The former Portsmouth flop and ex-Sunderland man starring in shock League Two promotion challenge
A Pompey transfer flop is spearheading Grimsby’s shock emergence as League Two promotion challengers.
The Mariners finished fourth from bottom last season, however they have been transformed this term - with Denver Hume at the heart of it.
The attacking left-back has been a star performer, rattling up seven assists in all competitions during their surprise climb into seventh spot.
Indeed, only MK Dons’ Aaron Nemane has tallied more than Hume’s six league assists in the current League Two campaign.
The defender has registered two of his assists in his last three appearances, during victories over Morecambe and Accrington, which have lifted them into the play-off positions.
Hume has rebuilt his career following two forgettable Fratton Park years and is now revelling in regular first-team football in Lincolnshire.
Signed for the Blues by Danny Cowley in January 2022 for around £200,000, the former Sunderland man went on to feature 31 times, including just 11 League One starts.
There were significant spells on the sidelines through injury, yet in the latter months of his time on the south coast he was fit, but overlooked by John Mousinho.
Having been made available for transfer since the summer of 2023 and rejecting opportunities to move elsewhere, Hume finally departed Fratton Park in February.
A mutually-agreed exit allowed him to join Grimsby on a short-term deal - and he subsequently helped them fight off the threat of relegation.
The full-back signed a new two-year deal last summer and has established himself as a pivotal performer in David Artell’s team, who are positioned just three points from the promotion spots.
In total, Hume has featured 39 times and scored once during his 10-and-a-half months with the Mariners. That’s comfortably more than he managed in two years with Pompey.
The left-back started his career with Sunderland, making 84 appearances, with his performances catching the eye of Cowley, who oversaw his move to Fratton Park.
Now Hume has rediscovered his form and confidence with promotion-chasing Grimsby in League Two.