Widdowson Offered Deal

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 08/05/2009

PREMIERSHIP full back Joe Widdowson has been offered a permanent contract to stay at Blundell Park. The West Ham left back has spent most of 2009 on loan with Grimsby, and Mike Newell is hoping to sign the 20-year-old permanently.

Widdowson told the Grimsby Telegraph: "The gaffer spoke to me last week and told me he was keen to keep me which I was very pleased to hear. I've had a great time up here and I'd be delighted to come back next season.Hopefully something will get sorted and I'll be a Grimsby player when the new season starts in August."

Widdowson was sent off in the season's deciding weekend at Bournemouth and had to miss the finale with Macclesfield, but he managed to play in the previous 20 games, and is looking forward to being able to resume again next season where he left off.

Widdowson said: "I feel really at home now in Grimsby. Playing at Blundell Park in front of our fans is great - I missed that through being suspended for the last game. It feels like I've been here a lot longer than four or five months. I've had a great time - you can't beat playing football every week."