Lennie's Future Plans

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 22/02/2001

In an interview with the Grimsby Evening Telegraph in which he talked of his ambition to sign Stuart Campbell from Leicester in the summer, Grimsby Town's manager Lennie Lawrence also revealed some of the details of his long-term plans for the Mariners.

Commenting on current squad at Blundell Park, Lawrence said: "They are a good set of professionals at our club, you have got your first team group and I have tried to put the icing on the cake with loan players that maybe we can't afford permanently, but have got that quality to add to the squad. That has been the name of the game."

Lawrence is looking to keep the nucleus of the side together, although added "it would be lovely to buy Stuart Campbell at the end of the year." The Grimsby manager's intention is to continue to get players on loan throughout the next campaign, although he is looking to bring in two "Bosman's" during the summer.

This is an indication of Lawrence's plans for the future. working within the present financial constraints. Adding Willems to the books, gaining Campbell and two Bosman's will give the Mariners a much stronger team than the one that started this season, particularly as Handyside was out of contention with injuries at the time. This is of course presuming some at least of the long list of players out of contract in May are retained.

Billo's Verdict: If Lawrence can then secure two or three long-term loan players, hopefully of the same quality of Campbell, Willems and Enhua, the Mariners can look forward to a more successful season next campaign. It is pleasing to note that the manager is looking to the future and if the Mariners can maintain their first division status which now seems increasingly likely, the fans may well have a lot more to cheer about next season.

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