# 2001–02 Grimsby Town F.C. season

During the 2001–02 English football season, Grimsby Town competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

During the opening weeks of the 2001–02 season, Grimsby briefly led the First Division, sparking hopes that Lawrence could repeat the promotion success he achieved at Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough with a much smaller club. One major highlight in the season was when Grimsby picked up a shock 2–1 win over Liverpool in extra time at Anfield in the League Cup thanks to a wonder strike from Phil Jevons in the last minute. However, after a 5–0 heavy loss to Crystal Palace, ambitious promotion hopes were quickly extinguished as Grimsby's form hit a major decline with only one win in their next 18 league games which saw Grimsby sit 23rd in the table and Lawrence was sacked as a result and Paul Groves was named player-manager. Groves brought in Graham Rodger as his assistant and made successful loan signings which included Andy Todd and Martin Pringle both from Charlton and Grimsby's results steadily improved as Groves steered them to safety.

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Fee |
| 6 July 2001 | FW | Phil Jevons | Everton | £250,000 |
| 1 August 2001 | MF | Chris Bolder | Hull City | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | MF | Graham Hockless | Hull City | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | DF | Simon Ford | Charlton Athletic | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | GK | Morgan Cranley | Shelbourne | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | DF | David Morgan | Sunderland | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | MF | Ross Thompson | Scunthorpe United | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2001 | MF | Robbie Busscher | Feyenoord | Free Transfer |
| 6 July 2001 | GK | Ronald Ermes | Feyenoord | Free Transfer |
| 24 August 2000 | FW | Michael Boulding | Mansfield Town | Free Transfer |
| 19 October 2001 | DF | Alan Neilson | Fulham | Free Transfer |
| 30 October 2001 | FW | Chris Thompson | Liverpool | Free Transfer |
| 23 March 2002 | FW | Willie Falconer | St. Johnstone | Free Transfer |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Date Until |
| 9 August 2001 | DF | David Beharall | Newcastle United | 9 November 2001 |
| 9 August 2001 | FW | Paul Robinson | Newcastle United | 27 October 2001 |
| 7 September 2001 | DF | Marlon Broomes | Blackburn Rovers | 7 December 2001 |
| 17 January 2002 | FW | Robert Taylor | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 17 February 2002 |
| 21 February 2002 | FW | Martin Pringle | Charlton Athletic | 27 February 2002 |
| 21 February 2002 | MF | Andy Todd | Charlton Athletic | 22 April 2002 |
| 28 March 2002 | MF | Terry Cooke | Manchester City | 22 April 2002 |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred To | Fee |
| 22 May 2001 | MF | Kingsley Black | Lincoln City | Released |
| 31 May 2001 | DF | Richard Smith | Retired | Released |
| 8 June 2001 | MF | Matthew Bloomer | Hull City | Released |
| 2 July 2001 | MF | Kevin Donovan | Barnsley | Free Transfer |
| 9 July 2000 | MF | Andy Smith | Lincoln City | Released |
| 10 July 2001 | DF | Peter Handyside | Stoke City | Free Transfer |
| 20 July 2001 | FW | Daryl Clare | Boston United | Released |
| 23 July 2001 | MF | Adam Buckley | Lincoln City | Released |
| 1 January 2002 | GK | Ronald Ermes | SC Feyenoord | Released |
| 1 January 2002 | MF | Robbie Busscher | Stormvogels Telstar | Released |
| 1 January 2002 | GK | Morgan Cranley | Shelbourne | Released |
| 22 February 2002 | DF | Alan Neilson | Luton Town | Released |
| 21 March 2002 | DF | David Morgan | Gateshead | Released |

### Loans out

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred To | Date Until | Ref |
| 16 August 2001 | GK | Steve Croudson | Scunthorpe United | 16 September 2001 | |
| 13 March 2002 | FW | Mike Jeffrey | Scunthorpe United | 21 April 2022 | |

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 60 | 72 | −12 | 53 |
| 18 | Walsall | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 51 | 71 | −20 | 51 |
| 19 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 50 | 72 | −22 | 50 |
| 20 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 49 | 71 | −22 | 50 |
| 21 | Rotherham United | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 49 |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 2001-02 Football League First Division table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | D | L | W | W | D | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | L | W | L | L | D | D | L | L | D | L | D | L | W | D | D | L | D | L | L | W | D | W | W | L | D | W | W | L | D | D | W | L |
| Position | 9 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 19 |

## Results

Grimsby Town's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 11 August 2001 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–0 | 5,368 | Burnett |
| 18 August 2001 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–0 | 17,971 | Pouton (pen) |
| 25 August 2001 | Preston North End | H | 2–2 | 5,789 | Rowan, Pouton (pen) |
| 27 August 2001 | Portsmouth | A | 2–4 | 13,614 | Butterfield, Jeffrey |
| 1 September 2001 | Barnsley | H | 1–0 | 6,173 | Jevons |
| 8 September 2001 | Coventry City | A | 1–0 | 14,980 | Jevons |
| 15 September 2001 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–0 | 8,746 | |
| 18 September 2001 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–5 | 13,970 | |
| 22 September 2001 | Stockport County | A | 3–3 | 7,834 | Rowan, Burnett, Campbell |
| 25 September 2001 | Gillingham | H | 1–2 | 4,859 | Allen |
| 29 September 2001 | Bradford City | A | 2–3 | 13,778 | Rowan, Boulding |
| 5 October 2001 | Rotherham United | H | 0–2 | 6,662 | |
| 13 October 2001 | Sheffield United | A | 1–3 | 15,442 | Willems |
| 20 October 2001 | Watford | H | 0–3 | 5,506 | |
| 23 October 2001 | Manchester City | A | 0–4 | 30,797 | |
| 26 October 2001 | Birmingham City | H | 3–1 | 5,419 | Boulding (2), Jevons |
| 30 October 2001 | Norwich City | H | 0–2 | 5,489 | |
| 3 November 2001 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 6,189 | Campbell |
| 10 November 2001 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–0 | 17,507 | |
| 17 November 2001 | Millwall | H | 2–2 | 5,037 | Rowan, Boulding |
| 23 November 2001 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 18,535 | |
| 1 December 2001 | Manchester City | H | 0–2 | 7,960 | |
| 7 December 2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | 5,143 | Jevons |
| 15 December 2001 | Walsall | A | 0–4 | 5,080 | |
| 22 December 2001 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | 14,667 | |
| 26 December 2001 | Coventry City | H | 0–1 | 7,568 | |
| 29 December 2001 | Portsmouth | H | 3–1 | 5,217 | Jevons (2, 1 pen), Ford |
| 1 January 2002 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 13,325 | |
| 12 January 2002 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 | 6,011 | |
| 19 January 2002 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–2 | 5,974 | |
| 29 January 2002 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 6,098 | Taylor |
| 2 February 2002 | Bradford City | H | 0–1 | 5,054 | |
| 10 February 2002 | Watford | A | 0–2 | 12,163 | |
| 16 February 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | 7,141 | Campbell |
| 23 February 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–0 | 21,081 | |
| 26 February 2002 | Stockport County | H | 3–1 | 6,836 | Todd, Groves, Allen |
| 2 March 2002 | Crystal Palace | H | 5–2 | 5,924 | Todd, Allen, Boulding, Fleming (own goal), Smith |
| 5 March 2002 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 7,025 | Boulding |
| 9 March 2002 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | 7,016 | Groves, Roper (own goal) |
| 16 March 2002 | Barnsley | H | 2–1 | 7,495 | Byfield, Goodman |
| 23 March 2002 | Wimbledon | H | 6–2 | 6,473 | Boulding (3), Pouton (3, 2 pens) |
| 30 March 2002 | Birmingham City | A | 0–4 | 23,249 | |
| 1 April 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–0 | 9,236 | |
| 6 April 2002 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 20,075 | Cooke |
| 13 April 2002 | Burnley | H | 3–1 | 9,275 | Boulding (2), Allen |
| 21 April 2002 | Millwall | A | 1–3 | 17,004 | Butterfield |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| Third round | 5 January 2002 | York City | H | 0–0 | 5,052 | |
| Third round replay | 15 January 2002 | York City | A | 0–1 | 6,638 | |

### Football League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| First round | 21 August 2001 | Lincoln City | H | 2–1 | 5,906 | Jevons, Rowan |
| Second round | 11 September 2001 | Sheffield United | H | 3–3 (won 4–2 on pens) | 5,236 | Broomes, Jeffrey, Allen |
| Third round | 9 October 2001 | Liverpool | A | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | 32,672 | Broomes, Jevons |
| Fourth round | 27 November 2001 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 | 16,917 | |

## First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne |
| 2 | DF | ENG | John McDermott (captain) |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Tony Gallimore |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Andy Todd (on loan from Charlton Athletic) |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Wayne Burnett |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Alan Pouton |
| 8 | MF | ENG | David Smith |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Michael Jeffrey |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Stuart Campbell |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Paul Groves (Player manager from 28 December) |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Danny Butterfield |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Steve Croudson |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Steve Livingstone |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Paul Raven |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Stacy Coldicott |
| 17 | MF | NED | Menno Willems |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | FW | SCO | Willie Falconer |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Bradley Allen |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Jonathan Rowan |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Phil Jevons |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Ben Chapman |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Chris Thompson |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Iain Ward |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Simon Ford |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Terry Cooke (on loan from Manchester City) |
| 27 | MF | NED | Robbie Busscher |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Paul Robinson (on loan from Wimbledon) |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Chris Bolder |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Graham Hockless |
| 31 | FW | ENG | Robert Taylor |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Gary Moran |
| 35 | FW | ENG | Michael Boulding |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Adam Buckley (to Lincoln City) |
| 34 | DF | ENG | David Beharall (on loan from Newcastle United) |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Marlon Broomes (on loan from Blackburn Rovers) |
| 18 | DF | ENG | Robert Taylor (on loan from Wolves) |
| 5 | DF | WAL | Alan Neilson (to Luton Town) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | FW | SWE | Martin Pringle (on loan from Charlton Athletic) |
| 26 | GK | NED | Ronald Ermes (Released) |
| 28 | DF | ENG | David Morgan (to Gateshead) |
| 33 | GK | IRL | Morgan Cranley (Released) |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Ross Thompson (to Doncaster Rovers) |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | Danny Coyne | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 0 |