Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says the club’s decision to allow home supporters in the North Stand for Saturday’s match at home to Forest Green Rovers is a ‘great’ one.
Home supporters will have access to blocks A and B of the stand, which is ordinarily given solely to away supporters, allowing more Stags’ supporters inside One Call Stadium.
Demand for home tickets has been increased further in recent weeks with Mansfield coming off the back of a Nottinghamshire Derby 4-1 win on Saturday at Meadow Lane; extending the club’s unbeaten streak to 17 matches.
Speaking to iFollow Stags in a news conference yesterday, Nigel said: “I think it’s great.
“In an ideal world you want your home supporters behind both goals.
“The noise coming out of the main stand is incredible but if we could get our supporters behind both goals I think that would be great going forward.
“To be getting in the seven and eight [thousands at One Call Stadium] is brilliant; testament to I think to people wanting to come and watch how we play.”
On the weekend’s dominant victory at Notts County, the gaffer added: “It was a stunning result.
“The game was a little bit strange in some ways in that we haven’t come out of too many this season where we have had a third of the possession.
“So, then it becomes about two things: When Notts are so good with the ball, first of all it’s about what we do with the ball when we get it and also where Notts have the majority of the possession.
“I thought on those two aspects of the game, we were absolutely brilliant.
“When we had the ball, we hurt them with 21 shots – scoring four goals and we restricted Notts to just a few opportunities.”
Mansfield remain the only unbeaten side in England in all competitions.
“That [the unbeaten run] is more of an achievement I think,” said the boss.
“You can get a one-off good game but to do it over 17 games and not be beaten [is fantastic].
“This is where the draws are important as well.”
The only downside from the contest was Baily Cargill’s fifth booking of the season. The defender will miss this weekend’s match through suspension.
“We went with experience on the day,” Nigel said.
“Baily’s popped up with his first goal, but he got that yellow card.
“Lewis Brunt comes straight back in [on Saturday].”
Stags face Derby County this afternoon in the Central League Cup at RH Academy. Nigel provided an update on who might feature from the first team.
“We’re keen to keep the lads ticking over.
“A few of the subs [from the Notts County win] will play an hour or more because then you look ahead and think the next EFL Trophy game is not until 07 November.
“We’ll get a few [first teamers] out there. James Gale and Will Swan will play and maybe Callum Johnson and George Williams – just to keep their minutes up.
“It’s difficult to make too many changes when you’re 17 unbeaten. We’ll need them all at some point without a doubt.
“It’s just about keeping them ready.”
The gaffer also added the latest on the injury front.
“Rhys Oates and Stephen McLaughlin are coming along well,” he said.
“Stephen McLaughlin has joined in warm-ups and a couple of passing drills.
“Realistically, I think we are looking at the Everton game in the EFL Trophy on 07 November for them both to feature.
“Stephen Quinn will probably be a few weeks after that.”
On this Saturday’sopponents, Nigel said: “We’ve seen Forest Green [play] a few times this season and all the reports that come back are that they are a good team.
“They’ve struggled a little bit and they’re in the bottom few but they’re far better than their league position suggests.
“When you have got a player like Troy Deeney up-front, it’s an extremely dangerous one for us.”
Mansfield have been drawn at home to Wrexham in the FA Cup first round.
“It’s brilliant to come out at home first of all.
“Then to get the league favourites again – we had a cracking game against them a week or so ago.
“I think it will be another good occasion.
“The main thing is being at home and I think it’ll attract quite a bit of interest.
“Hopefully we’ll get a good crowd. It’s a good few weeks for us – a lot of big games coming up with the different competitions and the last 16 game against Port Vale [in the Carabao Cup] so it’s a big few weeks for us.”
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