Archived News from May 2006
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BROWN AND WILSON LATEST
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SHIRTLIFF: I'D LOVE TO SIGN KEY PLAYERS
Evening Post, 10 May 2006 MATT HALFPENNY Mansfield hope to tie up deals to keep Simon Brown and Laurence Wilson at Field Mill "by the end of the week". Fans favourite Brown, 22, scored 12 goals this season, despite hamstring and hernia injuries that kept him out for long spells. Left-sided player Wilson, 19, was released by hometown club Everton on Monday, but has spent the last three months of the season on loan with the Stags. Mansfield boss Peter Shirtliff is confident that he can keep both men at the club in 2006-2007 as the Stags look to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion. "Simon Brown is not out of contract because we have another year's option on him but we want to sign him for a further period," he said. "We want him on a two-year deal on better terms rather than a one-year deal and I will be looking to do something about that this week. "I would like Laurence Wilson to stay and he likes it here so hopefully something can be sorted before the week is out." Shirtliff had hoped to release his retained list yesterday after speaking to each out-of-contract player about their future. But because some of the squad are in Spain for a short break, he has been unable to sit down with all of them which has led to the delay. The Stags boss is also hoping to get quick decisions from the players he has offered new deals. He said: "I have made offers to more or less all the players that I want to keep at the club. "Hopefully by the end of the week we will know exactly where we stand in terms of who will accept their offers and who won't. "I will be letting the other players know their fates when everyone is back from holiday on Thursday." This is the first time that Shirtliff has had to deal with close season contract negotiations following his elevation to Mansfield manager in November. But he feels he has the skills to cope with those demands after working alongside then Stags boss Carlton Palmer last summer. "I have had some experience of dealing with this situation before when I was assistant manager last season," said Shirtliff. "Doing it personally and talking to the chairman and the players about contracts is a new experience, but one I feel I can handle." |
Latest | May 2006