Groves was sacked in 2004 following a 6–0 drubbing by Oldham Athletic and was replaced by Nicky Law. Law struggled from the start after he lost keeper Aidan Davison to injury, as well as players like Marcel Cas, Alan Pouton and Michael Boulding departing the club for various reasons which meant Law was forced to sign replacement players such as veterans Paul Warhurst, Alan Fettis and Jamie Lawrence, journeyman Mickaël Antoine-Curier and injury prone John Thorrington. With little time left for the new team to gel, Grimsby dropped into the relegation zone and went down again on the last day of the season. With Nicky Law failing to keep Grimsby in the Second Division, chairman Peter Furneaux wielded the axe and ended his short stay as first team manager. The club moved to appoint Scarborough manager Russell Slade as his replacement.