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Archived News from May 2017

STAGS SIGN DAVID MIRFIN
27th May 2017 22:50


Stags sign multiple promotion-winner
mansfieldtown.net, 23rd May 2017

Mansfield Town have secured the signing of three-time promotion-winning defender David Mirfin, we are delighted to announce.

The Stags have won the race to capture the 32-year-old centre-half, who left League One Scunthorpe United at the end of the 2016/17 season

Sheffield-born Mirfin graduated from the Huddersfield Town academy in the 2003/04 season and helped to keep 16 clean sheets in 25 matches as the Terriers won promotion from Division Three.

The 6ft 1in defender was a rock in Huddersfield’s defence over the next few League One seasons, winning the Players’ Player of the Year, Away Supporters’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year for the 2006/07 season.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/stags-sign-multiple-promotion-winner-3723529.aspx#qk82hOLYxLPv6JVr.99

He left West Yorkshire at the beginning of the 2008/09 season and joined Scunthorpe United for a deal worth a minimum of £150,000.

His first season at Glanford Park culminated in promotion to the Championship via the play-offs, with Mirfin making 37 league appearances.

Mirfin played a major role in the Iron maintaining their Championship status following promotion, but then opted to leave Glanford Park at the end of the following season to join Watford on a two-year deal.

However, Mirfin returned to former club Scunthorpe United on loan until the end of the 2011/12 season, before signing permanently for the Iron.

The former Huddersfield man missed just one game in a season which saw Scunthorpe secure promotion to League One in 2014.

A brief loan spell with Hartlepool United followed in the 2014/15 campaign, before he returned to Scunthorpe and once again became an integral part of their side.

Mirfin made 36 League One appearances last season as the Iron finished in the play-off positions, bowing out after a 3-2 aggregate defeat against eventual winners Millwall.

"I watched Scunthorpe last season on a number of occasions where David stood out," said manager Steve Evans.

"His competence in defending and his willingness to win every header that came into his box was a big reason why Scunthorpe went so close to securing Championship football last season.

"I must admit it was a surprise to myself when I read that Scunthorpe were not going to take him forward in their journey, but every management team has different options and opinions.

"We were in a queue to speak to David, amongst a number of clubs. I met the boy on three to four occasions and it's fair to say that we got on really well and he wanted to buy into a project. This is a very exciting project.

"He is an outstanding centre-back, even for the league above."

The signing is subject to EFL ratification.

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Stags' ambition impresses latest recruit
mansfieldtown.net, 23rd May 2017

Stags’ new defender David Mirfin believes the club has the potential to climb the EFL ladder and is excited to be a part of the future.

The 32-year-old former Scunthorpe man put pen-to-paper on a deal at One Call Stadium earlier today and in turn became Stags’ ninth signing of the summer.

And Mirfin is impressed by the club’s ambition and believes the Stags have the potential to ascend the divisions.

“When you’ve seen other clubs do it - going up from non-league into the Championship in the space of three or four years - as an outsider looking in, you’re always thinking it would have been great to be part of that,” Mirfin said.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/stags-ambition-impresses-latest-recruit-3723873.aspx#hulzB0iEfku2o2eO.99

“I think this is one club that could certainly match what those clubs have done in the last few years and to be part of that is really exciting and I’m looking forward to it.

“Dropping down [a division] was never an issue for me. But if I did it, I wanted to go to a club with ambition to get out of the league and as soon as I spoke to the manager here and he spoke about where he wanted the club to go, it was probably the only one real option that I wanted to go down.”

The former Huddersfield Town defender has three promotions on his CV and he has described the components he believes are essential to succeed in League Two.

“I think probably one thing is having the right blend of having experience and youth. I think that’s really important to have that right mix.

“On top of that, I’d probably say consistency - I think that’s the big thing. I think if you can get players week-in-week-out getting seven or eight out of ten, that is going to win you games.

“I’ve been promoted twice out of League Two and it’s getting a tough league but the season I had last year, I want to carry that on and I want to be [in the] play-offs and if not higher.”

Many within the football world were somewhat surprised to see Mirfin not offered a new deal by former club Scunthorpe and now the Sheffield-born defender is looking forward to competing for a place in the middle of the Stags’ defence next season.

“The manager’s not guaranteed me a place, I’ve got to earn that place first and that’s for every player in every position.

“I think if you’ve got that level of competition, there’s only 11 lads that can start a game, you’re going to have lads that are disappointed but if they can use that disappointment in the right way to push themselves in training and push the lads that are starting, that’s only going to raise that level of performance.”

Supporters will be able to watch David Mirfin’s exclusive first club interview on Stags PlayerHD later today.

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Evans delighted with Mirfin signing
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 23 May 2017

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans revealed today how he had moved quickly to land experienced centre half David Mirfin once he knew he was being released by Scunthorpe.

But the Stags still had to head off a raft of clubs wanting the 32-year-old’s services, including Port Vale.

“Simply, when a player like David Mirfin becomes available you don’t want to be sitting on your sofa too long wondering if you’re going to do something,” said Evans.

“I thought I was moving quite quickly, but David’s diary for three or four days was taken up by clubs that wanted to speak to him. He was up north yesterday speaking to a club.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-delighted-with-mirfin-signing-1-8558522

“But we stuck to our guns, made an offer and told him what we were trying to achieve here.

“I told him the games I had seen him in live, games he thought he’d done well and I thought he’d done well and games I thought perhaps he wasn’t at his best and he thought that too which was interesting.”

Evans said it was a surprise to him to see Mirfin on the market. “He is a top class centre back,” he said.

“I am really surprised he didn’t go forward on his journey at Scunthorpe United, but they are fighting to be in the Championship.

“Graham Alexander has done a magnificent job over there and he has probably got his own targets.

“But we are delighted to have signed what I would describe as a big, natural, solid defender - exactly what we needed.”

He added: “The chance only came along when I spoke to the chief executive at Scunthorpe the day after the manager had his meetings with the players.

“He reeled off a list of players and said ‘Mirfin’ and I let the conversation finish and then asked him if it was David Mirfin. When it was I secured the numbers for him and his agent and made contact.

“But, quite rightly, the boy wanted to speak to the parties interested and he thinks he has made a decision not only based on the next season, which is the most important one, but for the next couple of years of his career.

“He lives half an hour from the stadium, so it’s fantastic for him and an excellent signing for us.”

With Krystian Pearce and Rhys Bennett in top form at centre back last year and George Taft back to full fitness, Stags now have a wealth of talent at centre half with the summer signings of Zander Diamond and now Mirfin.

“We have to have options to play with two or three and options to move one of those to a different position as well, so we’ve covered our options,” said Evans.

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Should Scunthorpe have kept David Mirfin?
By Paul Crute, May 15, 2017, scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk

THERE has been much debate raging about Scunthorpe United's retained list that was released on Thursday.

Goalkeeper Joe Anyon, David Mirfin, Jamie Ness and Scott Wiseman were all released with their contracts expiring at the end of the month.

Manager Graham Alexander said it was a tough decision to let all four go but praised their professionalism and the jobs they did for the side.

In addition there is uncertainty over the future of Stephen Dawson with reports saying that he has turned down a new contract at the club.

There always seems to be one big surprise when a retained list is announced and this was certainly the case this year, with Mirfin the biggest casualty.

Many on social media feeling he should have been given at least another year at the club.

Read more at http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/should-scunthorpe-have-kept-david-mirfin/story-30331506-detail/story.html#4MSc2JdA2DIuUE13.99

If the Iron had been promoted to the Championship, there maybe would have been a bit more of a case for letting him go with the Iron going up a level.

But with United spending another year at League One, and Mirfin a consistent performer at the level, you maybe could have expected another year's deal.

In addition, Scunthorpe have only Murray Wallace and Charlie Goode, who is currently injured, as the only recognised centre backs which suggest they will bring somebody in during the transfer window.

Of course, Mirfin has been a great servant to the club, is a fans favourite and a top professional but we all know there is no room for sentiment in football.

But Mirfin still has plenty left in him and despite his age, could easily still do a job in League One and his partnership with Murray Wallace was one of the best central defensive partnerships the Iron had seen in many a year.

There have been calls for to offer a testimonial for Mirfin and this has to be something to be considered such has been his service to the club.

There are sure to be no shortage of suitors for Mirfin's signature and whoever picks him up during the summer will have a very good player on their hands.

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twitter UNOFFICIAL VALE @unofficialvale 22 May 2017 (shortly before signing for MTFC)
It's believed that defender David Mirfin should have had a medical today as aluded to by MB in his press conference, now rescheduled. #PVFC

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