The signing of midfielder Kamil Conteh and his subsequent sale illustrate the regular recruitment plan that Grimsby Town should follow.
Kamil Conteh only spent a little over seven months at Blundell Park; he left Championship team Middlesbrough in early July 2023 for an undisclosed fee to join League One team Bristol Rovers prior to the end of the January transfer window in 2024.
Nonetheless, the deal(s)’ overall framework provides Grimsby Town with a sound, attainable, and long-lasting model to continually adhere to as they seek to advance in the game’s contemporary setting.
Although he plays for Sierra Leone internationally, 21-year-old London-born Conteh was considered something of a coup for the Mariners when he agreed to a three-year contract and moved from Teesside to the East Coast after failing to make a senior appearance at Boro.
The Grimsby supporters swiftly came to understand and concur with this viewpoint after he demonstrated his class both in and out of possession throughout the preseason and in his first League Two matches. The midfielder, who is mostly used in a holding role, is very calm with the ball at his feet and can launch an attack when he receives it from his custodian and defenders when under duress. In addition, the young player is aggressive, physically strong, and especially skilled at regaining possession through interception thanks to his game reading.
Conteh came through the youth systems at Watford and Crystal Palace. Although he had enjoyed successful loan stints in non-league football at Braintree Town and Gateshead, where he won Supporters’ Player of the Year, this was Conteh’s first Football League game, as the Mariners took on AFC Wimbledon at Blundell Park in their opening League Two match. It was clear right away that Grimsby had signed a player who had a high ceiling and would almost certainly play higher up the pyramid.
Conteh was one of the standouts despite Grimsby Town’s overall challenging season, which included a managerial change as David Artell took over for Paul Hurst as the Mariners attempt to maintain their Football League status. Grimsby supporters had to content themselves with watching him in a black and white shirt while he was still developing and raw in some areas of his game, because a higher league club was bound to make a move for him. It’s a matter of when not if.
| Kamil Conteh’s statistics for the 23/24 season so far, as per Transfermarkt | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Matches Played | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
| League Two | 25 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1.960′ |
| League One | 87 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 685′ |
| FA Cup | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 136′ |
| EFL Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0′ |
| EFL Trophy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62′ |
| Total 23/24 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 2.843′ |
After ‘The Gas’ fulfilled his contractual release clause, Conteh finally left for League One Bristol Rovers in January following talks between the teams amid rumours of an imminent move. While some Mariners supporters were understandably unhappy and a bit taken aback by the midfielder’s brief tenure with the team, the agreement made total sense for both the player and the club, and it should act as a model for Grimsby Town’s future transfer business.
Deals with release clauses are advantageous for Grimsby Town
It makes sense that supporters would be upset over the loss of such a gifted player. Mariners fans had many questions about why the team had let a release clause to be added to Conteh’s contract. The simple fact is that a player with Conteh’s apparent talent wouldn’t sign with most fourth-tier teams if he didn’t have access to a provision that would allow him to continue on an upward career trajectory.
We were told that in order to sign the Sierra Leonean player in the summer, Grimsby had to overcome stiff competition from other Football League teams. The main reason for this is probably that he was given the chance to experience playing in the EFL with a first team and, should he prove himself, might advance quickly.
Grimsby Town midfielder Kamil Conteh is the target that Bristol Rovers are hoping to recruit as their first January addition.
In the current game, a lot of transactions are “undisclosed” because teams want to hide their financial advantages and disadvantages from rivals. In fact, Conteh’s move to Bristol Rovers and his arrival from Middlesbrough were both declared to be for unknown prices. But one thing is for sure—Grimsby has quickly profited from its asset. The amount that the Mariners paid Middlesbrough would have been significantly less than what Bristol Rovers paid to fulfil the release clause six months later. Regardless of perspective, that’s sound business practice and will have repercussions down the road in numerous ways.
First off, had the midfield player maintained his form and drawn interest from larger teams down the road, the Mariners might have demanded a portion of Bristol Rovers’ pay, in addition to the initial sum paid. The fact that gifted young football players would perceive Grimsby Town as a team that provides opportunities is a longer-term advantage. A location where senior, battle-tested professionals provide experience and assistance, and where experience, development, improvement, evolution, and succession are easily accessible. The club’s rising image as an appropriate, nurturing environment for gifted footballers to make their breakthrough can only be enhanced by the recent development of its infrastructure, training facilities, coaching, and pre- and post-match medical care.
Some fans might find it difficult to accept the club being used as a feeder club for teams like Bristol Rovers considering the club’s long history in the top tiers of English football. However, the club has generally had a very difficult time over the past 20 years or so as they have declined both on and off the pitch for a variety of reasons, and the sport as a whole has advanced quickly.
But after John Fenty was replaced as the club’s owner in 2021 by Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit, there has been a noticeable resurgence in a number of areas, particularly the recruitment department and their use of analytics, an essential weapon in today’s game. The Mariners may reap great rewards if they can reliably bring all these elements into harmony.
by launching a transparent, persistent recruitment campaign to entice potential gems to the club on the promise of “polishing them up” and selling them for a profit, with the possibility of future financial gain (sell-on percentage). If implemented properly, it’s a model that appeals to the club, players, and agents as well as a means for Grimsby Town to move back up the football league ladder. Eventually, rising to the position of Bristol Rovers and removing those more polished stones from the base of the pyramid.
The team’s heritage and fan base could undoubtedly support and sustain this, and the new ownership of the Mariners, along with their innovative ideas and well-executed structure, will undoubtedly help. If the above-mentioned recruitment plan is patiently followed, it has every chance of bringing the team back to greater heights and happier times.
Kamil Conteh already excelling in League One
Not unexpectedly, Conteh already looks to have settled in at the top level. The former Mariner signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at The Memorial Stadium, solidifying his position at the centre of the Bristol Rovers midfield. Although he appeared to be harshly sent off late in The Gas’ dramatic victory over Stevenage in mid-February, Conteh appears to have quickly established himself as a fan favourite among the Rovers faithful, who have quickly taken note of his impressive skill set.
Even though football is a dynamic and unpredictable sport, there’s a good probability he’ll swiftly improve to a higher level at a larger club, which will probably have a positive financial impact on the Mariners as well.
Additionally, Grimsby Town has a genuine chance to eventually return to a higher level in the English game if they regularly follow the model set by Kamil Conteh’s acquisition and sale, investing in young talent and turning a profit.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply