GRIMSBY'S player-manager Paul Groves is facing problems in both defence and midfield as he prepares for tonight's visit by Burnley.

And fans at Blundell Park have been joking that it is only a matter of time before he has to put "Harry the Haddock" on the bench because resources are so stretched.

Groves himself is one of three first choice defenders currently on the sidelines, along with Steve Chettle and John McDermott.

To make matters worse the central midfield pair of George Santos and Alan Pouton, who did duty at Wolves on Saturday, look set to be absent.

Santos is definitely out as his month long contract ended at the weekend and he did not put pen to paper on a new deal before yesterday's noon deadline.

Pouton, a key figure in their 3-1 victory over the Clarets in April, will have a late fitness test having had three stitches in an ankle injury.

The patched up midfield could feature former Manchester United and City winger Terry Cooke, not even on the bench on Saturday, as well as Stacy Coldicott who came on as a sub at Molineux.

In attack the former Blackburn Rovers striker Steve Livingstone will play his third match as he comes back from the horrendous fractured skull he suffered against Derby County last season.

He will be alongside current top scorer Steve Kabba, with four goals, who has still to decide if he wants his loan period from Crystal Palace to run for the whole season or to try his luck elsewhere.

The Mariners have had a poor start to the season but in their last two home games they have beaten Ipswich Town 3-0 and then managed to hold on to a point in a 0-0 draw with Rotherham, despite being reduced to nine men.

Groves performed a minor miracle to keep Grimsby up last season after taking over from Lennie Lawrence but he looks to have an even tougher job on his hands this time around.