Derby Defender Joins Mariners Promotion Push

GRIMSBY TOWN have signed Derby County defender Tom Naylor to bolster their push for Conference Premier promotion.

Naylor,  a product of the youth team at one of Grimsby’s title rivals Mansfield Town, joined Derby in January 2012 for an undisclosed fee following a loan spell at Pride Park.

He has since found first-team opportunities hard to come by and has featured just once for Nigel Clough’s side this term – missing the crucial penalty in a shoot-out defeat to Scunthorpe in the Capital One Cup.

The 21-year-old spent time on loan at Bradford City earlier in the season and has now joined Grimsby for what remains of the 2012/13 campaign.

Naylor is ineligible to play in this weekend’s FA Trophy semi-final second leg against Dartford but will be available for the final should the Mariners make it.

Commenting on his move to Blundell Park, Naylor wrote on his Twitter page: “Excited for my time at Grimsby & hopefully helping them get promotion.. but also be working hard to get my Derby shirt back next season!!”