to Burnley at Blundell Park after the game ended 1-1 after normal and extra time, whilst the season before, the Mariners were beaten triumphantly by Crewe Alexandra, with the match, again at Blundell Park, finishing 3-0.

The season before though, Grimsby recorded a League Cup victory as they beat Wigan Athletic, now of course a Premier League side but then in the Championship, 1-0 at Blundell Park courtesy of an early goal by Andy Parkinson, a former Tranmere player who scored a wonder goal for Rovers in the same competition a few years earlier against Middlesbrough.

However, Grimsby lost their second round match against Charlton 2-0 whilst the season before, they lost 3-2 away to Doncaster Rovers in a game that will be exactly five years a go to the day on the date of their League Cup fixture this year. For Tranmere's sake, lets hom history repeats itself.


The Form Book:

Grimsby Town opened their season this weekend with a dissapointing 0-0 draw against last seasons beaten League Two play-off finalists Rochdale at Blundell Park.

Pre-season included games against the likes of Gainsborough Trinity, which the Mariners won 2-0 whilst Alan Buckley's side finished their season preperations at Brigg Town, a team Tranmere will remember as they met in the F.A. Cup a few years back, which Grimsby drew 1-1.

The Mariners have also featured in the Lincolnshire Senior Cup so far, with a 1-0 defeat of Lincoln followed up by a 4-0 thrashing by local rivals Scunthorpe United, a result that no doubt did anything but please Grimsby fans.

Other pre-season results include a 2-1 defeat at home to Oldham and hugely dissapointing defeats to Eastwood Town (5-1), Farlsey Celtic (3-0) and Corby Town (3-1).

Tranmere kicked off their season on Saturday in hugely unimpressive fashion with a 3-1 defeat away to Swindon Town, with a late Bas Savage goal proving to be only a concelation for Rovers on what was a dissapointing day, with terrible defensive errors costing them the game.

Said result though followed up what had been an impressive pre-season for Tranmere, with new signings fitting well into a 4-3-3 formation that had been working for Ronnie Moore's side over the summer.

Rovers dispatched of Southport (4-1), Heswall (6-2), Morecambe (2-0) and Championship side Blackpool (1-0) over the summer and looked to be coming into the new season not only with confidence and optimism, but they also looked in great shape.

However, the wind was blown out of their sails with this result and Tranmere will be looking to get back on track and hopefully start a cup run this Tuesday night.

Double Hit:

Robbie Stockdale who is now a Mariner
In recent years, there have surprisingly been several links between Tranmere Rovers and Grimsby Town. Indeed, there is one player on the books of each club who has played for the club who will be their opposition on Tuesday, with Danny Coyne at Tranmere having signed for Grimsby from Tranmere in 1999, and Robbie Stockdale, who was released by Tranmere at the end of last season joining Grimsby in time for the new campaign.

The man to who we turn today though is a former Rovers academy graduate who spent many successful years at Prenton Park and enjoyed a three-year career at Grimsby up until this summer.

Utility man Gary Jones made his debut for Tranmere Rovers during the Johnny King era, with the Chester born giant making his Rovers debut in the 1993/94 season.

Over the next seven years, Jones, who was able to play in either defence, midfield or attack, made 212 appearances for the club under two managers, the afforementioned King and John Aldridge.

He scored 34 goals in this time and was part of the Rovers side that made that increadible run to the League Cup final under "Aldo" in 1999/2000, reaching the F.A. Cup Quarter Final in the same season, as well as being part of the King sides that made the play-offs to reach the Premier League over three consecutive seasons in the early to mid nineties.

In the summer of 2000, with the financial crisis worsening at Prenton Park, despite two great cup runs, Jones was amongst a whole host of Rovers players who rejected new contracts at the club and left for bigger and better things.

Whilst David Kelly, Rovers star man in that League Cup run, left for Motherwell in the SPL, Alan Mahon joined Sporting Lisbon and Jones left for Nottingham Forest.

Jonah in his Grimsby days
However, he was only at Forest for 14 months, making 39 appearances and scoring once, before returning to Tranmere, initially on loan, who were now in Division Two, or as it is now known, League One.

The loan spell, where he was managed by Dave Watson, lasted a month, enough to convince the club to sign Jones permanently once again, and for the next four years Jones was once more a Tranmere player, making a further 104 appearances and scoring 21 goals under Watson, Ray Mathias and Brian Little.

Again, Jones enjoyed cup success as Tranmere reached the F.A. Cup Quarter Finals for a third time in five years under Little in 2003/04 whilst in his final season with the club, Jones helped Tranmere to the League One play-off semi-finals, before Tranmere suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Hartlepool at Prenton Park, with Ian Sharps missing the crucial spot-kick for the Super Whites.

At the end of the 2004/05 season, Jones was released by Rovers, a bad decision in some fans eyes, as with the player being so versatile, he was a very handy player to have around the squad.

He joined Grimsby on a free-transfer and spent the last three seasons with the club, making 135 appearances for the club and scoring 30 goals, of which 17 came in the 05/06 season, when Jones was one of the top scorers in League Two as he helped the Mariners to the play-off final, scoring a goal in each leg of the semi-final against Lincoln.

However, Grimsby lost the final 1-0 to Cheltenham in Cardiff, and since then the Mariners have struggled to find the kind of form that got them to the Millenium Stadium that season.

At the end of the 2007/08 season, in which Jones scored just five goals, the tall, black-haired striker was released and he is yet to find a new club.

Now 33, his playing days might be in their twilight years, but they are far from over, and I'm sure the 6'03 attacker will find another club soon.

In recent years, another player who has also played for both sides is Georges Santos, who recently helped Tranmere to Mersey Masters success and was named the Grimsby Town fans player of the year in 2002/03, whilst Iffy Onoura has also represented both clubs in the last five years.

Former Tranmere player Andy Parkinson, who scored some stunning goals for both clubs, also represented Grimsby but after being released by Notts County last summer, the former Liverpool trainee, who was fantastic in his time at Rovers before injury, now plays for Cambridge.


One To Watch: Chris Llewellyn

Former Hartlepool and Wrexham player Chris Llewellyn is now on the books at Grimsby Town, having joined the club from Wrexham this summer.

A creative midfielder, the Welshman started his career with Norwich where he made 158 appearances for the club between 1996 and 2003, scoring 18 goals before falling out of favour with the Canaries and joining Bristol City on loan at the end of the 2002/03 season, when he made 14 appearances and scored three goals.

On being released by Norwich at the end of that season, Llewellyn joined Wrexham, who were the in League One, and enjoyed two seasons with the Welsh club.

106 times Llewellyn represented the Dragons, scoring 20 goals and becoming something of a fan favourite in the process, but relegation from League One on Wrexham's part meant Llewellyn left the club and joined Hartlepool United.

However, the Swansea-born midfielder lasted just a season at Hartlepool and was less than a success, making 32 appearances and scoring just once for the club, whilst in the process he got sent off against Tranmere for a horrible, high tackle on Tranmere captain Mike Jackson at Victoria Park in January.

At the end of the 05/06 season, Llewellyn left Hartlepool and returned to Wrexham. He remained there until this summer, making 87 appearances for the Welsh side and scoring 14 goals, before relegation out of the Football League meant he once again left the club.

This time, Llewellyn joined Grimsby, where he has so far played in their only league game of the season, a 0-0 draw with Rochdale at Blundell Park.

A creative midfielder, the Welshman, who has two caps for his homeland to his name, is a more than useful set-piece taker who is quite capable of creating chances with his wide-ranging passing ability.


League Cup fixtures:

Team News:

Danny Coyne, unlikely to play against his old club
Tranmere will still be without Ian Goodison, who is supsended for one further match after being dismissed against Northampton on the final day of last season, whilst the availablility of Paul Henry comes in to question after his pre-season dismissal against Morecambe.

John Achterberg is set to continue in goal as Danny Coyne is likely to be unable to face his former club due to injury, but Chris Greenacre and Gareth Edds could return for Tranmere.


Jones' Prediction: Grimsby Town 1-2 Tranmere Rovers

As we are all well too aware of, Tranmere's recent cup form as been nothing short of disasterous, but I get the feeling that this is where it could all turn round for Ronnie Moore and his side.

No doubt, this is a tough draw for Tranmere and they have struggled against League Two sides lately, being knocked out of all three trophy competitions by League Two sides since Ronnie Moore's arrival at the club. However, Rovers have this summer built a strong squad, and if they can get the Swindon performance out of their heads then this could be where the season kicks off for Ronnie Moore's boys.

Realistically, Tranmere should be too strong for their opponents, and with a couple of players set to return, Tranmere should be stronger all round than they were on Saturday.

Where the game should be won for Rovers is in midfield, where new signings Charlie Barnett and George O'Callaghan, along with Steven Jennings, should be able to run the show, creating plenty of chance for the forwards and getting forwards themselves, whilst Jennings is crucial in being a barricade between the Tranmere goal.