# 2000–01 Grimsby Town F.C. season

During the 2000–01 English football season, Grimsby Town F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

## Season summary

The 2000–01 season saw a boardroom change with Doug Everitt taking over from Bill Carr. Everitt dismissed manager Alan Buckley just two games into the season, replacing him with Lennie Lawrence, who earlier in his managerial career had guided both Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough into the top flight. The new manager chop and changed the playing squad around and brought in some expensive loan signings from abroad such as Zhang Enhua, Menno Willems, David Nielsen and Knut Anders Fostervold. Despite this, the club struggled to avoid relegation, only securing their place in Division One on the last day of the season with a win over promoted Fulham.

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Fee |
| 12 July 2000 | DF | Paul Raven | West Bromwich Albion | Free Transfer |
| 1 August 2000 | MF | Andy Smith | Barnsley | Free Transfer |
| 11 August 2000 | FW | Mike Jeffrey | Kilmarnock | Free Transfer |
| 12 October 2000 | GK | Jason Batty | Football Kingz | Free Transfer |
| 28 February 2001 | MF | Menno Willems | Vitesse Arnhem | £150,000 |
| 30 March 2001 | MF | Stuart Campbell | Leicester City | £200,000 |

### Loans in

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred from | Date Until |
| 15 September 2000 | MF | Stuart Campbell | Leicester City | 29 March 2001 |
| 11 October 2000 | FW | David Nielsen | FC Copenhagen | 17 January 2001 |
| 28 October 2000 | MF | Neil Murray | Mainz 05 | 1 February 2001 |
| 16 November 2000 | MF | Knut Anders Fostervold | Molde FK | 1 February 2001 |
| 24 November 2000 | MF | Menno Willems | Vitesse Arnhem | 27 February 2001 |
| 28 November 2000 | DF | Zhang Enhua | Dalian Shide | 8 May 2001 |
| 13 March 2001 | FW | Luke Cornwall | Fulham | 8 May 2001 |
| 21 March 2001 | GK | Morten Hyldgaard | Coventry City | 7 May 2001 |

### Transfers out

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred To | Fee |
| 1 July 2000 | GK | Andy Love | Ilkeston Town | Released |
| 1 July 2000 | MF | Matthew Oswin | Indiana Invaders | Released |
| 1 July 2000 | MF | Matt McKenzie | Ilkeston Town | Released |
| 11 July 2000 | DF | Mark Lever | Bristol City | Free Transfer |
| 5 August 2000 | FW | Lee Ashcroft | Wigan Athletic | £350,000 |
| 2 February 2001 | GK | Jason Batty | Scunthorpe United | Released |

### Loans out

| Date | Pos | Player | Transferred To | Date Until |
| 11 October 2000 | MF | Kingsley Black | Lincoln City | 11 November 2000 |
| 24 November 2000 | FW | Daryl Clare | Northampton Town | 24 December 2000 |
| 5 January 2001 | FW | Daryl Clare | Cheltenham Town | 5 February 2001 |

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 16 | Barnsley | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | 49 | 62 | −13 | 54 |
| 17 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 52 | 71 | −19 | 53 |
| 18 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 43 | 62 | −19 | 52 |
| 19 | Stockport County | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 58 | 65 | −7 | 51 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 47 | 59 | −12 | 49 |

## Results

Grimsby Town's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 12 August 2000 | Preston North End | H | 1–2 | 5,755 | Livingstone |
| 19 August 2000 | Portsmouth | A | 1–1 | 12,511 | Smith |
| 26 August 2000 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–1 | 7,755 | |
| 29 August 2000 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–2 | 5,305 | |
| 9 September 2000 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 4,512 | Livingstone |
| 12 September 2000 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 3,732 | |
| 16 September 2000 | Burnley | A | 1–1 | 15,413 | Butterfield |
| 23 September 2000 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–2 | 6,467 | |
| 30 September 2000 | Barnsley | A | 0–2 | 13,096 | |
| 14 October 2000 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–0 | 4,911 | Allen |
| 17 October 2000 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3–1 | 4,428 | Livingstone (2), Nielsen |
| 21 October 2000 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–2 | 16,397 | |
| 24 October 2000 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–0 | 16,685 | Allen |
| 29 October 2000 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–0 | 5,429 | Allen, Nielsen |
| 4 November 2000 | Watford | A | 0–4 | 11,600 | |
| 18 November 2000 | Sheffield United | A | 2–3 | 12,861 | Livingstone, Nielsen |
| 21 November 2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 16,088 | |
| 25 November 2000 | Fulham | A | 1–2 | 12,107 | Donovan |
| 2 December 2000 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–2 | 5,802 | Jeffrey, Donovan |
| 9 December 2000 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–2 | 7,119 | |
| 13 December 2000 | Wimbledon | A | 2–2 | 4,489 | Smith, Nielsen |
| 16 December 2000 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | 5,618 | Fleming (own goal), Nielsen |
| 23 December 2000 | Preston North End | A | 2–1 | 14,667 | Willems, Groves |
| 26 December 2000 | Stockport County | H | 1–1 | 6,654 | Burnett |
| 1 January 2001 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–1 | 17,004 | |
| 13 January 2001 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–3 | 4,495 | Donovan |
| 20 January 2001 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 | 6,165 | Donovan |
| 27 January 2001 | Portsmouth | H | 2–1 | 4,128 | Donovan, Livingstone |
| 10 February 2001 | Gillingham | A | 0–1 | 8,633 | |
| 17 February 2001 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 6,044 | Zhang |
| 20 February 2001 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–2 | 24,249 | Groves, Zhang |
| 24 February 2001 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–3 | 21,660 | Campbell |
| 3 March 2001 | Barnsley | H | 0–2 | 5,996 | |
| 6 March 2001 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–0 | 9,494 | |
| 10 March 2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 4,899 | |
| 13 March 2001 | Wimbledon | H | 1–1 | 4,276 | Zhang |
| 17 March 2001 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–0 | 17,608 | Groves |
| 20 March 2001 | Birmingham City | H | 1–1 | 4,843 | Pouton (pen) |
| 31 March 2001 | Norwich City | A | 1–2 | 17,461 | Campbell |
| 7 April 2001 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 3–1 | 5,816 | Cornwall (2), Livingstone |
| 14 April 2001 | Watford | H | 2–1 | 6,110 | Handyside, Coldicott |
| 16 April 2001 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–0 | 16,504 | Cornwall |
| 21 April 2001 | Sheffield United | H | 0–1 | 6,983 | |
| 24 April 2001 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–4 | 6,507 | Cornwall |
| 28 April 2001 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 24,822 | |
| 6 May 2001 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | 8,706 | Groves |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| Third round | 6 January 2001 | Wycombe Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 5,390 | Nielsen |
| Third round replay | 16 January 2001 | Wycombe Wanderers | H | 1–3 | 3,269 | Jeffrey |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| First round first leg | 22 August 2000 | Carlisle United | H | 2–0 | 1,914 | Coldicott, Allen |
| First round second leg | 5 September 2000 | Carlisle United | A | 1–1 (won 4–2 on agg) | 2,228 | Allen |
| Second round first Leg | 26 September 2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–2 | 2,396 | Gallimore, Rowan, Allen |
| Second round second Leg | 2 October 2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–2 (lost 3–4 on agg) | 8,058 | |

## Squad

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 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Tony Gallimore |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Peter Handyside |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Richard Smith |
| 6 | MF | ENG | Wayne Burnett |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Kevin Donovan |
| 8 | MF | ENG | David Smith |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Mike Jeffrey |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Stuart Campbell (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Paul Groves |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Danny Butterfield |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Steve Croudson |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Steve Livingstone |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Paul Raven |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Stacy Coldicott |
| 17 | MF | NIR | Kingsley Black |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Adam Buckley |
| 19 | FW | EIR | Daryl Clare |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Matthew Bloomer |
| 21 | MF | SCO | Neil Murray (on loan from Mainz 05) |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Ben Chapman |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Jonathan Rowan |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Andy Smith |
| 25 | FW | ENG | Bradley Allen |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Alan Pouton |
| 27 | GK | DEN | Morten Hyldgaard (on loan from Coventry City) |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Luke Cornwall (on loan from Fulham) |
| 29 | DF | NED | Menno Willems |

### 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 |
| 27 | FW | DEN | David Nielsen (on loan from F.C. Copenhagen) |
| 28 | DF | NOR | Knut Anders Fostervold (on loan from Molde FK) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 30 | DF | CHN | Zhang Enhua (on loan from Dalian Wanda) |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | First Division | First Division | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne | 52 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | ENG | John McDermott | 40 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Tony Gallimore | 32 | 1 | 26+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Peter Handyside | 24 | 1 | 17+2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Richard Smith | 8 | 1 | 2+4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Danny Butterfield | 35 | 1 | 23+7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Paul Raven | 17 | 0 | 11+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Matt Bloomer | 8 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Ben Chapman | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | NED | Menno Willems | 26 | 1 | 17+7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | ENG | Wayne Burnett | 25 | 1 | 20+3 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Kevin Donovan | 45 | 5 | 36+5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | David Smith | 27 | 1 | 16+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Stuart Campbell | 40 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Paul Groves | 50 | 4 | 45 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Stacy Coldicott | 43 | 2 | 34+3 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 17 | MF | NIR | Kingsley Black | 7 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | SCO | Neil Murray | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Alan Pouton | 35 | 1 | 16+5 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | ENG | Michael Jeffrey | 34 | 2 | 15+14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Steve Livingstone | 36 | 7 | 27+5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | IRL | Daryl Clare | 21 | 0 | 6+11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Jonathan Rowan | 7 | 1 | 2+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 |
| 25 | FW | ENG | Bradley Allen | 25 | 6 | 15+6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Luke Cornwall | 10 | 4 | 9+1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players left during the season ||||||||||||
| 27 | FW | DEN | David Nielsen | 19 | 6 | 16+1 | 5 | 1+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | NOR | Knut Anders Fostervold | 10 | 0 | 9+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | CHN | Zhang Enhua | 17 | 3 | 16+1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: