David Artell has Grimsby Town secret weapon in play-off push - he needs to thank Paul Hurst | OneFootball

Donovan Wilson made a return to the Grimsby squad in last weekend's win over Fleetwood after a prolonged absence, and looked good in his brief cameo.

After falling out of favour and rarely being involved in the Grimsby Town matchday squad in recent months, striker Donovan Wilson was recalled by David Artell for last weekend's victory over Fleetwood Town, with the 27-year-old coming off the bench to impress in the final 30 minutes of the 2-1 triumph at Blundell Park.

The former Sutton United attacker found himself given another opportunity due to injuries to the in-form Justin Obikwu and wide forward Charles Vernam, which left Mariners boss short of offensive options as his side look to keep apace with the play-off chasing pack.

Replacing Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Luca Barrington, who was playing just off focal point Danny Rose, Wilson looked strong and sharp despite coming in from the cold, and has, perhaps, shown he can be something of a secret weapon for the Grimsby boss in his attempts to steer his side into the top seven of the League Two standings over the final 14 games of the 2024/25 campaign.

Wilson, who began his career with Wolves, before turning out for the likes of Port Vale, Exeter City and Sutton, along with two brief spells in Spanish football, has often flattered to deceive during his time at Blundell Park.

Struggling with persistent fitness issues, the Yate-born striker has failed to find any real consistency, both in terms of minutes on the pitch and performance levels. However, Wilson has fleetingly shown that his pace, power, and ruthlessness in front of goal are more than up to fourth-tier standards, and Grimsby fans and chief Artell will be hoping his recent promising cameo will be a precursor to a strong end to the campaign that fires the Mariners to success.

Previous boss Hurst brought the versatile forward to Grimsby in 2023

It was former Grimsby boss Paul Hurst who brought Wilson to Blundell Park, signing the striker on a two-year deal in the summer as he attempted to add some variety to his forward options.

Speaking on the club's official website at the time, Artell's predecessor was hoping to "give (his side) something that we haven’t had for a little while in terms of his mobility and his pace".

Hurst continued: "He’s also a good size, he can do a little bit of everything. Having watched him, I think his biggest strength is his energy and pace that will frighten defenders."

The striker has proved Hurst's comments correct on occasion, and his movement and threat in behind opponents has seen the former Wolves youngster find the net on nine occasions in his 45 appearances for the club to date, many of which coming from the bench, while his hold-up play has caught the eye sporadically, too.

Hurst also spoke of the forwards' versatility as a reason for his initial interest, as well as his potential to improve while at Blundell Park.

"I watched him quite a lot when he was at Wolves, so we’re going back a few years admittedly, when he played wider quite often when I saw him. He’s changed into being a more central striker since then who can also play as a ten.

"He’s been at Sutton for the last couple of seasons, so he knows what the level is about, and he’s a player I believe has a lot more to come."

It's fair to say Wilson hasn't really kicked-on how everyone would have hoped from that point, with his inconsistencies often frustrating. Having played a total of 2,130 minutes in a Grimsby shirt, however, he's averaging over a goal every three (full) games, which is a useful ratio for someone who's been in and out of the first team picture so often.

The striker has the ability to succeed at League Two, and, at times, has shown that promise to great effect. It's knitting all those physical and mental attributes together with any real regularity that has seen him struggle for minutes under both Artell and Hurst.

However, if Wilson can produce what he's capable of over the final third of the campaign, the current Mariners boss will be thanking the previous one for providing him with a viable game-changing option in attack at a pivotal time.

Wilson can use the coming games to put himself in the shop window

While Wilson may not be with Grimsby for too much longer, the Blundell Park outfit will be hoping he's motivated to perform to his maximum and put himself in the shop window ahead of his next move.

It's possible that a strong end to the campaign may see the forward's Mariners future change, but it's unlikely, given how sparingly Artell has used the forward, or even included him in his matchday squad, in recent months.

The evidence suggests that Wilson will be seeking pastures new when his contract expires in the summer, but what better way to attract the attention of the best possible suitors than by helping fire Grimsby into the top seven of League Two and a play-off shot at promotion to the third-tier.

It would be a win-win situation should the forward make the impact he's threatened to previously and help his colleagues to reach their objectives. It would certainly put a more positive spin on what is, perhaps, viewed by many as a 'what could have been' two-year spell in North East Lincolnshire.

Whether any of the above happens remains to be seen, but fate could see the Mariners fans and Artell ultimately, and perhaps surprisingly, become thankful for Hurst's actions in the summer of 2023.