{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from April 2004

TASTER FOR INTERVIEW WITH LIAM LAWRENCE IN FTYBR
21st April 2004 21:14


After the home game against Bristol Rovers on April 12th, Jeff Barnes and Martin Shaw interviewed Liam Lawrence for the fanzine Follow The Yellow Brick Road.

As a taster to the full interview, here are a few snippets (this is much less than 20% of the whole interview). Don't you dare miss out on buying the fanzine, which comes out at the Northampton game.


Us: You might be interested to know that, having scored eleven penalties so far this season, you are on the verge of a little known record. The most penalties ever scored in a season was thirteen by Francis Lee back in 1971/2.

Liam: Was it, was it? (sounding very interested!)

Us: You only have four games to dive three times! Maybe seven games with the play-offs.

Liam: I'll have to get Junior rolling about!


Us: Do you or other players get to understand the feelings of the fans through the fanzine or the Stagsnet website?

Liam: A few of us go on it – there's me, Bobby, … Macca has a look now and then. We are not registered - we just go on and have a look. Sometimes it's mind-blowing, some of it is unbelievable – it does hurt as well. It takes the wind out of you sometimes.

Us: Wayne Corden told us that he doesn't go on there because he thought it might knock his confidence.

Liam: That's how we feel sometimes.

Us: For example some of the criticism of Andy White over a long period.

Liam: They make me laugh because they go on there and slate him, but yet they are all chanting his name and everything out here today – I don't understand people.

Us: Probably different people though and it's a free world and they get to say what they want for their £15.

Liam: I guess so.


Us: How far do you think the Stags can go? The Chairman believes that we have the potential to be a first division club. So could it be a first division club with Liam Lawrence playing in it?

Liam: Well, I've not even been offered another contract yet, and it's now nearly May.

Us: When does your contract end?

Liam: June. There are fifteen or sixteen of us, and not one has been offered a deal. The excuse we are getting is because they don't know what league we are going to be in, so they don't know what wages to offer.

Us: But that could go right to the play-off final which is nearly in June so you could be almost out of contract by then.

Liam: A few of them could go for a “free” as well, so we could have situation like when Parkin was left, when there was only nine professionals in the club.

Us: So is that a topic of discussion amongst the players?

Liam: Yes, it is. I was listening to the radio this morning about Sheffield Wednesday where they will have a fifteen players out of contract, and their manager said it was an issue with their players in their dressing room, and we are no different.

Us: Is this a Keith Curle or Keith Haslam problem?

Liam: We spoke to Keith Curle about it and he said that because he doesn't know what league we will be the Chairman can't give him any figures.

Us: Is this having an effect on the players' mental approach and nervousness in the game?

Liam: Yes, maybe. I think nervousness has been creeping in since January or February. We haven't played right since December I don't think. It could be a factor – you don't know do you. It could just be the players getting nervous because of the promotion run-in. I can't put my finger on it – I wish I could.


Us: If you had a message for the fans what would it be?

Liam: Get behind us, we desperately need it. I know it's hard at times when you see what we produce sometimes that maybe isn't good enough but we need all the help we can get and definitely need the fans behind us and we are trying, believe me.

Us: How do you see the promotion run in now with just the four games left.

Liam: It's going to be tough, it's going to take us winning all four for automatic promotion.

Us: Don't you think that's gone.

Liam: Realistically … maybe. I felt if we had beaten Cambridge here at home and gone on a good run, … but it didn't happen. We've got to win all our games – it's as simple as that.

 

Latest | April 2004