Disaster For Town With 10 Fit Men!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 17/08/2001

GRIMSBY TOWN boss Lennie Lawrence is paying a high price for having a small squad and is faced with the enormous difficulty of having only 10 men in the senior squad fit for Saturday's clash with West Brom!

Despite this Lawrence is determined to try to emulate last week's win against Crewe with a team determined to show the Baggies they mean business this season.

The Grimsby Telegraph revealed today how serious the situation is with David Smith, Paul Raven and Stacy Coldicott and Steve Livingstone definitely out of contention.

Bradley Allen tweaked his groin in training yesterday and Wayne Burnett is still suffering the effects from the Crewe game but Lawrence is Lawrence is optimistic that they may be fit to play.

But Alan Pouton and Tony Gallimore are causing Lawrence the most worries. Gallimore has not trained since damaging his back against Crewe while Pouton has hardly trained this week after picking up a virus.

"Alan Pouton has had a virus and Saturday is a maybe for him. We've got a day, so we might just do it," said Lawrence. A chiropractor has put Gally's back in twice and he did the warm-up yesterday. The game with them would be to get them through Saturday, not play them on Tuesday, and get them ready for next week against Preston. Gally's only 50/50 but if I lose those two I'm in trouble."

"I've reduced the average age of the team. Last year we were probably stronger in numbers but there's more pace and we play at a higher tempo. That's what we must do all the time. "We've got to be fit and firing and organised tomorrow. West Brom have had a bit of a trying time and that can work either way."

"We can take nothing for granted. We have to say they'll be at their best and that if we are we've got a chance."

Grimsby Town: Coyne, McDermott, Groves, Beharall, Butterfield, Campbell, Willems, Burnett, Jevons, Rowan, Allen, Jeffrey, Ermes, Pouton, Gallimore, Chapman, Buscher.

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