Potential moves at centre-back for Town
POSITION IS A PRIORITY FOR GRIMSBY
THE centre-back position will be one of the top priorities for Paul Hurst as he moulds his Grimsby Town squad for next season. Andy Smith impressed on loan from Hull City alongside Luke Waterfall in the second half of the season and could yet return, but other options will have to be considered.
Town’s other current options aside from Waterfall, who is out of contract in the summer but expected to re-sign, are Shaun Pearson and David Longe-King, both of whom played bitpart roles for the club last season and are not up to the standard to fill in long term.
With that in mind, here are some of the options Hurst could consider to fill in at the centre-back position, with some more realistic than others.
Ryan Bennett
A veteran of the game who had his start with the Mariners, Bennett is expected to be released by Swansea, with his contract expiring, after playing a bit-part role for the
Welsh outfit last season. The 32-year-old made his debut in professional football with Grimsby.
He then went on to make over 100 appearances for Town before departing for Peterborough after the club were relegated to the National League.
Bennett has gone on to play in the Premier League with Norwich City, Wolves and Leicester City, making close to 500 appearances in his professional career.
It is unlikely that Grimsby would be Bennett’s first choice, given the level he has played at in his career.
Still, he would be a brilliant addition to the side alongside another experienced professional at centre-back in Waterfall.
Jordan Tunnicliffe
Crawley Town have acted quickly to tie down a number of their key players for next season.
However, Jordan Tunnicliffe is one player that could become available despite being offered a new deal.
The 28-year-old has shown in glimpses over the last few seasons that he is a centre-back with real promise, possessing good physical attributes and the mobility to marshal the backline comfortably.
He is comfortable in possession such that he can bring the ball out from the back and step into midfield which does not come naturally to players in his position.
Similarly to Waterfall, he has the attributes that can be utilised to provide a threat from set-pieces, which is always a valuable asset at this level of football.
Chey Dunkley
Dunkley is a classy centre-back that has had an unfortunate struggle with injury issues, limiting him to just 36 appearances in two seasons with Sheffield Wednesday.
Owls fans have been impressed by what they’ve seen from the 30-year-old defender, but he missed significant chunks this season, resulting in him being released.
Whether he would be willing to step down a league, with suitors in the third tier likely, remains to be seen. Still, if the opportunity arises, Hurst could pounce on a player that would add a lot to Town’s defensive capabilities - if he can stay fit.
Josh Pask
A product of the West Ham academy, Pask, who Championship club Coventry City recently released, has been linked with League Two moves after a loan spell with Newport County, in which he impressed.
He is a versatile player capable of playing across the back line, is quick, strong and mobile, and has the possessional assurance to play in tight areas.
At 24, there is still plenty of room for growth for Pask, and he can learn a lot alongside an experienced presence such as Waterfall, who showed with both Smith and Ryley Towler that he could operate well with a younger head alongside him at centre-back.