Grimsby Town have found unlikely hero amid League Two play-off push - Sunderland, Portsmouth fans may be surprised | OneFootball

Denver Hume has proven to be a brilliant signing for Grimsby Town.

Denver Hume has been a revelation for Grimsby Town this season and that will come as something of a surprise to both Sunderland and Portsmouth, who watched the defender struggle with injuries and fail to truly establish himself because of that.

The 26-year-old began his career at Sunderland and, despite playing a significant role during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, was never fully trusted to cement his place as the first-choice left-back.

Eventually, after a slow and injury-hit start to the 2021-22 campaign, he was shipped down south to Portsmouth in January for a fee worth £200,000, according to the Sunderland Echo.

However, his time at Portsmouth quickly faded into obscurity. With only 31 appearances across two years, he was eventually offloaded to Grimsby.

The Mariners were eager to bring him in, and after settling in during his first six months, he has thrived in League Two this season. A real asset going forward and solid in defence, questions are now being raised about whether he deserves a chance to return to a higher division - should Grimsby fail to earn promotion.

Denver Hume's impressive 2024-25 season

Grimsby have been one of the surprise packages in League Two this season, with Hume playing a pivotal role in leading his side through strong performances at the back.

An archetypal modern full-back, his marauding runs down the left wing have caused all sorts of problems for the opposition, and with 37 appearances to his name, he has contributed 10 assists.

His ability to create chances has been a key factor in David Artell’s side’s success, and his underlying statistics further underscore his incredible influence. In 3,065 minutes of action, he has created 82 chances and delivered the same number of successful crosses at a success rate of 31.8%.

He is also highly adept with the ball at his feet, with 51 successful dribbles and 49 touches in the opposition box, placing him in the top 10% of full-backs in the division.

Of course, this is all being done in a division that is possibly below his level, but it seems that his move to the Mariners has kick-started his career once again.

This will undoubtedly come as a surprise to both Sunderland and Portsmouth supporters. However, they will no doubt be pleased to see Hume’s career flourishing once again after a challenging few years plagued by injuries and a lack of playing time.

David Artell looking to tie Denver Hume down long-term

Grimsby have a genuine chance of sneaking a play-off spot, with the Mariners currently sitting in seventh place, having accumulated 59 points. However, if they fail to secure ascension to the third tier, they face another season in League Two and keeping Hume will be pivotal to their hopes next season.

In the summer, he signed a new one-year deal, meaning his current contract will expire upon the conclusion of this campaign.

Artell knows that this is a concern for supporters, but the club appears to be doing all they can to keep him.

Speaking to Radio Humberside, the Grimsby boss said: "I’ve spoken to his agent. I know Denver had a meeting with his agent, so I spoke to him before that.

"We’re trying to get somewhere, whether we will - it’s still fairly early days.

"The ball is more in Denver’s court than ours really."

Speaking about whether a deal had been offered, the 44-year-old added: "Not at the minute, not in the grand detail of it, but the wheels are in motion from our end.

"Denver knows what I think of him, so we’ll have an adult conversation and if that’s a handshake and a signing great and if it’s a handshake and I’m going, that is also fine."

Hume's future remains uncertain, but his commitment to the project at Grimsby is undeniable. If he helps secure a play-off spot and then moves on, he will have given everything for the club. However, supporters will be desperate to see him stay at Blundell Park, as his presence could prove pivotal to their hopes of success in the seasons ahead.