Rob Scott and Paul Hurst, Grimsby Town
Rob Scott and Paul Hurst arrived at Grimsby Town in March 2011 after leaving Boston United, where they had built a strong reputation together. They had won promotion with Ilkeston Town, then with Boston, and Grimsby saw them as a route back towards the Football League after the pain of relegation.
Their first few months at Blundell Park were about stabilising rather than transforming. Grimsby finished 11th in the Conference Premier in 2010/11, and the following season brought another 11th-place finish. Liam Hearn scored freely, but the Mariners never sustained a proper promotion challenge and drifted away from the play-off race.
The 2012/13 season was more convincing. Grimsby were top of the table by Christmas and part of a strong promotion race involving Newport County, Wrexham and Forest Green Rovers. They also reached the FA Trophy final, losing to Wrexham on penalties at Wembley after a 1-1 draw. The league campaign ended in disappointment as well, with a fourth-place finish followed by defeat to Newport in the play-off semi-finals.
The partnership ended abruptly. Scott was suspended in September 2013 and later dismissed for gross misconduct relating to an incident during a defeat by Nuneaton. Hurst stayed on alone, first in sole charge and then permanently, and eventually completed the job. In 2016, he led Grimsby back into the Football League with a 3-1 victory over Forest Green Rovers in the National League play-off final.