 Atkinson remained with Grimsby for the 2010–11 season, which was the club's first season in Non-League football in over 100 years.Following a pre-season injury, Darran Kempson, Scott Garner and Steven Watt shared out the two centre half positions until Atkinson returned and was preferred at the back alongside Kempson.He would also be appointed the club's interim captain when club captain Lee Peacock was not selected in the team, but would go on to depart Grimsby in the summer despite being offered a fresh contract by the club's new managerial duo of Rob Scott and Paul Hurst.