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Archived News from August 2017

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22nd August 2017 23:16


Boss expects tough test against Stanley
mansfieldtown.net, Thursday 17 August 2017

Stags' boss Steve Evans says his side will have to 'earn the right to play' in Saturday's Sky Bet League Two fixture away to Accrington Stanley.

We travel to Lancashire this Saturday (19 August, 3.00pm kick-off) to face John Coleman's Stanley, who have won one and lost one of their opening two league fixtures.

And the gaffer is under no illusions as to how tough Saturday's match will be.

"It'll be a different type of game on Saturday. We have to once again earn the right to play because if you go to Accrington under John Coleman's guise and you don't earn the right to play, it makes it a long day for you," the Stags' chief said.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2017/august/gaffer-17-august/

"We're under no illusions as to how tough it's going to be.

"We need to go to Accrington and we need to try and win the game, we need to compete to win the game. If we do that and if we work as hard as Accrington, with the players we'll travel up with, we'll have a chance.

"They're very strong. I've said before, on record, that they've got an excellent management team and they've picked up players, like John does, really wisely and that's why they'll be contenders.

"We'll take all the players up, like we did at Crewe. I know my team now; I'm just debating on one or two positions on the bench, but I know my starting eleven for Accrington, I knew that on Sunday."

Stags competed in a behind-closed-doors game against Peterborough United on Tuesday afternoon and the former Leeds United boss says that the game-time was 'massively important' for certain members of his squad.

"We had a couple of great opportunities, the goalkeeper made a couple of good saves, as did Bobby [Olejnik].

"We had a penalty which doesn't get given and I think even Barry Fry was having a good old chuckle about it with Grant [McCann]! It was a good exercise, some players got 90 minutes.

"The likes of [Jimmy] Spencer, [Jacob] Mellis and people like that got 90 minutes. It was massively important that we got that into them."

Winger Alex MacDonald played against Posh on Tuesday afternoon and the gaffer has revealed that the former Oxford United winger will make the trip to Accrington this weekend, whilst fellow wingman Alfie Potter has picked up a slight calf strain.

"Alex trained this morning but it was a bit light - for all the lads that played at Peterborough, it was a bit lighter, but he'll train properly tomorrow. He'll be on the coach going up to Accrington. We'll see how he trains tomorrow.

"We've got a little concern with Alfie Potter, who's just strained a little bit of a calf, but we think he'll be fit. We could be going up to Accrington with a full squad and that's what you want as a manager."

The manager is still working hard to add two more players to his squad, but insists he won't sign players for the sake of it.

"We know who we want and we're working hard to do it. When there's anything to tell the supporters, we'll tell them.

"We're hopeful of getting one in each position in (midfielder and striker), there's nothing imminent, nothing will happen today.

"We're not going to sign players for the sake of signing them, that would be the wrong answer. The right answer is to find the right player and believe it.

"All I would say to our supporters is: don't believe everything you read and everything you hear because 95 percent of the names linked with us, we wouldn't bring here."

Supporters will be able to login to iFollow Stags to view the manager's full news conference later today.

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No new faces in Stags squad for Accrington test
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 17 August 2017

Mansfield Town boss Steve Evans today ruled out any new faces coming into his squad for Saturday’s tough trip to Accrington Stanley. Evans continues to look for a striker and a central midfielder before the transfer window closes in two weeks and has twice been snubbed by strikers not wanting to drop to League Two level in as many weeks. However, he remains confident he will be successful and said: “We have good players so the pressure is a little less. “We’ve done a lot of good work in the summer. We are just trying to help the group with more good players. “I’d like to sign one or two lads who have something we’ve not got. If we can do that we’ll be in fantastic shape. We will do some business before the window slams shut I’m sure. “We are working hard - we know who want and we are working hard to do it. “We are hopeful of getting one in each position in. There is nothing imminent and nothing will happen today, but we are speaking to people and it’s positive. “Not everyone wants to play at the level. Some can’t play at the level. The players we’ve targeted would come here and do very well.” Evans said the ongoing stories about the club’s attempts to bring players in were seeing plenty of names offered to Mansfield, though generally not ones he is interested in. “We are not going to sign players for the sake of it,” he said. “I think because of our public statements that we are trying to sign this player or that player, you can imagine every agent has been on the phone to me with lots of good players put to me - though never the ones we have said let’s try to do something about. “All I will say to our supporters is don’t believe everything you read or hear as 95 per cent of the names you hear we wouldn’t bring here.” As we reached the end of Thursday afternoon, Evans said it would now be too late for the weekend, even if a signing did materialise later. “Even if it did happen today, they wouldn’t be included on Saturday,” he said. “We always say that, unless it’s someone way above any level you’ve got, you have to be fair to the guys already in your camp and we like to get our players settled into the club as has been proven with other guys who’ve joined us.” Chasing signings is certainly taking up a lot of Evans and assistant boss Paul Raynor’s time. Evans said: “I am out every day with the team. It takes a lot of late afternoons and evenings up when I am catching up with agents or managers and our chairman and chief executive. “That’s what takes your personal time up, but I have never been one to worry about personal time as I watch three or four games a week anyway. “You have to be out looking. The minute you’re not looking you’re not doing your job.”

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/no-new-faces-in-stags-squad-for-accrington-test-1-8708679

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Rose can have a season to savour - Evans
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS

Mansfield Town striker Danny Rose heads for Accrington tomorrow with two goals in as many League Two games under his belt - and boss Steve Evans believes he can have a season to remember. Often our of favour under the previous regime, Rose has blossomed since Evans and Paul Raynor came in and Evans said: “We are fortunate to have him. He is a real handful. “We love him and I said in the summer this boy can get 20 goals. I still believe that. “He has two in two League games so statistically he’s even better than that - he could get 46! “I think he is very capable of getting 20, but his first challenge is getting into the team on a weekly basis.” Evans continued: “When we arrived he was a right winger, he was a left winger, but he wasn’t really part of the plans and I think he would have been let go. “But we never had any intention of letting him go. We always found him a handful when he played against our teams. “We found him to be someone who wanted to go on the training ground and work and someone who loved scoring a goal. “You only have to look at his face every time he scores - it’s full of passion and full of joy. We love working with him.” It would have been three goals in three games had he not seen his midweek penalty kick against Rochdale save by the keeper’s trailing legs. “I have watched two or three penalties in midweek at very high levels. I have watched them all go straight down the middle and they’ve all gone in,” said Evans. “I said to Danny he’d been unfortunate the goalie kept his out. But some penalties are there to be scored and they are there to be missed and he just won’t take the next one. But we just hope he’s on the end of crosses.”

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/rose-can-have-a-season-to-savour-evans-1-8709647

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Stags confident ahead of Stanley contest - Rose
mansfieldtown.net, Thursday 17 August 2017

After what he describes as a 'good start' to the season, striker Danny Rose says the Stags are full of confidence ahead of Saturday's trip to Accrington Stanley.

The former Bury frontman has scored in each of the Stags' opening two Sky Bet League Two fixtures and will be looking to add to his tally against Stanley on Saturday (19 August, 3.00pm kick-off).

And although he acknowledges that John Coleman's side will provide the Stags with tough opposition, he is confident of securing a positive result.

"It's a good start, that's all it is. We'll go to Accrington now full of confidence but against a very good side. I think they've won one and lost one, they've had a good start as well so it will be a tough game.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2017/august/rose-17-august/

"We went there last season and it was a very tough game. They came here as well and it was a very good game, a 4-4 game. They're a very good side, we'll respect them and we'll go in full of confidence after a good 2-0 home win.

"We've got a lot of tough games; we've got Accrington, Luton and Carlisle all in the next three weeks so it doesn't get much [harder] than that.

"We'll go into those games full of confidence and hoping to pick up maximum points really."

Rose scored 11 league goals last season after a particularly impressive second half of the campaign and he hopes to be able to score frequently throughout the current season.

"I hope it's going to be a good full season. Last season, for the first six months, I wasn't happy with my performances at all. The last six months was good; I was really enjoying my football [in the] last six months so I'll be hoping to continue for the full season.

"Let's just see how the season goes and try and get as many goals as I can for the team.

"I'm hoping to get up there - [I would like] more than 10 [goals], but take that as you like! More than 10 would be very nice for me personally."

The 23-year-old has partnered each of the Stags' other strikers - Jimmy Spencer, Lee Angol and Omari Sterling-James - in either pre-season or the Sky Bet League To campaign and he believes the entire quartet are capable of scoring goals for the Stags.

"We've got Lee, Jimmy and Omari who are all very good players. They've all come into the team and I'm sure they'll all get goals. If the gaffer fetches another striker, that's just more competition for us and it's a 'kick up the backside'.

"We're still getting used to each other. We've had pre-season to get used to everyone but that's the same in any position really. We'll just go out there on Saturday and whoever we're playing with, we'll just go out there and see what we can do."

Supporters will be able to view Danny Rose's full news conference on iFollow Stags later this evening.

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Stags striker Rose enjoying life under Evans
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 17 August 2017

Mansfield Town Striker Danny Rose is enjoying life under manager Steve Evans after a stop-start season last time around. Rose has two goals in two League games under his belt as Stags head for Accrington Stanley on Saturday and, after suspension and injury saw him fall down the pecking order under previous boss Adam Murray, he believes this season is his chance to shine. “I am hoping it’s going to be a good, full season,” he smiled “Last season the first few months I wasn’t happy with my performances at all. “But the last six months was really good and I was really enjoying my football. I hope that can now continue through a full season. “I think everyone knows what I am about now.” Boss Evans believes Rose can hit the 20-goal mark this season, but the striker said: “There’s not just me who can do that. “We’ve got Lee (Angol), Jimmy (Spencer) and Omari (Sterling-James), who are all very talented players who will all come into the team and I am sure they will get goals. “We are still getting used to each other but that’s the same in other positions, I’m sure the centre backs are saying the same thing. “I’ve played with them all so far and they have all been very good with different qualities. These strikers all have goals in them.” He added: “I have set a target, I don’t want to say it - let’s just say it’s more than 10. “Let’s see how the season goes and I will try to get as many goals as I can. As long as the team are up there in the table at the end of the season I am happy.” Evans continues to search for another striker to add to the group before the deadline at the end of the month and Rose said: “If they do fetch in another striker that’s more competition for us and a kick up the backside. It’s healthy competition and will give us all the push we need.” Stags were pre-season favourites to go up with the bookies. “That’s just the bookies’ views, but there are a lot of strong teams in this league,” said Rose. “We have a lot of tough games coming up - Accrington, Luton and Carlisle in the next three weeks so it doesn’t get any easier. “But we go into them full of confidence and hope we can pick up maximum points. “The manager has brought in a lot of experience from the higher leagues. “It’s no disrespect to the squad last season - I thought we had a very good squad last season. “But this season it’s been strengthened very well. You can see from pre-season and the performance on Saturday there is a lot more quality. “We have players not even in the squad who I think personally could walk into any League Two team. And we’ve got Macca (winger Alex MacDonald) coming back as well which is a huge boost as he is a very good player at this level. So it’s all looking good at the minute.” Stags haven’t beaten Accrington in 11 attempts and Rose said: “They always seem to be up there. It’s not a nice play to go to - I think anyone would say that. “I think we’re going at a good time in August when the weather is all right. “We will respect them as a team and go there and try to pick up what we can. It’s never an easy place to go.” It was Rose’s goal early in the second half that set Stags on the way to a 2-0 home win over Forest Green Rovers last weekend. “First half we didn’t get going,” he admitted. “At half-time a few words were said and we came out second half and got a good three points against a very good team - they played well first half. “It’s a good start - that’s all it is. Accrington have had a good start as well so it will be a very tough game on Saturday. “It’s a good start for me personally, but the penalty was very disappointing on my behalf. I wasn’t happy after the game as some of the lads knew. “But I was glad to get my goal on Saturday and hopefully it’s all forgotten now.”

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-striker-rose-enjoying-life-under-evans-1-8708881

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Ready for Stags: Coley 16/08/2017
by Dany Robson
http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2017/08/ready-for-stags-coley/

John Coleman says Stanley can take positives from the second half at Yeovil as they face a stern test against promotion favourites Mansfield on Saturday.
Coleman was gutted after his side ‘imploded’ for 20 minutes as the Reds went from 1-0 up to 3-1 down by the break, the game finishing 3-2 at Huish Park.

However, they did rally in the second half and Coleman is expecting better against the Stags, who have won one and drawn one of their League Two encounters so far.

“We have watched the Yeovil game back and we are still disappointed with the way our defence imploded for 20 minutes,” said Coleman.

“We did not compose ourselves quickly enough and, while we did improve in the second half, the damage had been done.

“There were promising signs in the second half and so we have to pick ourselves up and go again.”

There was a sickness bug sweeping the camp prior to Saturday but it has cleared up.

“We won’t be using that as an excuse, we have players who are capable of coming in and doing a job and they did apart from 20 minutes on Saturday.”

The last time Mansfield met Stanley, at Field Mill, it ended 4-4 and Coleman admits he enjoyed that game - to an extent.

“It was one of the best games I have been involved in,” said Coleman. “If we can score four against them again then we should be in with a good chance of winning.

“It will be a tough test and they are one of the favourites, having brought a number of players in and paid some money but we know we can compete with anyone in this league.

“Being one of the favourites doesn’t mean a lot as I think Portsmouth last season are the only favourites who have won the league in the last 10 years. There are lots of good sides in this league and we are one of them.”

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Latest | August 2017