SHAUN PEARSON wants to get one over on Wrexham to boost Grimsby Town’s chances of avoiding relegation but he is backing his former club to go on and clinch a second successive promotion.
Pearson, who made 132 league appearances during his four-season stint at The Racecourse from 2017-21, is assistant head coach of the Mariners who are fourth bottom and battling to beat the drop in League Two.
By contrast, Wrexham are flying high at the other end of the table and well-placed in the quest for a top-three finish with eight games to go, but the Reds face competition in the race for automatic promotion.
Grimsby – managed by another ex-Wrexham defender, Dave Artell – host Phil Parkinson’s men at Blundell Park on Saturday and although Pearson is focussed on picking up a vital victory, he believes the Reds have got enough quality in the ranks to go straight up.
“It is wide open up there and fascinating to see how it plays out,” said Pearson.
“If somebody told them at the start of the season that Wrexham are going to be third going into the last eight games, I’m sure they’d have said ‘fantastic’ with it being the first season back in the Football League after so long.
“If you are guaranteed a promotion heading into the final few games, I don’t think there would be too many complaints.
Like us at the bottom, all you have to do is try to put up a steady run and emerge with as many favourable outcomes as you can.
“They don’t have to win every game, really. It all comes down to accumulating points.
“I’d be lying if I said I don’t think Wrexham would be in the top-three at the end of the season, but hopefully they don’t get too many on Saturday.
“They have enough players if you consider their performance throughout the season and their level of talent.”
“We will be going all out for victory on Saturday but after that, there’s nothing more I’d love to see than Wrexham get promoted.”
After spending six years at Wrexham, Pearson returned to Grimsby, where he had previously made a name for himself as a fan favourite.
Despite his transition into coaching last summer, when he decided to end his playing career as a center-back, and his current position in the Mariners’ corner, the 34-year-old still has a special place in his heart for Wrexham, where he lived while he was a player.
Pearson is happy that the club is growing under the direction of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, two Hollywood moguls.
“I developed some pretty great friendships and interactions with during my time at Wrexham.
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