Grimsby Town have once again been linked with a League One striker, but it’s not andy Cook this time.
Yesterday, reports emerged that the Mariners were interested in their former forward Cook, but Matt Dean has reported on Twitter that they’re now keen on adding James Hanson to the Blundell Park ranks.
Hanson is currently with AFC Wimbledon and although he’s struggled with injuries, he played a key part in them staying up. He’s a traditional target man and would be the perfect foil for new arrival Matt Green, if the Mariners went with something akin to a 4-4-2 formation.
The 31-year-old is also likely to attract the attention of Bradford City, should he become available. he bagged 91 goals in 335 outings for them, helping them to the League Cup final in 2013. He’s their joint third highest ever goalscorer and was recently linked with a move back to the Bantams.
At the time, Gary Bowyer denied the links, claiming he was a Wimbledon player, but if he becomes available they’re sure to be interested as well.
Our View
It’s no surprise Hanson is being noticed. He’s a big target man who can receive the ball into feet or on his head. It’s becoming a key part of lower league philosophy, having that sort of striker up top. It allows a side to go to a 4-3-3, which switches to a 4-5-1 when defending.
Having a Hanson-type figure means a quick out when a side is under pressure, that’s a big help away from home and if you get the right pace around the player, it’s a key part of a counter-attacking philosophy on the road.
