David Artell

David John Artell (born 22 November 1980) is a football manager and former professional player who is currently the head coach of EFL League Two club Grimsby Town. Born in England, he won seven caps for the Gibraltar national team between 2014 and 2015. Artell began his career as a centre back with his hometown club Rotherham United in 1998, and played his part in the club's successive promotions from the Third Division to the First Division in the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 seasons. He then joined Shrewsbury Town on loan for the 2002–03 season, followed by successive two-year permanent spells at Mansfield Town and Chester City between 2003 and 2007, before leaving the latter for Morecambe. In 2010, Artell joined Crewe Alexandra, and went on to captain the side to victory in the 2012 League Two play-off final. In July 2012, he joined Port Vale, but left abruptly to join Northampton Town the following month. A loan spell at Wrexham during the 2012–13 campaign followed, and was later made permanent. Artell remained in Wales, going onto play for Bala Town and Port Talbot Town between 2014 and 2016, before returning to England with Kidsgrove Athletic, and Droylsden, the latter of which he retired with in 2017. In January 2017, Artell was appointed as first-team manager by his former club Crewe Alexandra, where he had been the academy operations manager for the previous three years. He led The Railwaymen to automatic promotion from League Two in the 2019–20 season, despite its disruption due to COVID-19, and then oversaw the club's highest finish in 15 years in the 2020–21 season, finishing 12th in League One. However, the 2021–22 campaign proved to be one of the worst in Crewe's modern history; in April 2022, they were relegated back to the fourth tier with four games to spare, and Artell was sacked by the club that month after five years in charge. In November 2023, Artell was appointed head coach of League Two club Grimsby Town.