Archived News from September 2009
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BLAIR STURROCK SIGNS, PLUS JOE LAMPLOUGH
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1 September 2009
Blair Sturrock signs until the end of the season ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1784028,00.html Blair Sturrock video interview ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1784383,00.html Blair Sturrock audio interview with Mansfield 103.2 ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1786759,00.html Joe Lamplough signs on non-contract terms ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1784150,00.html ----------------- Holdsworth: Sturrock signing shows Stags mean business Evening Post, September 02, 2009 DAVID Holdsworth hopes the signing of Blair Sturrock shows the rest of the Blue Square Premier that Mansfield Town mean business this season. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Holdsworth-Sturrock-signing-shows-Stags-mean-business/article-1302091-detail/article.html The Stags have added the 28-year-old striker to their squad at a time when they are second in the table. Sturrock has signed for the rest of the season with a one-year option and was joined at Field Mill ahead of yesterday's transfer deadline by left-back trialist Joe Lamplough. Manager Holdsworth believes now is the ideal time to recruit new players to keep the early momentum going. "It's important that we send a message out to other clubs and to our own fans," he said. "We are heading in the right direction, while still having our feet on the ground. "We want consistency and continuity to help us sustain our run and compete with other clubs. Having the kind of quality that Blair brings us is down to the chairman. "We have got a player that has intelligence and know-how and he shares my ambition, which I like in people." Sturrock was released by Swindon at the end of last season after being loaned out to Torquay, where he scored against the Stags in a 1-1 draw in March. Holdsworth added: "Blair has been intelligent enough to walk away from a bigger deal (offered at Torquay) to enjoy his football. "He was come out of the comfort zone and sometimes that can be the best thing you do as a player." Sturrock won the Division Three and Division Two titles at Plymouth when dad Paul was boss. He has been suffering from a knee injury but is now back to fitness and in contention for Saturday's trip to Grays. "I wasn't enjoying it at Torquay, it wasn't quite right," said Sturrock. "I noticed Mansfield all last season and they started pushing up the table, although there were too many teams above them in the end (to get in the play-offs)." Former Hull trainee Lamplough was at Hartlepool in the summer and has signed non-contract forms. The 19-year-old could immediately be in the running for a start should Craig Armstrong (hamstring) not recover for the weekend. ------------------------ Sturrock signs for the Stags Lamplough also joins Mansfield Town CHAD.co.uk, 1 September 2009, By Tim Morriss and John Lomas VASTLY experienced striker Blair Sturrock has been unveiled as Mansfield Town's new signing - underlining the ambition of the club to return to the Football League as quickly as possible http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Sturrock-signs-for-the-Stags.5603803.jp Sturrock has played in all divisions of the Football League - as well as the Conference - and his signing on transfer deadline day is sure to excite Stags fans as the club continues its excellent start to the new season. Sturrock - son of well known manager Paul Sturrock - has joined until the end of the campaign. Last season he scored a goal in a man-of-the-match display when Torquay drew with the Stags 1-1. Teenage defender Joe Lamplough (19), released by Hull City, has also signed for the Stags on a non-contract basis, hoping to win a contract, as suggested by Chad over the weekend. And Stags boss David Holdsworth refused to rule out further movement at the club on transfer deadline day - either in or out. Holdsworth has hailed Sturrock as the 'missing architect' who could help unlock defences. He told Chad on Tuesday: "I had seen him play before but I became a real admirer the day he scored against us for Torquay last season. "I saw a spark that I liked. I like players who are explosive and technically gifted. I admired him then and even more now he has a Mansfield Town shirt on! "Patience is a virtue and we are delighted to have him on board at last. "It is important we send out a message to the other clubs and our fans that we are heading in one direction, though our feet are firmly on the ground. "We want consistency, continuity and sustainability. And signing Blair will help us sustain our position in the higher bracket. "He is an intelligent man with know-how. Blair is ambitious and has come here because he wants to help us be successful. "It is not always about money. He wants to come here and enjoy his football and life. It is about his career and he was intelligent enough to walk away from somewhere he could have perhaps had a bigger deal. "He is coming out of his comfort zone which is what I did after 10 years at Watford. "Blair has had a medical and come through and we will now get him on the training round and get the cobwebs off. But he will 100 per cent be in the squad for Saturday." Sturrock said: "I am pleased to be here. I have always enjoyed coming here. I scored with Torquay last season and came here with Rochdale too. "I had been training at Torquay after my injury which was close to where I live and where my family is and haven't played since the play-off second leg gainst Histon. "I did have options. But I wasn't enjoying it at Torquay. Something was playing on my mind. Something just wasn't right there for me. "And those bus journeys! I remembered them from my Plymouth days, travelling 12 hours on the same day. "The gaffer was the first to call me in the summer and show a big interest." He added: "I like to get a good partnership going, usually with a taller striker, and work well together. I want to get a bond going." Chairman Andy Perry added: "The gaffer mentioned Blair in the summer and I was trying to get his dad's number while David was working on it from holiday at the same time. "I think we are doing the right thing in bringing Blair in now and the ball is back in the court of the manager and players. "We are doing our best to try to move things on from a position of strength rather than weakness and firefighting." Holdsworth said on Monday evening, after the goalless draw with Kettering which kept the Stags in second place in the BSP: "Sometimes you need an architect to open a door and we didn't have that today. We didn't have that imagination around the box and we didn't get that little break. "But I love architects and I may have landed myself one. "This boy is a good player who has played at a high level and his signing should excite the fans. He will give me an option. "I am very pleased with my squad but this is a player the chairman and I have been working on for quite a time and sometimes you have to be patient. "I believe we have got him at the right time. He may have been able to unlock that door for us today." Released by Swindon in the summer after spending the last couple of months of last season on loan at Torquay, Sturrock (28) started his career at Dundee United as a youth player, but made his first team debut on loan at Brechin. He then went to Plymouth - playing in sides which won promotion from Divisions 2 and 3 - and has since played at Kidderminster, Rochdale, Swindon, Bournemouth and Torquay. In 204 first team appearances in League football (114 as a substitute) he has scored 28 goals - with a further 27 appearances and six goals in other competitions to his credit. He joined Swindon late in 2006 after injury ended his spell at Rochdale. Initially he was at the County Ground only to receive treatment, but eventually played in the reserves for The Robins and earned himself a contract with the club. Talking about Lamplough joining on a non-contract basis, Holdsworth added: "He has a cracking left foot and an opportunity to show us what he can do. He is trying to earn a more permanent contract. "He played for Hartlepool against us pre-season and is a terrific young kid." ----------------------- Stags swoop for striker Sturrock BBC.co.uk Mansfield Town have signed former Swindon Town forward Blair Sturrock until the end of the season. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/mansfield_town/8231309.stm Sturrock, 28, is the son of Plymouth Argyle boss Paul and had been a free agent after being released by the Robins in May. Boss David Holdsworth told the club website: "I'm delighted to get Blair on board. He is a natural goalscorer who has played at a very high level." The club have also signed left-back Joe Lamplough, 19, on non-contract terms. Lamplough was a regular for Hull City's reserve side last season. Sturrock, 28, had loan spells at both Bournemouth and Torquay United last season, scoring twice in 24 games. ----------------- Stags land Sturrock until end of season Evening Post, September 01, 2009 MANSFIELD Town have beaten today's transfer deadline to bring in forward Blair Sturrock. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-sign-Sturrock/article-1300911-detail/article.html The 28-year-old Scot was with Swindon last season but scored for Torquay against the Stags at Field Mill while out on loan. The son of Plymouth manager Paul, Sturrock began his career at hometown club Dundee United. He later played for Brechin, Kidderminster, Rochdale and Bournemouth on loan. And the striker also played under his dad at Plymouth, being part of Argyle's Division Two and Division Three winning squads. Sturrock has signed a deal until the end of the season with a one-year option. "I have been chasing Blair since he scored against us but patience is a virtue and the opportunity came around," said boss David Holdsworth. "You never know how long some things are going to take but I'm absolutely delighted to have him. "When I saw Blair play I saw a spark in him which I like and I believe in players who are explosive as well as technically gifted, as he is. "You can't have enough goals in the squad and he shares my ambition, which is a quality I like in people." Sturrock passed a medical last night and will be in contention for Saturday's match at Grays. He is looking forward to getting started and said: "The gaffer was the first one to call me up in the summer and show his interest. "I have played for Rochdale here and enjoyed it that day. I like the set up and there was a good atmosphere (at the Kettering game)." ----------------- Left-back on trial at Mansfield Evening Post, September 01, 2009 MANSFIELD will take a look at left-back Joe Lamplough after offering him a trial at Field Mill. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Left-trial-Mansfield/article-1301124-detail/article.html The former Hull trainee played against the Stags for Hartlepool in a pre-season friendly this summer. Lamplough, 19, could come into the reckoning for a first team place at Grays on Saturday because of injuries to Paul Heckingbottom and Craig Armstrong. Armstrong's hamstring injury, sustained against Kettering yesterday, will be assessed by Stags physio Jason Truscott today – and he could be a doubt for the weekend. Heckingbottom, who also has hamstring trouble, is definitely out. "Joe has signed on a non-contract basis," said manager David Holdsworth. "Hartlepool had him on trial and we have him here with the same view. He is a cracking young man and wants an opportunity. "It's a case of getting to know each other and watching this space, but he could come into the equation for Saturday. "We will have to see if Craig makes it, but we don't want to rush Hecks back and then him have a setback. "Joe could find himself in the right place at the right time." Meanwhile, Mansfield's winner at Chester has now been credited to Kyle Perry rather than Rob Duffy. Holdsworth added: "You don't like to take goals off strikers and Rob was the first to claim it. "But having seen it again, Pezz gets the last touch and he wants to claim it, so we are going to change it." |
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