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Archived News from May 2017

ANNUAL AWARDS / RADFORD BACKS EVANS
15th May 2017 20:25


Mansfield Town FC Annual Awards, Sunday 7th May 2017


Chairman's annual address to supporters
mansfieldtown.net

Supporters can now read chairman John Radford's opening speech from last night's Annual Awards Dinner at One Call Stadium.

Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening.

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 1861 Suite for tonight’s annual awards dinner.

First of all, thank you to Mansfield Sand who have sponsored this evening’s event - the most prestigious night in the club’s calendar.

My appreciation is extended to seven other local companies who are sponsoring the awards for this season’s key achievers.

Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I am filled with gratitude.

My appreciation is firstly for every single member of staff in this room. The list of names is too long to mention, so instead, I thought it better to show you a short video of them all...

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/chairmans-annual-address-to-supporters-3710377.aspx#8UUUw0asIjSwAAzg.99

Leaders may lead but it’s the people who deliver and so I thank each and every one of you for your contribution to the club over the past season.

My feeling of gratitude is fully extended to the management and players.

Your hard work pushed us so very close to achieving a place in the play-offs.

If I cast my mind back to mid-November, the thought of me now standing at this podium talking about us narrowly missing out on the play-offs would have been an unlikely prospect.

But our on-field progress is largely thanks to one man... the manager of Mansfield Town Football Club, Steve Evans.

Along with improving the team’s fortunes, Steve has revitalised life at One Call Stadium with his infectious personality, his passion for the game and a limitless will to succeed.

He has also made matchdays much more interesting… even though I sometimes find myself watching the dugouts more than the match!!!

Thank you Steve, to you and all of your staff. Where there is unity, there is victory, and we are unified behind you heading into next season.

Steve will have my full backing as we set about our work towards one clear and primary goal: promotion.

That will be our priority next season. And we will leave no stone unturned as we embark on our journey to fulfil the dreams of a town and its people.

It may be easy to forget, ladies and gentlemen, how far our club has come in such a short space of time.

Our crowds are increasing… the One Call Stadium has never looked or felt as good… our media and public relations is at an all-time high, our community department is flourishing, our commercial activity is thriving and One Call Stadium is now a hive of activity every single day. We are, again, the hub of the community, a pillar of Mansfield.

One of my great joys this season was to see our youth team regain the league title… and I congratulate John Dempster, his staff and players for another fine achievement. Well done.

As a club, we are moving forward and we are progressing. And with a sincere heart I can say that I continue to feel a sense of overwhelming privilege and pride in being the club’s chairman.

I may have many businesses, but I will always be honoured to carry the role of owner of the Stags - a title that means more to me than any other.

Of course, I may be the benefactor… but I am simply the custodian - the fans are the lifeblood.

The club was here long before me, and with the foundations which are now in place, it should be here long after me.

I’ve always said that the best way to predict the future is to create it, and that is what we are doing here. Step by step, day by day, this club is growing: bigger, better and stronger in every area.

We have achieved much during my six and a half years at the club and I am pleased with my accomplishments during that time, both professionally and personally.

I have to say that during that time, my most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.

To Carolyn; thank you for helping me guide this club in the right direction. You are a fantastic CEO and this club could not be as progressive without you.

To my fellow directors, thank you for your assistance in helping us move our club forward. You are the rocks of the club.

To all of our sponsors and commercial partners; thank you. We are proud to be associated with you.

And the best is saved for last.

Our supporters have been through some tough times in years gone by. But while adversity causes some to break, it causes others to breakthrough. And how we have broken through as a club.

We are stronger than we ever have been in recent memory. We have good, talented people in the right positions at the football club, and running through the club’s arteries are the best football supporters in the country.

Finally ladies and gentlemen, I will finish with this:

Though the new season now seems a long way off, we all know that it will be before us within the blink of an eye.

And during the next campaign, there will be obstacles, there will be doubters, there will be mistakes, but with discipline and desire there are no limits to what we can ultimately achieve.

We will win together. We will lose together. We will fight together. After all, we are Mansfield Town.

Thank you and enjoy your evening with us.

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CEO's annual address to supporters
mansfieldtown.net

Before the prize-giving ceremony as part of last night's Annual Awards Dinner, chief executive officer Carolyn Radford took to the stage to address those in attendance.

Mrs Radford's full speech from last night is as follows...

Ladies and gentleman, good evening.

I trust you're all enjoying our hospitality tonight and further to the chairman's introduction earlier, may I add my sincere thanks to you all for the contribution you've all made to our club over the past season.

Your endeavours don't go unnoticed and are integral to the club's current healthy state.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/ceos-annual-address-to-supporters-3710944.aspx#o7sTw6SCaQp8RcZX.99

Before I introduce the video presentation ahead of our awards ceremony, I'd like to say a few short words as the curtain now falls on another season.

Although I've perhaps not been involved in this great industry as long as many of you in the room, it soon becomes apparent that in professional football that there are two imperative roles at a football club.

The first is the position of chairman.

My husband John has a deep love and respect for Mansfield, the place he grew up. And he makes a fantastic chairman.

His achievements speak for themselves.

He is an amazing leader and most of all, he never, ever, gives up.

We will eventually reach our goal and make it to the Championship, even possibly the Premier League! You heard it here first!

John thinks big. No room for small thinking. No room for small results.

And the other integral position is the manager.

Steve, is quite simply, the best manager in the Football League. Nearly ten promotions!

Steve knows how to get things done. It's not just talk. He certainly knows how to shake things up, doesn't he? He knows how to make real change and above all - he's a winner.

Never before has our club had two people of such expertise in these roles, and we should be proud to have them both leading our club.

Now we move on to the key part of the evening.

Without wishing to sound premature, may I offer my congratulations to tonight’s eventual winners.

Awards and success are no accident.

In my office in the Quarry Lane Stand, there is a plaque which reads:

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. And you have made it happen with desire, dedication, perseverance and high standards through the season.

Well done to every one of you.

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Annual Awards: The winners
mansfieldtown.net

Last night's prestigious Annual Awards Dinner at One Call Stadium provided an opportunity to reflect on the season and honour the stand-out performers over the 2016/17 campaign.

There were seven different winners in total, and here we break down who received which awards...

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/annual-awards-dinner-winners-3710444.aspx#DRpOcFk3surKqMFU.99


Stags Supporters’ Association/Ollerton Stags Supporters Club Player of the Season.

Winner: Krystian Pearce


Ladies' Player of the Season, sponsored by J.E.M Storage.

Winner: Emma Allen


Academy Player of the Season, sponsored by I-Holland.

Winner: Cameron Healey


Supporters’ Player of the Season, sponsored by Greene King.

Winner: Rhys Bennett


Golden Boot, sponsored by John Thorpe.

Winner: Matt Green


Players' Player of the Season, sponsored by Mansfield Sand.

Winner: Rhys Bennett


Manager's Player of the Season, sponsored by Meden Event Security.

Winner: Ben Whiteman


Directors’ Player of the Season, sponsored by Booker Wholesale.

Winner: Danny Rose


Chairman’s Player of the Season, sponsored by Mansfield Manor Hotel.

Winner: Mal Benning

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