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Archived News from February 2018

STAGS SIGN RICKY MILLER ON LOAN FROM PETERBOROUGH
7th February 2018 10:39


Stags land prolific striker
mansfieldtown.net, Wed 31 Jan 2018

Mansfield Town boss Steve Evans has fought off interest from a number of clubs to capture the services of prolific goalscorer Ricky Miller on loan from Peterborough United until the end of the season.

The Stags also have the option of making the deal permanent in June.

The club understands that three other clubs had presented financial agreements to the 28-year-old, but the Stags have worked diligently to land their man.

Miller becomes Steve Evans’ second Deadline Day signing after sealing a deal for Sheffield Wednesday youngster Matt Penney earlier today.

Born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Miller spent time in the youth academy at Charlton Athletic before plying his trade in non-league.

After a stint with Luton, Miller forged a reputation as one of the most clinical strikers outside the EFL with Dover Athletic from 2014, scoring an incredible 72 goals in 110 appearances.

Last season, he netted a remarkable 41 goals in 42 league appearances. His outstanding return of almost a goal a game included spells of eight goals in four games, nine in six matches, as well as five hat-tricks during the campaign.

The frontman’s goalscoring exploits in the National League were enough for Peterborough United to make a move last summer. Miller signed a three-year deal at London Road, and has since made 13 appearances in all competitions for Posh this season as Grant McCann’s side chase a play-off spot in Sky Bet League One.

Manager Steve Evans said: “I am delighted that we have signed Ricky.

“A youngster at Manchester City and Ricky - both natural goalscorers - were at the top of my January list. Pep decided to keep that young man at City so it’s brilliant to have landed Ricky.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/january/stags-land-prolific-striker

“The lad has had his problems but you are very fortunate in life if you never have any. He is very focused on his football and so credit to Peterborough United and the lad. He is very much ready to play a part [for the Stags].

“We, amongst fifteen other clubs, tried to sign Ricky last summer but he chose Peterborough and we respected that decision.

“I’ve been with him for a couple of hours and he was so aware of our squad and the challenge that lies ahead.

“I’ve made it clear that there are no guarantees to play here. Like all the others, he will compete for a place in the team. I spoke to players at Dover Athletic and Peterborough United and they love the lad. In turn he will get that love here.

“Stags’ supporters will give him a fantastic welcome. They will want him to succeed and I believe in him totally.

“Carolyn Radford [chief executive officer] and the chairman [John Radford] were simply brilliant. At 3pm today we were out of the race in signing the lad. I rightfully thank both.”

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twitter ricky miller @millerboy08

Happy to get the deal over the line all the best to peterborough and thank you , hope you achieve everything you want. Looking forward to a promotion push with @mansfieldtownfc

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Posh goal ace on board after Stags miss out on Manchester City striker
chad.co.uk, JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 01 February 2018

Mansfield Town opted for the ‘phenomenal’ goalscoring of Peterborough’s Ricky Miller after failing to lure a Manchester City youngster to the One Call Stadium.

Evans had two names at the top of his list to beef up his striker department and, when City eventually declined to let their players out, Stags boss Steve Evans had to make a dash in his car to speak to Miller, who had been one of his summer targets.

“The striker options were a lad at Manchester City, who has been involved with England and such like, and Ricky Miller,” explained Evans.

“We only got word yesterday that the Manchester City boy was being kept in the building by Pep (boss Guardiola) which is a decision we respect.

Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/posh-goal-ace-on-board-after-stags-miss-out-on-manchester-city-striker-1-8995518

“So early afternoon the chairman (John Radford) and Carolyn (CEO Radford) said they were going to pick up the phone and talk to Peterborough. It all happened very quickly thereafter.”

Miller has scored 125 goals in 254 career games, including 45 goals in 46 games for Dover in 2016/17, and Evans has kept tabs on him since his failure to sign him before the season started.

“We tried to get Ricky back in the summer and your opinion on players doesn’t change,” he said. “I respected why he joined an ambitious League One club like Peterborough and he had a fantastic pre-season for them.

“Then he had his start of the season suspension, which he had to accept, and then, to be fair, the boy (Jack) Marriott was on fire. “He was like a red hot poker in front of goal and, with the system they play of predominantly one striker, it makes it hard.

“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself as a player and it’s easy as a manager as you’re winning game and on the front foot.

“From about October/November I knew Ricky Miller was going to become available. I am close to the people at Peterborough.”

Once the Manchester City deal was turned down, Evans quickly asked the Radfords to pursue Miller.

Evans said: “I got a call from Carolyn Radford to say it has been agreed with Peterborough but she said there are two others that have agreed as well so you’re going to have to get in the car and meet him. “I needed to sit down and talk to him as I’d never spoken to him before in my life, contrary to what some might have thought

“I wanted to know what this challenge would mean to him. To be fair the kid came across as really hurting and wanting to prove a point. He wanted to sign.

“Lots of people have been there in their career and gone on to do fantastically well. He knows the quality of players he has joined here as well.”

Evans outlined the striker’s attributes, saying: “Miller plays off the shoulder. He rats around defenders and never gives them a minute.

“He’s strong, he’s aggressive and anyone who can score all those goals in a Conference season, it was incredible. “He is tenacious. He works extremely hard for the team - and he hates losing.

“We played Peterborough in a behind-closed-doors match a couple of months ago and he was outstanding. “He gave our back four a terrible time - and that was against a very experienced back four, of which three of them are in the team now.”

Evans now wants Miller to get back among the goals - once he has proved he deserves a start.

“We just want him to score. To score over 40 goals in any season at Conference level is phenomenal and probably unprecedented. “We thought we had a great one in Matt Tubbs in our Conference winning season when he scored 34/35, which we thought would be unprecedented. But Ricky took it to a new level.

“But he won’t be judged on that. He’ll be judged what he does in a Stags shirt from when he gets one - he has to earn the right in the next two days to get one.

“We try to pick our best XI players to start a game and we pick a bench to affect the options we have on the pitch. We pick the team honestly.”

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Miller Makes Move To Stags
Striker joins Sky Bet League Two side in loan deal.
theposh.com

Peterborough United front man Ricky Miller has joined Sky Bet League Two promotion-chasers Mansfield Town in a loan deal until the end of the current campaign with a view to a permanent move in the summer.

Miller, who joined Posh from Dover Athletic after finishing top scorer in the National League, has failed to score during his time at the ABAX Stadium. He has been linked with a host of clubs in the Football League, but Mansfield have secured the signature of the 28-year-old.

Manager Grant McCann said: “Ricky had a number of different options and has chosen Mansfield. It is a good opportunity for him to go and get his career back on track. He found it difficult here being banned for the first seven games of the season and the form of Jack Marriott, Junior Morias and Danny Lloyd made it hard for him to force his way into the starting line-up. This is a move that benefits everyone.”

https://www.theposh.com/news/2018/january/miller-makes-move-to-stags/

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TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY: Miller joins Mansfield
by ALAN SWANN, Wednesday 31 January 2018

Unwanted Peterborough United striker Ricky Miller has tonight (January 31) joined League Two side Mansfield Town on loan until the end of the season. Miller will join a club managed by Wansford-based Steve Evans and who are challenging strongly for promotion from League Two.

Posh agreed a fee with three clubs today - one of the others was believed to be League Two strugglers Chesterfield - for Miller, but Posh appear to have allowed their first summer signing to leave on loan instead. It was previously thought Miller wanted to move south of Peterborough.

Read more at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/posh/transfer-deadline-day-miller-joins-mansfield-nicholson-on-the-move-no-peterborough-united-stars-sold-1-8356680

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EARLIER TWEETS:

In answer to a question on twitter about Ricky Miller ...
... Darragh MacAnthony @DMAC102 (Peterborough chairman) Tue 30 Jan 2018

Steve Evans tried and wanted him but Owners wouldn't approve the deal.

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Darragh MacAnthony @DMAC102 (Peterborough chairman) Wed 31 Jan 2018

We have agreed a deal with 3 clubs on Ricky Miller. More later today on who gets him signed.

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EARLIER STORY:
The latest on Ricky Miller
by ALAN SWANN, Monday 22 January 2018

Posh are still working hard on getting striker Ricky Miller out of the club. Miller’s summer move from Dover Athletic has not worked out and he’s available for transfer just six months into a three-year deal.

“Ricky has been very unlucky with us,” McCann added. “He missed the first seven games of the season because of suspension and then had a perfectly good goal against MK Dons disallowed.

“He will be a very good player for someone. You don’t score 40 goals in the National League without being a good player.

“Ricky will score goals for someone and we are talking to a few clubs who have shown an interest.”

League Two basement club Barnet had agreed to take Miller before former Posh manager Graham Westley took over as head coach at the Hive.

Read more at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/posh/latest-news-peterborough-united-s-jack-marriott-and-transfer-speculation-plus-the-latest-on-ricky-miller-1-8342555

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EARLIER STORY:
Footballer Ricky Miller denies assaulting police officer
22 November 2017
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-41919226

A professional footballer has denied assaulting a police officer.

Peterborough United striker Ricky Miller, 28, also pleaded not guilty to using threatening behaviour and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Mr Miller, of Fellowes Road, Peterborough, appeared at the city's magistrates' court on Wednesday.

He was granted unconditional bail and will go on trial on 30 April at the court. The player was on the bench for Tuesday's game against Portsmouth.

Mr Miller was arrested on Sunday 5 November.

The striker had been absent for more than two weeks, with his League One club, citing "personal illness and related circumstances".

He joined Peterborough on a three-year contract from non-league Dover in the summer but has failed to score in nine appearances.

The Hatfield-born former Luton Town forward won the National League Player of the Year award at Dover last season after scoring 42 goals in 43 matches.

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Latest | February 2018