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Archived News from August 2008

HURST TURNS BACK ON STAGS / KEEPER NEWS
16th August 2008 16:58


White injury worry for Stags
Evening Post, 06 Aug 2008
Billy McEwan today revealed his frustration that goalkeeper Jason White will miss the opening of the new season.

Read more at Evening Post website here

The former youth team player has played just 45 minutes of pre-season - the first half of the first senior friendly at Hucknall.

He subsequently sustained a knee injury in the warm-up at Ilkeston and has not played since. But it is his other knee, a long-standing injury, which requires attention and has ruled him out for the beginning of the new campaign.

"We are waiting on the medical reports to see the extent of his injury and he is getting treatment," said manager McEwan.

"It is an injury he has had for three years and is one of those that keeps flaring up.

"It is the other knee from the one that he damaged at Ilkeston - that is the biggest worry.

"It is disappointing for the player and for us because we are already without a player at this stage in the season."

Some Conference clubs are splashing the cash and luring players with the offer of long-term deals.

But McEwan insists that will not happen at Field Mill, where cash is at a premium. Instead, he will adopt the same approach as during his tenure at York.

McEwan said: "The players are on short-term deals that keeps them on their toes, so they have to play well if they want to stay.

"That's what it's all about - there has to be an end product from them.

"The players don't know each other and some have never seen each other before in their lives.

"On long-term contracts, some can sit on their backsides. If they do well they might get a longer contract. But they have to bear in mind we are running a tight ship."

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Stags to take a Gamble?
. . . while old White injury flares up
CHAD.co.uk, 05 Aug 2008, By John Lomas
FOREST youngster Paddy Gamble remains Billy McEwan's number one goalkeeper target - but he admits he may have to bring in another keeper to provide cover for the injured Jason White.

Read more at CHAD.co.uk here

McEwan hopes Forest will allow Gamble to join them on loan and will keep an eye on the availablity of Sheffield United's Jamie Annerson after his display for Stags at Boston United on Saturday.

"I had Paddy as a young lad at York so I know what he can do and he is better now," said McEwan.

"We probably need to bring in a young keeper as cover. We are waiting on medical reports on Jason. They tell me he has had this problem for three years!

"It just keeps on flaring up, And it's not the knee that he hurt in the warm up at Ilkeston.

"It is disappointing for the player and for us.

"We have a player who, at the stage of the season, hasn't even played a full game for us yet.

"It was very good of Kevin Blackwell to let me borrow Jamie Annerson. I watched him play for Sheffield United at Alfreton on Friday and he did well.

"He may be one we can bring in some time in the future. But right now they are not letting him go out as he is their third choice keeper. We will keep an eye on it.

"Jamie had no chance with the goals on Saturday and he even saved a penalty – it was only the dozy defenders who didn't follow-up the loose ball then."

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Stags' scratch line-up
Evening Post, 05 Aug 2008
Mansfield Town may field some players for their first Conference game at Ebbsfleet on Saturday who are not on the club's books.

Read more at Evening Post website here

Boss Billy McEwan has been busy recruiting since he was handed the job at the start of July.

But with so little time to put together a squad before the clash with Liam Daish's men, he admits his team will not be as strong as he would ultimately like.

"It will be a Mansfield XI as much as a Mansfield Town," he said. "The thing is we might not have all the players we want at this point in the season, but it lasts nine-and-a-half months..

"We have managed to scrape a squad of players, but the players we have now we might not stick with all season."

Mansfield are in talks with goalkeeper Paddy Gamble - who did not play in the 3-0 defeat at Boston due to illness.

Any deal the club may agree would be for a loan deal as the player is still on Forest's books.

Left-sided player Alex Jeanin is another who is in negotiations following his release from Oxford.

Midfielder Tom Shaw, Craig Nelthorpe and Aaron O'Connor may get the chance to further stake their claims for contracts at Matlock on Thursday night.

But two players who will not be joining the club are experienced duo Paul Hurst and Mark McGregor.

Left-back Hurst has joined Ilkeston Town and central defender McGregor has gone to Conference rivals Altrincham.

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Hurst turns his back on Stags offer
CHAD.co.uk, 04 Aug 2008

FULL Back Paul Hurst has turned down the chance to play Blue Square Premier football with Mansfield Town this season and opted to join UniBond Premier neighbours Ilkeston Town instead.

Read more at CHAD.co.uk here

Formerly of Rotherham United, Hurst (33) featured in several recent pre-season friendlies but manager Billy McEwan said on Monday afternoon: "He just phoned me up and told me he was going elsewhere and it was a bit of a blow.

""We made him a offer which I thought he might have taken. But obviously the money was not enough.

"He can go part-time at Ilkeston and get another job as well, and earn more than we can offer him.

"I couldn't offer him more. I have to be careful with the pennies as it's not like we only have to bring in one or two more players. We need to bring a lot in still."

McEwan was bemused by BBC reports that Mark McGregor had not been offered a deal at Mansfield and ended up touting for a club via internet social forum Facebook - which won him a deal at Conference rivals Altrincham.

"We did make Mark an offer – but not what he was looking for," said McEwan.

"It was also a risky one as he was travelling over from Cheshire which is a couple of hours' driving.

"I like my players to try to be as near the club as possible. He would have spent more time in the car then on the training ground, which is not ideal.

"But he did come along and show us what he could do and I did want him to stay

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United keeper 'won't be joining Mansfield'
Evening Post, 04 Aug 2008
Mansfield will not be signing goalkeeper Jamie Annerson in the immediate future – but may go back in for him at a future date.

Read more at Evening Post website here

The 20-year-old Sheffield United shot stopper stepped in at the last minute to play in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Boston United because of the unavailability of Jason White (knee njury) and Paddy Gamble (illness).

Boss Billy McEwan revealed that while he rates Annerson highly, he has no chance of luring the player to Field Mill in the short term.

But the Scot will be keeping tabs on the situation in the future.

“He (Annerson) came in and did well at Boston and he had no chance with any of the goals,” said McEwan.

“He saved the penalty but then our dozy defenders didn't follow up to clear it.

“When I was looking to get back into the game he was one of the players recommended to me.

“When I got the job he was not available, but I did get him in as an emergency thanks to Kevin Blackwell at Sheffield United.

"He might be someone we can bring in on loan in the future but he is their number three goalkeeper at the moment."

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