Match preview - Grimsby away

Mark Cooper and his new-look side will be hoping for the perfect start at Blundell Park but will have to end an unwanted record, having never won in Cleethorpes before.

Here is all you need to know ahead of tomorrow’s game:

What we said:

“It’s a new season, a new squad, a new set of players for both teams,” said Mark Cooper.

“I think we go into it in pretty good shape, we had a pretty decent pre-season and we look as though we are an attacking threat.

“We watched Grimsby’s game on Saturday and watched a couple of their previous games and we will be as prepared as we can be.

“Selection is always going to be difficult but over the course of the season we are going to need them all.”

What they said:

“I’m just feeling focused on trying to do the job that I’m paid to do, which is to prepare the players to go and perform, and try to get a result every Saturday,” said Michael Jolley.

“That’s my focus. Hopefully, if we can do our jobs, we can have a good day on Saturday and beyond. I’ll repeat that we are going to have to work hard for everything that we can possible get.

“They finished last season strongly in respect of securing their place, which I would guess would have been their first priority, coming up from the National League.

“They have got some really good players, the most obvious of which being Christian Doidge, and they have added some really good ones as well.”

Injury news:

Forest Green Rovers

It’s a clean bill of health for Mark Cooper and his squad ahead of tomorrow’s trip.

Both Tahvon Campbell and Isaac Pearce have recovered from small niggles picked up during the pre-season camp in Devon and Reece Brown has shown no ill-effects after coming off early on against Hereford.

Grimsby Town

Elliott Whitehouse will be missing from the squad on Saturday and will have surgery on his ACL injury soon.

Harry Cardwell (foot) is expected to return to training in a couple of weeks.

Jordan Cook will be back in contention on Saturday after recovering from illness.

About: Grimsby Town

It was a tough season for Grimsby Town last season as they struggled towards the foot of the League Two table along with FGR.

When they went on a run of 20 games without a win in League Two, it looked as though they would fall through the trap door.

However, Michael Jolley was appointed as the club’s replacement and four wins and three draws in his 10 games in charge saw the Mariners avoid the drop.

It’s been a summer of change at Blundell Park with 12 players released back in May, including Ben Davies and Nathan Clarke.

A familiar face for FGR fans joined Grimsby this summer, with goalkeeper Sam Russell heading back north with a dual role as he makes his first steps into coaching. Akin Famewo has joined in the summer for an undisclosed fee while Jordan Cook, Luton, Jake Hessenthaler, Gillingham and John Welsh, Preston North End, have all joined on frees and Blackpool striker Jamille Matt joined on loan last weekend.

Key player:

Goalkeeper James McKeown has been an ever-present for the Mariners and his new three-year deal will carry him into his 10th year at the club. McKeown is also one of Grimsby’s most important players having scooped the Player of the Season award at the end of the previous campaign as well as aiding his side through their most recent promotion as they beat FGR at Wembley at the climax of the 2016/17 season.

Last time we met:

JJ Hooper's second-half hat-trick handed Grimsby a comfortable victory at Forest Green on the final day of the League Two season.

Hooper broke the deadlock on 51 minutes when he stretched to touch the ball over the line.

He grabbed his second on 83 minutes with a sumptuous angled strike and six minutes later completed his treble with a powerful finish from 25 yards.

Head-to-head:

This will be the 16th meeting between the two clubs.

Grimsby head the stats as they have won 10 of those games, including a heart-wrenching defeat for FGR in the play-off final two seasons ago and a 3-0 loss at The New Lawn at the end of last season.

Forest Green have two wins, their last coming in February 2015 courtesy of a 2-1 win at home.

Coverage:

Full commentary of the match will be available on BBC Radio Gloucestershire as well as through the club’s digital audio offering– FGR TV.

Stay up to date on Twitter by following @FGRFC_Official, which will have all of the team news before kick-off and updates throughout the game.

There will also be key updates and team news on Facebook. Round-up the clash by checking out the club website where there will be a full report looking back on the encounter.