Grimsby Town supporters may struggle to believe one-year wonder retired at 30: View | OneFootball

Highlights

The career of a professional footballer is an unpredictable one, particularly in the EFL and non-league. Varying factors contribute to potential success or failure for players and clubs alike, but some fans of Grimsby Town may be surprised at just how quickly talented former forward Sam Jones went from the Mariners to League One Shrewsbury to early retirement in the space of just three years.

Jones moved to Blundell Park from National League club Gateshead for an undisclosed fee at the end of January 2017, agreeing a two-and-a-half-year deal. Having quickly worked his way up the non-league ladder with the likes of Retford United, Heanor Town and Alfreton Town prior to joining the Heed, the forward's consistent, impressive displays clearly warranted a move into the Football League at that time.

Signed by then Grimsby manager Marcus Bignot, Jones almost instantly looked the part. Quick, strong and good with both feet, the former Leeds United youngster looked more than comfortable at the higher level, providing the Mariners with a creative and goalscoring threat.

Capable of playing as a second striker, Jones helped his side to a mid-table finish in their first season back in the EFL; one which saw Bignot replaced by former Mariners manager Russell Slade in the spring.

While the following campaign under Slade began steadily enough for Jones and Grimsby, it would become difficult for a side lacking quality. The former Gateshead man was a bright spark in general throughout 2017, however, scoring 13 times in his 45 appearances overall for the Mariners before continuing his upward trajectory once again, as he departed Blundell Park for League One Shrewsbury Town in January 2018.

Shrewsbury move didn't work out

The then 26-year-old attacker arrived at the New Meadow on the back of a steep rise up the levels; one that saw him rarely stay at one club for more than a year. Signed for the Shrews by a familiar face to Mariners fans in Paul Hurst, it was hoped Jones would adjust to the higher standard once more.

This wasn't the case, however, and the forward's career surprisingly spiraled as quickly as it had risen from this point. Jones would only make five appearances in a Shrewsbury shirt, scoring once, and was generally unable to cement his place at the third-tier club.

He was soon loaned out to League Two side Cheltenham Town before moving on to non-league Harrogate Town permanently ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. Again struggling to make an impact at his new club, Jones was briefly loaned out to fellow National League club Solihull Moors and sixth-tier York City, where he made a handful of appearances for both.

The former Mariner would join National League North side Kettering Town in 2020, though he'd only make four appearances for the club before seemingly hanging up his boots before the age of 30. Having shown such promise and looking like he had the ability to go far in the game, Jones had only made 37 appearances (scoring four goals) spread across six different clubs in the three years since moving on from Blundell Park.

Many Grimsby Town fans who saw Jones' talents will have been somewhat shocked to see his career decline so quickly. The forward had an abundance of quality, a skill set that seemed destined to take him higher. The fact that the opposite happened highlights the pitfalls of the game for lower-league footballers.

Bignot brought in some talented players at Grimsby

It's fair to say Marcus Bignot had a mixed time of things during his six-month tenure as Grimsby manager. Some notable successes and disappointing defeats summed up the inconsistent nature of that time in many ways, with a good performance often followed by a poor one.

However, while some of his team selections and setups raised eyebrows among the Mariners fanbase, the former Solihull chief had an eye for a player, bringing in some talented footballers during his stay. Jones was joined by the likes of Jamey Osborne, Chris Clements, Akwasi Asante and Callum Dyson (on loan from Everton) during the short Bignot era, and while some of those moves didn't work out for one reason or another, the quality was evident as the aforementioned players raised the technical levels in the Grimsby squad.

Bignot fell foul of former Mariners' owner John Fenty in the spring of 2017, with the now Swindon Town Assistant manager later telling the Grimsby Telegraph that he was moved on as "the board said they've lost faith in us (Bignot and his staff), but that it wasn't to do with football results".

His replacement was Russell Slade, who came in for his second spell in charge of Grimsby. While they ended the season in mid-table, Slade quickly moved on many of Bignot's additions, preferring a more attritional style of play for the following campaign.