Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst has responded to speculation linking him with the vacant Blackpool and Port Vale jobs.
The Tangerines are currently looking for their third manager this season as they prepare for life in League One next time out, and Hurst’s name has been linked. The former Ipswich and Shrewsbury boss has a good record in the third tier, having almost taken Shrewsbury up, finishing third in 2017/18. They also made the Checkatrade Trophy final that season, only to lose to Lincoln City.
This season, Grimsby reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and whilst their league form hasn’t been outstanding, they’ve ensured they’ve stayed clear of the relegation battle, without ever bothering the top seven. That’s marked Hurst out as a manager who deserves a second chance in League One, and whilst the Tangerines have reportedly kept an eye on him, Port Vale have as well. They dispensed with the services of Darrell Clarke this week, and maybe look to Hurst as his replacement.
However, speaking to the BBC’s Matt Dean, Hurst suggested he thought the rumours were ‘a bit of a joke’ before clarifying his position.
“I got sent it yesterday, and I thought it was a bit of a joke, to be honest. A few more people have sent it to me, and people get carried away, shall we say. I don’t think there’s anything to answer on that Matt. Both jobs are up, and I know many other managers have been linked with it before and probably will be after; it’s just part and parcel of the job. Hopefully, it just means Grimsby Town have had a decent season.”
Whilst the jury is out on whether the Mariners’ season has been decent, Hurst feels they could improve. When asked if he was happy in North Lincolnshire, he replied, “I want us to be doing better. I think, as I’ve said many times, things have changed here and as long as I feel things are progressing, then yeah, of course. That’s what’s important to me, and people will make judgements, of course. Some people might not think this season is good enough, some people will be delighted, and some will be in the middle and think it’s ok.”
That seems to suggest that Hurst is happy at Blundell Park, for now, and Town fans should be hopeful that the FA Cup money can be invested to make them a challenger next season.
Our View
Paul Hurst was once the bright young thing in the Football League, but his move to Ipswich stunted his career. It wasn’t a successful switch, but he’s steadily rebuilding his reputation after his Scunthorpe sacking. Hurst is a man who believes in doing things the right way – he left Scunthorpe for ‘non-footballing’ reasons and were Grimsby in a similar position now as when John Fenty was there, I’m sure Blackpool would be a big draw for the 48-year-old.
They’re not – The Mariners are under new ownership, and they’re a sleeping giant. They’ve regularly enjoyed Championship football, and they have a huge potential fanbase. The club does need rebuilding, and infrastructure needs updating, but Paul Hurst is a man on a mission, and it would take a really attractive offer, in this writer’s opinion, to lure him away from the club.
