Grimsby Town have officially postponed two crucial fixtures in their hunt for promotion, amid three international call-ups in David Artell’s squad.
The postponements will see their away ties at Chesterfield and Cambridge United rearranged for a future date, the latter was initially rearranged due to the hosts having a frozen pitch in early January.
This comes under the EFL’s rule that clubs are permitted to request a postponement during international windows if at least three players are selected to represent their nations.
Who Has Been Called Up For Grimsby Town?
Artell’s squad contains a number of international features. In this international period’s case, midfielders Clarke Oduor and Géza Dávid Turi will represent Kenya and the Faroe Islands, respectively. Meanwhile, striker Jude Soonsup-Bell is set to represent Thailand, for whom he made his debut earlier this season.
Turi has become a vital part of the Mariners’ midfield in the new year. Having signed last January, he has made the step-up to full-time football in excellent fashion, proving a main feature in Artell’s first eleven.
Soonsup-Bell’s position in the eleven is largely debated amongst the fanbase. The Mariners have a near-excellent record in games that the 22-year-old has started, but his general potency in front of goal is questioned, while Andy Cook and top-scorer Jaze Kabia often feature from the bench.
The Kenyan midfielder has struggled to make a firm impression at the club, but there is another crucial aspect to the club cancelling these fixtures, and it comes from their injury list. Currently, Charles Vernam and Evan Khouri are sidelined through injury, but could appear in the latter stages of the season.
Grimsby Town Postpone Crucial Promotion Clashes
At the time of writing, Grimsby are contending for the final League Two play-off places with the likes of Salford City, Walsall, and their future opponents, Chesterfield.
With their away trip to Derbyshire likely presenting a pivotal six-pointer in the play-off race, the Mariners are wise to postpone these matches for late April.
Charles Vernam is a dynamic winger who has enjoyed an excellent campaign for the club, with over 20 goal contributions across all competitions. Meanwhile, Khouri is a brightly emerging talent under Artell’s leadership and offers different options in terms of their tactical set-ups.
And Grimsby have come off the back of a congested fixture list this season. Having reached the fourth rounds of both the EFL and FA Cups, playing two matches a week has often been the case for the club. So a week off while their squad is depleted could be valuable.