Grimsby Borough v Thornaby: Previewing Our Opening Pre-Season Friendly

Grimsby Borough v Thornaby FC - Pre-Match Preview

The Wilderness Boys get their pre-season campaign underway on Saturday, as EBAC Northern League Division One club Thornaby make the 125-mile trip south to the Technica Home of Boro looking to provide boss Tom Claisse’s side with a stern test in the early July sunshine.

Borough have been putting in the hard yards on the training ground in recent weeks as they prepare for the campaign ahead, hoping to build on a promising final third of the 2025/26 season that saw them pull away from any danger at the wrong end of the table and play some entertaining, front footed football to boot.

With Liam Dickens replacing Danny East as Claisse’s right hand man in the dugout, many of the key men from last time out have been retained, and all involved are feeling positive for the year ahead as we look to go toe-to-toe once again with some big clubs in what is an exciting looking NPL Division One East.

While popular defender Tom Jamieson and striker Dayle Southwell have moved on to Ossett United and Brigg Town respectively, the Borough ranks have been strengthened by the additions of former Cleethorpes Town and Lincoln United goalkeeper Heath Richardson, highly-rated right-sided player Tristan Drummond, and previous loanees Harvey Cribb and Charlie Clements, both of which were previously on the books of Grimsby Town in recent years.

The new reinforcements, added to the strong, experienced core of the squad already in place gives Borough fans real cause for optimism that they can better their 15th placed finish last season, and they’ll get their first chance to see the new men in action this weekend.

Based in North Yorkshire, Thornaby, nicknamed the Blue Lamps, were established in their current guise at the turn of the century, having previously been known as Stockton prior to that. Currently residing at step five in the non-league pyramid in what is a very competitive sporting area of the country in the Teesside, Wearside, and Tyneside region, joint managers Craig Skelton and Simon Kasonali will be keen to see their side progress from their 14th placed finish last time out.

It was a season of consolidation for the Blues following their promotion via the Division Two play-offs at the end of a 2024/25 campaign where they finished fifth, but upset the odds in claiming victory at Yarm & Eaglescliffe and Jarrow respectively to go up alongside champions Horden Community Welfare under the stewardship of then boss Bobby Coltman.

Skelton and Kasonali took over after a difficult start at the higher level last year and guided their side to a safe, lower midtable finish, ultimately winning 12 and losing 18 of their 36 league matches.

The pair have also been busy rejigging their squad over the summer, with Jordan Lavery, Alfie Conway, Charlie Hudson, and forward Dale Milburn moving on to pastures new, while arrivals at Teesdale Park include ex-Marske United men Euan McBride and Bradley Mills, along with midfielder Sam Lawrence and attacker Joe Pickett, who have joined from Billingham Synthonia and Guisborough Town respectively.

Goalkeeper Sam Taylor and Joe Kennedy, who both spent time on loan at Thornaby last season, have also signed on a permanent basis in what all connected to the North Yorkshire based club hope will be a progressive campaign ahead.

Thornaby kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 2-0 win at Darlington Town on Thursday, and look set to be well backed by a strong travelling support this weekend. We look forward to welcoming the players, staff, officials, and followers of the Blue Lamps to North East Lincolnshire, and can’t wait to see our loyal Borough supporters once again as preparations ramp up for the year ahead.