 A management change at Grimsby again saw club captain Paul Groves step up to take over, and despite Croudson being the original choice for second choice keeper during the 2002–2003 season he would suffer a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the entire season, forcing Groves to sign Leeds United's Shaun Allaway on a season long loan to fill in on the bench.At the end of the season both Croudson and his goalkeeping companion Danny Coyne both left Grimsby, with Coyne joining Premier League Leicester City.Croudson played in 6 league matches for Grimsby in his five-year stay.