Callum Ainley

Grimsby Town After leaving Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 2023, Ainley signed for League Two side Grimsby Town on a one-year deal in September 2023. He made his Grimsby debut in a 3–0 league defeat at Wrexham on 16 September 2023, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute for Gavan Holohan.

In January 2024, Grimsby announced that Ainley had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and that after having surgery he could return to training in the second half of February. He made his first Grimsby appearance since the diagnosis, being brought on as a late substitute by Grimsby's former Crewe manager David Artell in a 3–0 win at Crewe on 13 April 2024. Ainley agreed a new one-year contract with Grimsby in June 2024. In May 2025, Grimsby announced Ainley would be leaving the club.

Cleethorpes Town Remaining in the Grimsby area, Ainley signed for local Northern Premier League Premier Division side Cleethorpes Town on 2 September 2025.

Career statistics

Honours Crewe Alexandra EFL League Two runner-up: 2019–20