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Archived News from July 2006

BUXTON IS TO STAKE HIS CLAIM
16th July 2006 14:50


BUXTON IS TO STAKE HIS CLAIM
Evening Post, 15 July 2006
MATT HALFPENNY

Jake Buxton is determined to shed the utility-man tag and make the Mansfield right-back position his own.

The versatile 21-year-old has clocked up more than 100 appearances for the Stags in a variety of positions across the back line.

But he says: "Hopefully the boss will see me as first-choice at right-back, because I'm a bit more experienced now.

"I want to have a regular position."

Over the summer, manager Peter Shirtliff drafted in Johnny Mullins after he was released by Reading.

He can play at right back or in the centre and will bring increased competition for Buxton, but the former Stags trainee is ready for the fight.

Buxton said: "It's good to have other players to compete with because it brings the best out of everyone.

"Last year there was Kyle Jacobs and Gavin Peers who I think Carlton Palmer brought in.

"I'm sure Peter will have done his homework with Johnny and that he will be a good player.

"I think it will make for an interesting pre-season and whoever plays the better in the games then will get the nod.

"In the last couple of pre-seasons, I have only had 45 minutes here and 20 minutes there and not usually in the big games.

"But this year we have a clean slate under Peter and I'm hoping to be more involved."

Buxton has been battling to get fit all summer after picking up a foot injury towards the end of last season at Barnet but now seems to be on the mend.

The Sutton-in-Ashfield-born player said: "It seems that it was a problem with two nerves that were overlapping and that was giving me pain like I had a pebble in my shoe."

 

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