A look at Grimsby Town's summer signings ahead of Crawley Town's League Two opener against the Mariners
Crawley Town begin their 2025/26 League Two campaign this Saturday (August 2) with a trip to Blundell Park to face a Grimsby Town side looking to build on last season's near-miss.
Photo by Andrew Vaughan/Getty Images
The Mariners narrowly missed out on a play-off spot last term, finishing ninth – just two points adrift of the top seven. Determined to go one better this time around, manager David Artell has overseen a busy and purposeful summer, reshaping his squad with a series of eye-catching signings aimed at turning promise into results.
As the Reds prepare to make the journey north, here's a closer look at who Grimsby have added to their ranks this window.
Christy Pym
The 30-year-old goalkeeper signed a two-year deal after a standout three-year spell at Mansfield Town, where he made 138 appearances and played a key role in their 2024 promotion to League One, keeping 14 clean sheets in one of the league's most solid defences.
Photo by Andrew Vaughan/Getty Images
A product of Exeter City's academy, Pym broke into the first team at 19 and went on to make over 160 appearances before moving to Peterborough United, followed by a short loan stint at Stevenage. He also represented England at under-20 level, earning three caps.
Dependable and battle-tested, Pym adds leadership and proven quality between the sticks as Grimsby look to push for a top-seven finish.
Jamie Walker
Experienced forward Jamie Walker arrived at Blundell Park after a productive three-year stint with Bradford City, where he made 125 appearances and tallied 32 goal contributions.
Photo by Andrew Vaughan/Getty Images
The 32-year-old made his move to the Bantams permanent ahead of the 2022/23 season and played a key role in their promotion to League One this season.
A graduate of the Heart of Midlothian academy, Walker enjoyed two spells with the Edinburgh side, making 240 appearances and scoring 54 goals, while helping them win the Scottish Championship twice.
Between those stints, he had spells south of the border with Wigan Athletic and Peterborough United, the latter during a loan in the 2019/20 campaign.
Walker also represented Scotland at youth level, earning 18 caps across various age groups.
Sam Lavelle
Sam Lavelle joined Grimsby ahead of the new League Two campaign after being released by relegated Carlisle United this summer.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
The Scottish centre-back came through the academy at Blackburn Rovers before spells with Bolton Wanderers and Morecambe, where he spent four years and made 139 appearances.
During his time with the Shrimps, he captained the side to promotion via the 2021 League Two Play-Off Final, helping the club reach League One for the first time.
Lavelle then joined Charlton Athletic, where he featured regularly. He notably scored the winning penalty in a Carabao Cup shootout against Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022, helping Charlton reach the quarter-finals.
Most recently with Carlisle, Lavelle remained a consistent presence despite the team's struggles, contributing four goals over the course of the 2024/25 season.
Jayden Sweeney
Sweeney joined the Mariners from his boyhood club Leyton Orient this summer.
(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
The 23-year-old defender ended a 16-year association with the East London club, having progressed through the academy ranks after joining at the age of seven. He made 82 senior appearances for Orient, including 19 during their 2024/25 League One campaign, which ended in a narrow defeat in the Play-Off Final at Wembley.
Sweeney signed his first professional contract in 2019 and gained first-team experience through loan spells at Bishop's Stortford, Wealdstone, and Dartford before becoming a regular part of the squad that won the League Two title in 2022/23, contributing 26 appearances that season.
A left-sided full-back, Sweeney adds depth and energy to the defensive unit, combining versatility with experience at both League One and League Two levels.
Zak Gilsenan
Zak Gilsenan signed for Grimsby on a free transfer following a six-year spell with Blackburn Rovers.
Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images
The 22-year-old Australian-born midfielder has had a distinctive development path, having spent time in FC Barcelona's famed La Masia academy between 2012 and 2014 before moving to Liverpool's youth setup.
He joined Blackburn as an under-16 and progressed through the ranks, making over 75 appearances at U18 and U23 levels before breaking into the First Team.
Gilsenan featured five times in senior competitions, notably contributing two goals and an assist in three EFL Cup appearances.
Eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland, Gilsenan has made four youth international appearances across the U19 and U21 levels, scoring twice.
Justin Amaluzor
Justin Amaluzor became Artell's first signing of the summer, joining Grimsby Town on a two-year deal from Altrincham.
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
The 28-year-old wide forward made 76 appearances and scored 13 goals during his time with the National League club, having joined them in the summer of 2023. His performances contributed to a strong 2023/24 campaign in which Altrincham secured a fourth-place finish, eventually falling short in the Play-Off semi-finals.
Primarily operating as a right-winger, Amaluzor began his career at Barnet, signing his first professional contract in 2015 and making his EFL debut on his 18th birthday.
Following his departure from Barnet in 2018, he spent time with Braintree Town and Maidstone United before moving to the Scottish Premiership with Motherwell. He later returned to English football, featuring for Aldershot Town during the 2022/23 season prior to his switch to Altrincham.
Jaze Kabia
Jaze Kabia joined Grimsby Town ahead of the 2025/26 season following a strong campaign with Truro City, where he played a key role in their National League South title win.
Photo By Tyler Miller/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The 24-year-old forward scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists in 44 appearances for the Cornish side during the 2024/25 season, helping secure promotion on the final day of a tightly contested title race.
Kabia began his senior career with Cobh Ramblers before moving to Shelbourne, where he scored on his debut and contributed to the club's League of Ireland First Division title win.
He later moved to Scotland with Livingston, making his Premiership debut against Celtic and gaining further experience through a series of loan spells.
In a show of confidence, Artell has handed the forward the number nine shirt as he prepares to make the step up to a higher division.
Reece Staunton
Reece Staunton joined Grimsby Town from Spennymoor Town, where he made 98 appearances in all competitions during a two-year spell with the National League North side.
Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
His 2024/25 campaign was particularly productive, registering 16 assists and earning multiple Player of the Season honours from the left side of defence.
Staunton began his career in Bradford City's academy at the age of 11, making his senior debut for the Bantams at just 15 before signing his first professional deal in December 2019.
At international level, he represented the Republic of Ireland U18s, earning four caps and making his debut in a 2018 friendly against Belgium.