Hull City have been a real help to Grimsby Town, here's why: View | OneFootball

For long periods of time, Grimsby Town have found themselves higher up the footballing pecking order than Hull City. Indeed, up until just after the turn of the century, Mariners fans often had bragging rights over their rivals from the River Humber's North Bank. Things are very different now, however, as the roles have been reversed on a large scale, though the Tigers' growth is certainly helpful for the Blundell Park club in this modern era.

The days of teams quickly rising through the tiers of the English Football League are long gone. There are, of course, occasional anomalies, but unless a club is backed heavily by a wealthy benefactor(s), a continuous, rapid upward trajectory is very difficult to achieve in today's commercial, corporate sporting meritocracy. Success tends to be more gradual, and reliant on planning, structure, links, culture and partnerships.

Factors that have caused this to happen include uneven wealth distribution, marketability and location. The end result is an ever-increasing gap between the levels, with Championship clubs - many who have spent time in the Premier League - becoming far more affluent in comparison to their League One and League Two compatriots. The subsequent investment in infrastructure at many second-tier sides has in-turn seen the growth of their Academy and youth set-ups, and this is where Hull City have aided Grimsby Town in recent years, and will likely continue to do so.

As the two clubs have found themselves at opposite ends of the professional game, and with the aforementioned footballing landscape alterations taking effect, a natural connection between both has formed, one which is helpful to the Mariners, Tigers, and some talented young footballers.

Hull City trio standout whilst with Grimsby

Over the past 15 years, Hull City youngsters Conor Townsend, Andy Smith, and current goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright have chosen Grimsby Town as the place to gain first team experience at a good level as they look(ed) to get their careers going; and all three have made a real impact on the Mariners fortunes during their stay at Blundell Park, with the former two having moved up the pyramid as a result of their impressive spells on the East Coast.

Left-back Townsend had two separate loan spells with Grimsby, the first of which came during the 2011/12 fifth-tier campaign, as he helped then manager Paul Hurst's side stabilise and begin to move forward again following a difficult few years for the club. His second, somewhat briefer stay came in the 2015/16 National League season. One that would ultimately end in promotion for the Mariners, and one where Townsend made a real impact in terms of creativity and quality across his nine appearances. The full-back has since gone on to fulfill his potential with West Bromwich Albion at the highest level.

Central defender Smith joined Grimsby in January 2022 and went on to play a pivotal role in the Mariners' promotion from the National League, laying on an assist for John McAtee to grab the equaliser in the play-off final against Solihull Moors.

The classy defender then rejoined the club on a season-long loan for the following campaign, and again played a key part in the Mariners achieving their highest league finish in a generation, as well as an incredible FA Cup run to the quarter-finals stage. While Grimsby fans would have been delighted to see Smith return to the club for a third time, the 22-year-old had impressed sufficiently to become part of Liam Rosenior's Hull first-team squad for the first-half of the 2023/24 Championship season, before joining League One Cheltenham Town on loan in January.

This season, the Mariners have borrowed England Under-20 international goalkeeper Cartwright for the season from their Humberside neighbours. While Cartwright initially looked a little shaky, and took some time to displace Jake Eastwood in the Grimsby goal, the youngster has grown in confidence of late and has begun to impress with his all-round ability, not least with his willingness to collect high balls into his penalty area to take pressure off his defence.

Other Tigers youngsters to make a temporary switch to Blundell Park during this time include Callum Jones and Harry Wood, with both having fewer opportunities to impress than those mentioned previously, though both have looked like accomplished players capable of making their way in the game. Wood will hope to have the chance to impress further in a Mariners shirt before his loan runs out in May, while Jones has spent some time with League Two rivals Forest Green Rovers this season.

As Hull City's academy continues to grow, it's likely we'll see many more talented young Tigers in the black and white stripes of the Mariners in the future. In terms of location, it's ideal for both clubs. The players are able to stay at their home base rather than in hotels elsewhere, whereas Grimsby get first choice on some good, well-coached players that can help them succeed and grow.

With Grimsby being out on a limb somewhat on the East Coast, it can be difficult to attract quality players so far away from the bright lights of bigger towns and cities. Hull is a welcome exception to that, and therefore, the Tigers' continued success and growth is good news for the Mariners as they look for that gradual progression. Another factor to consider is a positive link-up gives Grimsby a better chance of picking up some of City's more talented released youngsters. Word of mouth and reputation within the game play a major role in player recruitment. The combination of these aspects could prove profitable moving forward.

From the Hull perspective, their young players are regularly flourishing at Blundell Park; enjoying their football and gaining valuable high-level experience. It's a mutually beneficial situation that both clubs are likely to explore and partake in long into the future.