{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from August 2005

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
23rd August 2005 16:17


This Tuesday, the Stags will face Championship side Stoke in the first round of the League Cup at Field Mill. But it isn't the first time the Stags have faced the Potters in cup competitions, as the stats below will show.

Already in the 1947-48 season, the Potters, then in the old first division, had to travel to Field Mill for a third round FA Cup fixture. At the end of the day, 10.500 watched the Potters go through by the help of a 4-2 scoreline (Stags' scorers Butt penalty, Oscroft, Stoke scorers Sellars, Kiernan, Steele 2, details courtesy of the centenary book). Steele was Freddie Steele, who a few seasons later were to steer the Stags to their then longest FA Cup run and the highest league placing – and Oscroft were later to play for Stoke!

And in the 1993-94 season, over two legs, the Stags made the Potters (in contrast to the 4-0 defeats in the league the previous campaign) work very hard to go through. First a highly creditable 2-2 draw at Stoke, then making the then to Division One promoted side play extra time at Field Mill before the Potters eventually won 3-1.

The first league game between the sides was a historical one – as it was the Stags' first in the old Division 2 following the second of the two championships in the mid-seventies and a Stoke relegation from the top flight after fourteen years.

A good crowd of 14077 saw the Stags beat a Stoke side, still with Peter Shilton with two goals to one. The Stags scorers were Syrett and Sharkey from the penalty spot. For Stoke, Lindsay netted from the spot, but that could not prevent the Stags from winning their first-ever game on the 2nd level of the league on August 20, 1977. More on that game can be seen in the Vintage Stags section.

More players than you might expect have turned out for both sides. For the most recent followers, Chris Greenacre is best known. For the older fans, Freddie Steele must be well known (see above). Even a former Stags manager, Steve Parkin, has played for Stoke, as well as the one outfield player with the most league appearances, Tony Ford.

Maybe not so well known is David Goodwin, who actually played for both sides in 1977-78. After playing a few games for the Potters early on (but not in the historical game at Field Mill on August 20, 1977), he then came to the Stags and scored once that season. But that was AGAINST Stoke in the 1-1-draw at the old Victoria Ground on January 2, 1978 in front of 13834 – a crowd which was lower than the one at Field Mill a few months earlier – the reason was surely that Stoke was stuck in mid-table tedium. And it was in fact the Stags' third consecutive 1-1 away draw (the other ones were good ones as well, at Luton and against Spurs at White Hart Lane!!!!). Even the Stoke scorer on January 2, 1978, McGroarty, scored his ONLY league goal of that season the 1-1 fixture!

Played for both sides: George Antonio, Neville Chamberlain, Joseph Depledge, O'Neill Donaldson, Francis Elliott, Tony Ford, Herbert Gadsden (1910's!!!), Verdi Godwin, David Goodwin, Chris Greenacre, Harry Howell, Arthur Jepson, Henry Jones, Neil Mackenzie, Carl Muggleton, Harry Oscroft, Steve Parkin, Mark Smith, Freddie Steele, Kevin Pressman.

League stats:

Home: P 3, W 1, D 1, L 1, GF 2, GA 5
Away: P 3, W 0, D 1, L 2, GF 2, GA 8

Season Home Date Away Date

1977-78 2-1 1977-08-20 1-1 1978-01-02 Div 2 (old)
1990-91 0-0 1991-03-05 1-3 1991-03-26 Div 3 (old)
1992-93 0-4 1992-09-26 0-4 1993-01-16 Div 2

FA Cup

1947-48 2-4 1948-01-10 (Round 3 at Field Mill)

League Cup

1993-94 2-2 1993-08-18 (1st round, 1st leg at Victoria Ground, Stoke)
1993-94 1-3 1993-08-24 (1st round, 2nd leg aet at Field Mill)

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

Player details courtesy of the history CD

 

Latest | August 2005