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Archived News from January 2011

RUSSELL, DAY AND WOODS REACTION
4th January 2011 12:22



audio interviews with Duncan Russell and Neil Woods --->

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9310612.stm

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Captain and manager apologise for Stags' seven-goal drubbing
CHAD.co.uk

STAGS boss Duncan Russell and skipper Rhys Day - currently in talks over a new contract at Field Mill - apologised to the 518 away fans who suffered watching the 7-2 humbling by Grimsby Town at Blundell Park on New Year's Day.

http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/captain_and_manager_apologise_for_stags_seven_goal_drubbing_1_2897536

And both gave assurances that it was a one-off and would not happen again.

The club's worst result since a 7-2 hammering at Cambridge in March 1999 came out of the blue after Stags had won 5-1 at Cambridge in midweek - and a few hours after it was announced that two players had signed new contracts.

Boss Russell suggested complacency may have crept in after the size of that midweek away win.

He said: “I am flabbergasted and all I can say is a big apology to our supporters who travelled all the way up here. That performance from my team was unacceptable.

“There were strong words in the dressing room and they will all be in tomorrow morning to sit and watch the DVD and iron out the problems.

“We came here on the back of that five goal win. But football does have a habit of biting you if you are not prepared to work hard.

“You can't just expect to turn up here and get a result. We were not good enough all over the park and second to the ball all the time.

“Maybe too many players were complacent and have not worked hard enough today. Individually and collectively they thought seemed to think they were going to come here and get a result but didn't work hard enough.

“I can assure you that will never happen again. You can put that down as a blip.

“They have worked so hard the last few weeks and have had praise that was deserved. But today we lost our shape and there were a multitude of problems which we need to fix.

“Some players did not show enough workrate and I won't accept that, not will my chairman, Paul Hall and the fans.

“But it is not a blame culture here. Sometimes players are not shown the error of their ways by others and then they never learn from it.

“We now need to get their heads up and I am so glad to have a game on Monday to put things right to let them show me and the fans that that was a one-off, which I believe it was.

“I told them Grimsby are not the biggest of sides but they will hit you on the break.

“But when they went ahead from that quick throw half my players had their backs to play which you can't do at this level of football.

“The players should also remember the transfer window is now open.”

Skipper Day added: “Maybe there was some complacency after Tuesday.

“But I would like to personally apologise to the fans who travelled here. And, as captain, I can assure them I can't see that happening again.

“Take nothing away from Grimsby – they looked organised and sharp.

“But if we had not conceded those early goals I think we would have settled into the game and been able to play our football. It might have been a different story.

“They came at us early and scored twice. But we pulled one back and at half-time we were upbeat.

“But, after they scored two more quick goals after the break we began to chase the game a little bit and that's what made it more open and they were able to get at us.”

Day remains in talks over a contract as do several others. But Adam Smith and Danny Mitchley have signed until the end of next season and Adam Murray will join them in midweek, also signing until May 2012.

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Stags boss Russell apologises to fans following seven-goal blitz
Evening Post

MANSFIELD Town manager Duncan Russell has apologised for the 7-2 thumping at Grimbsy on Saturday and has vowed to put things rights – starting with the visit of Altrincham today.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/sport/Stags-boss-Russell-apologises-fans-following-seven-goal-blitz/article-3056777-detail/article.html

The Stags were brought crashing down to earth following their 5-1 win at Cambridge United as they were simply blown away by the Mariners at Blundell Park.

A shell-shocked Russell said: "I am absolutely flabbergasted by this result and all I can say is a big apology to our supporters who travelled all the way up here. That performance was unacceptable.

"There were strong words in the dressing room afterwards and they will all be in to watch the DVD to iron out the problems that we see.

"We came here on the back of that five-goal win. But football does have a habit of biting you if you are not prepared to work hard.

"You can't just expect to turn up and get a result. Maybe too many players were complacent and have not worked hard enough.

"I can assure you that will never happen again. You can put that down as a blip.

"They have worked so hard the last few weeks and been given the praise they deserved. But here there was a multitude of problems which we need to fix.

"I am so glad to have the game with Altrincham today to put things right; to let them show me and the fans that was a one-off, which I believe it was.

"I told them Grimsby may not be the biggest of sides but they will hit you on the break. But when they went ahead from that quick throw-in, half my players had their backs to play, which you can't do at this level of football.

"The transfer window is open and I can make changes. But it is not about individuals. I don't want them castigating each other. I want them to put it right as a group."

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Day apologises to supporters after Stags suffer new year embarrassment
Evening Post

MANSFIELD Town's on-loan skipper Rhys Day apologised to supporters for Stags' dismal showing at Grimsby and said he hoped to complete his permanent move to the club soon.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Day-apologises-supporters-Stags-suffer-new-year-embarrassment/article-3056749-detail/article.html

"Maybe there was some complacency after the win at Cambridge," he said.

"But I would like to personally apologise to the fans and, as captain, I can assure them I can't see that happening again.

"Take nothing away from Grimsby – they looked organised and sharp. But if we had not conceded those early goals I think we would have settled into the game and been able to play our football and it might have been a different story."

Day's representatives are in talks with Stags over making his loan spell from Oxford a permanent move and he added: "I am hoping it can be quickly resolved. I didn't want to leave Mansfield the last time I was here, so to have the chance to come back was fantastic. Hopefully something can be sorted out sooner than later."

Winger Adam Smith and striker Danny Mitchley have marked the New Year by signing new contracts until May 2012 with Adam Murray set to join them in midweek when Stags take over his contract from Luton on January 4.

However, Luton are asking for a 24-hour emergency callback on loan keeper Kevin Pilkington which new Stags boss Duncan Russell is unhappy about.

Talks continue with loanees Simon Grand, Steve Cook and Peter Vincenti over their futures at Field Mill with their loan spells due to end.

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Town boss Woods demands his side deliver a New Year double

GRIMSBY Town boss Neil Woods has warned his players against complacency at lowly Histon today after their magnificent seven-goal thrashing of play-off contenders Mansfield on Saturday.

http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/grimsbytownnews/Undefined-Headline/article-3057561-detail/article.html?

Peter Bore's hat-trick helped Town kick-off the new year with a bang in a 7-2 victory over the Stags at Blundell Park.

And the Mariners travel to Cambridgeshire unbeaten in their last six league games.

Histon lie in the relegation zone and are without a win from their last seven league and cup games.

But Woods knows his team can't afford to take their foot of the gas if any chance of an immediate return to the Football League is to remain a possibility.

"The biggest thing for all the players is to realise that it was just one game," the Town boss said.

"I'm not trying to be a party pooper, but it was just one game and we need to go and back that up with other results. We have to take the performance to Histon.

"If we don't get what we want at Histon then we waste some of the work we did on Saturday.

"When you have a result and a performance like that, scoring a lot of goals, it's very easy to think you've just got to turn up and pass it around and we'll score.

"There is always a worry that the players might go out there and think it will just happen for them.

"Dave (Moore) and I will have to show them that it's the hard work that got the result.

"On Saturday they worked extremely hard.

"When we have got it we've shown before we can play and score goals.

"So, as I've told the players, results for us this season will depend on how good we are when we haven't got the ball."

An early two-goal blast courtesy of Bore's opener and Michael Coulson's deflected shot put Town in control, but the Stags pulled a goal back through Rob Duffy's header just before half-time following a mix-up in the hosts' box.

The home fans vented their frustration at the officials after some strong challenges led to an array of bookings.

But Woods was delighted his men kept their cool and let their football do the talking, scoring five more in a dominant second-half display.

He said: "We showed courage. It became a battle when we didn't need it to be a fight; we needed it to be a football game.

"I didn't think the challenge on Lee (Ridley) was too bad but there was definitely contact on Alan (Connell) first-half as well as Charles (Ademeno).

"The emphasis at half-time was to play; when we got the ball to the frontmen and set things off, Mansfield really struggled to deal with the movement and pace we had.

"It doesn't matter whether people are spitting, punching or elbowing you; it's about what you do with the football – you prove your point with football.

"And they did. They calmed down. It doesn't matter if someone has elbowed you at the end of the game when you've won 7-2."

"I'm really pleased for the players, who have worked extremely hard during the break we've had from the league," he added.

"People will say we have been threatening to get that kind of result for a while – we have at times.

"The quality of the goals was outstanding.

"I think in a way it could have been more.

"People might scoff, but I think Mansfield are a good side and looked dangerous coming forward. We'll need to finish above them by the end of the season."

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