Big Interview
You’re never too old to learn, and Danny Rose is living proof of that at League Two play-off chasers Grimsby Town.
After 14 years in the professional ranks, the striker has been there, seen it and done it.
He’s closing in on 500 appearances, has netted over a century of goals and won promotions with Bury and Stevenage.
Yet he’s far from being a grizzled old centre-forward just going through the motions.
HAPPY DAYS: Danny Rose celebrates another goal for Grimsby
PICTURE: Alamy
Enthusiasm
It’s true that at 31 he’s approaching the back nine of his career, but he’s still got the same enthusiasm as ever, perhaps even more in the knowledge that he needs to make the most of the time he’s got left.
Taking on the captaincy at Grimsby – who he joined in the summer of 2023 – has given him extra responsibility which he’s thrived upon.
“It’s like I have found a home here,” he told The FLP.
“I enjoy coming into training every day and the manager, the staff and the lads have been brilliant.
“My family enjoy coming to watch me.
“Being the captain is a proud one.
“First and foremost, I’m captain of a team that makes it much easier to do.
“They are such a good group of lads and give everything – they want to learn.
“I’m not really a shouter as a captain – I try to lead by example.”
Adapting
It’s not just leading the side that’s new for Rose.
He’s also adapting his game under the management of former Crewe boss David Artell.
“I had a meeting with him and told him ‘I’m just a head on a stick’,” he explained.
“I came from Stevenage where we played long, direct balls and I won headers.
“He said ‘no, you’re much more than that’.
“I’ve had to change my game, I haven’t got the legs I had before.
“I have had to drop in a bit.
“Myself and Justin Obikwu struck up a good partnership earlier this season before he got injured.
“He was the legs and could get in behind and I dropped in short.
“It’s realising what you are good at and trying to replicate that.
“You appreciate things more as you get older and hopefully I’ve got another five, six, seven years left.
“I want to carry on until my legs go.
“You have to look after yourself, do things right from Monday to Friday, go to the gym.”
POSITIVE: Grimsby boss David Artell
Surprised
Whatever he’s doing, it’s working.
After notching 13 league goals last season on his way to becoming the Mariners’ Player of the Year, he’s already bagged a dozen this time around to spearhead an unexpected play-off push.
Grimsby finished a lowly 21st last season and were tipped to be in the lower reaches again this term, but have surprised many.
They were ninth heading into the weekend, just two points off the play-off places.
“It’s always nice to be looking up – this is a nice pressure,” said Rose.
“Last year we were looking over our shoulders at the bottom two’s results, almost flirting with relegation.
“I don’t think many people put money on us to be in the hunt in March and have a sniff, but we aren’t where we are by fluke.
“The league table doesn’t lie in March – we deserve to be there.
“We are a bit light on numbers with injuries at the moment, but we are all digging in and having a right good go.
“We’re just taking it game by game and we know that we’re going to have to beat some of the teams in and around us.”
Celebrations
With his promotions at Bury (2014-15) and Stevenage (202223), Rose knows all about coping with the pressure that grows towards the business end of the season.
It’s wisdom that he can impart to any of his younger teammates that haven’t been in that position before.
And something else he can stress to them is how rewarding it would ultimately be if unheralded Grimsby were to upset the odds and earn promotion to League One.
“I’ve been involved in a fair few promotion battles and have had celebrations and heartache,” he said.
“It’s trying to guide the lads through this and hopefully it will stand them in good stead for the future.
“You live for those moments.
“You remember them forever.
“I still speak to the lads at Stevenage and you recall games from that season.
“That’s what I want at Grimsby – if it doesn’t happen this season, we will go again.
“Even if we don’t make the play-offs, it will still have been a really successful season after where we were last year.”
Plaudits
Rose believes that manager Artell, who took the reins in November 2023, deserves plenty of plaudits for the turnaround.
“He’s been brilliant with me and the team – he’s had a promotion with Crewe already and wants to replicate that,” he said.
“He’s got us playing a really good style of football – attacking, front foot – and we always seem to be scoring.
“We aren’t relying on one player to get 25 goals, we aren’t that type of team.
“We chip in from all areas, he really respects possession.
“He wants us to keep moving the ball quickly to get in behind teams – it’s definitely working.
“He got us out of a sticky situation last season and we have carried on from that.”
Fight
Grimsby have taken some notable scalps of late, including a 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers last month and a 3-1 success at leaders Walsall a couple of weeks ago.
It shows they can mix it with anyone in a fourth-tier promotion race shaping up to be a real fight to the finish.
“We have had good away form,” said Rose.
“We have almost flipped it on its head from last season, we knew Walsall were on a bit of a wobble and anyone at the game would say that only one team deserved the three points.
“The division has been a bit unpredictable this year.
“The lads chat in the changing room and before the season started people felt it could be anyone’s this year.
“Not many people expected Walsall to be up there.
“It’s really tight and there are still a lot of games left.
“If anyone goes on a run, they could end up in the top three.
“One thing’s for sure – we are giving it absolutely everything.”
Cardiff City
Omer Riza is proud of his Cardiff City troops
Championship
OLIVER’S SET FOR BIG STEP
