The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







 

Norwich Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 05/04/2002

TOWN now go into their last three games of the season needing at least four points to escape the threat of relegation. All three of their games are difficult and Saturday's visit to Carrow Road is no exception.

Home > 2001-2002 Season > Previews > Norwich (a)


The Bottom Line

The foot of the first division is as tight as ever as we enter the last three games of the season. With Stockport already relegated, two from Barnsley, Crewe, Walsall, Town, Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Forest will go down. The latter two seem less likely, but it now seem a distinct possibility that the magic 50 points may not quite be enough to see anyone safe. However, the Mariners' fortunes have undoubtedly been turned around since the end of February.

Two months ago Grimsby were seven points away from 21st place and destined for the second division. Now, the Mariners have a fighting chance of staying up - at least four points are needed out of a possible nine for Town to do this. Then comes the "but"! Town have to travel to Norwich, play Burnley at Blundell Park and travel to Millwall on the last day. All these clubs are in the top seven and it seems a very difficult task. But if the Mariners are to pull of the great escape, they need to pull some results out of the bag, and a result against Norwich will go a long way to maintaining the Mariners' division one status.

Recent Form

 

TownNorwich
DSheff Wed(h)1-2
LBirmingham(a)5-2
WWimbledon(h)3-1
WWolves(a)1-0
DWalsall(h)2-2
WBradford(h)1-0
WPalace(a)2-1
DWolves(a)0-0
WGillingham(a)2-1
LBirmingham(h)0-1

Overall League Record

 

TownNorwich
PWDLFA
431113194567
PWDLFA
43208155550

Dangerman

 

TownNorwich

Alan Pouton

Aggressive and robust midfield player who is more than capable of causing opposing defences problems with his fast running, and of course the infamous "Pouton stepover". Signed by Alan Buckley for a bargain £160,000 in 1999 from York City, Pouton has become a firm fans favourite at Blundell Park. Scored a hat-trick against Wimbledon a few Saturdays ago, taking his tall this season to five.

David Nielsen

Town know all about the "Great Dane" after spending three months on loan at Blundell Park last season. Brought to the club by Lennie Lawrence from FC Copenhagen, Nielsen managed to bad a handful of goals along the way and Town fans were desperate for his signature to be secured. However, his wages could not be matched and he went on to sign for Wimbledon at the end of last season. At the beginning of this season he moved on again - this time to Norwich where he has also been a huge hit with his electric pace and somewhat erratic goal celebrations! Will undoubtedly be a threat for the Town back line.

Vital Statistics

 

TownNorwich

Biggest home win: 6-2 (Wimbledon)

Biggest away win: 1-0 (West Brom, Coventry)

Heaviest home defeat: 0-3 (Watford)

Heaviest away defeat: 0-5 (Crystal Palace)

Top goalscorer: Michael Boulding (9 goals)

Biggest home win: 3-0 (Preston)

Biggest away win: 5-0 (Sheff Wed)

Heaviest home defeat: 1-4 (Bradford)

Heaviest away defeat: 0-4 (Millwall, Preston, Birmingham)

Top goalscorer: Iwan Roberts (13 goals)

Town Team News

  • The only definite non starter will be David Smith who will not play again this season.
  • Town do have major doubts over top scorer Michael Boulding, Bradley Allen and Stuart Campbell who both face an uphill struggle to be fit for the game. Boulding stands the best chance of playing, while involvement for Allen and Campbell is less likely.
  • This could mean starts for on loan Paul Robinson and former Manchester United winger Terry Cooke. Robinson has impressed as a substitute against Birmingham and Wednesday, while Cooke could be given his chance down the wing through the injury to Campbell.
  • Robert Taylor could make the bench after returning to the club on a non contract basis, but involvement for Steve Livingstone after a reserve game is unlikely.

  • Norwich Team News

  • Leading scorer Iwan Roberts is still nursing an injury and will miss out - to the relief of Mariners fans - meaning David Nielsen and Paul McVeigh will continue up front.
  • Elsewhere, Nigel Worthington has the rest of his regular squad available

  • Expected Line Ups

    TownNorwich
    Danny Coyne
    John McDermott (C)
    Tony Gallimore
    Andy Todd
    Paul Groves
    Terry Cooke
    Danny Butterfield
    Stacy Coldicott
    Alan Pouton
    Michael Boulding
    Paul Robinson
    Robert Green
    Adam Drury
    Craig Fleming
    Darren Kenton
    Mackay
    Steen Nedegaard
    Clint Easton
    Gary Holt
    Phillip Mulryne
    Paul Mcveigh
    David Nielsen
    Substitutes Substitutes
    Wayne Burnett
    Robert Taylor
    Steve Croudson (GK)
    Willie Falconer
    Simon Ford
    Paul Crichton (GK)
    Daryl Sutch
    Alex Notman
    Mark Rivers
    Darren Russell

    Norwich Head-to-Head (94th on The Opposition Ladder).

    Fishy Prediction

    A game where Town really need to get something in order to give themselves a chance of staying up. A draw would be a fantastic result and most Town fans would take that.

    Prediction: 1-1 Draw. Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Carrow Road.



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