Barnsley goalkeeper Jackson Smith will remain on loan at Grimsby Town after his emergency deal was extended for a further seven days.
The 24-year-old will now stay with the Mariners until 31st December, having initially joined the League Two side on a short-term basis earlier this month. The extension follows a shaky start to his latest spell at Blundell Park, conceding two as they lost at Bromley.
Smith, who is contracted to Barnsley, was drafted in after Grimsby were left short of senior goalkeeping options with an injury to Christy Pym. His familiarity with the club has allowed him to settle quickly, having previously spent time with the Mariners on emergency loans during the 2024–25 season.
He appeared against City for both clubs last season, as we won 2-1 at Blundell Park and lost 4-3 at Oakwell.
The Boxing Day game was Smith’s first appearance since returning to Grimsby before Christmas and provided further evidence of his reliability during a congested festive schedule. With fixtures coming thick and fast, the Mariners opted to extend the loan to ensure continuity between the posts as they navigate a demanding run of matches.
Smith remains under contract at Oakwell and is expected to return to Barnsley once the loan period expires, subject to further extensions or recall. For now, he will remain part of Grimsby’s matchday squad as the League Two campaign continues through the end of December.
Imps emergency loans
We’ve had a few emergency loan keepers in our time, but perhaps the most famous was Joe Bursik. Bursik played against us for Peterborough just a couple of weeks before, helping them to a 3-3 draw, which ended our automatic promotion hopes.
Following an injury to Alex Palmer, Bursik came to us on loan and played a blinder as we beat Sunderland in the play-off semi-final at the Bank. Perhaps the romance came from it being the first game back after Covid, an emotional affair and a huge win for the Imps.
Bursik is now playing for Portsmouth in the Championship.
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