Archived News from October 2010
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MILLS TO FGR, STEVE COOK SIGNS ON LOAN
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Mills in Rovers loan switch
mansfieldtown.net, Tue 19 Oct 2010 Gary Mills has joined BSBP rivals Forest Green Rovers in a one month loan deal, we can confirm. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2189065,00.html? The 29-year-old midfielder has made 15 starts for us this term but lost his place to Tyrone Thompson in last Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Darlington. Manager David Holdsworth said: "I am sure this loan move will prove worthwhile for both Gary and Forest Green Rovers." Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion defender Steve Cook is expected to sign a three month loan deal later this morning. ---------------- Holdsworth captures Cook mansfieldtown.net, Tue 19 Oct 2010 David Holdsworth has bolstered his defensive options by completing the loan signing of Brighton defender Steve Cook. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2189316,00.html? The versatile 19-year-old, who can play at either right back or central defence, joins us on a three month deal that will keep him at Field Mill until mid-January. Cook has made four appearances in Albion's first team and arrives in Mansfield on the back of a month's loan at fellow BSBP outfit Eastbourne Borough. He made seven appearances for the South Coast side scoring one goal in Saturday's 2-4 home defeat to Luton and featured in Garry Wilson's team beaten 4-0 here last month. Speaking exclusively to mansfieldtown.net as the ink was still drying on his new deal, Cook said that he was immediately impressed by his new surroundings and entirely confident that he had made the right decision after taking soundings from several different people including Brighton manager Gus Poyet. "I played up here a few weeks ago and spoke to the Gaffer (Holdsworth) after," he said. "I'm pleased as it's another new experience for me. "I've just been on loan at Eastbourne but this is a big move up for me. I spoke to a lot of people and they all said it would be a good move for me in order to progress my career. "Gus Poyet told me that it would be a great opportunity for me to get away from home and to see if I can grow up a bit. "Its full time football here and Mansfield are a league club really which is what I'm looking for. Whereas Eastbourne are a small club doing well." The 6ft defender also said that he would relish the challenge of breaking in our back four and is flexible enough to fill in at any position giving David Holdsworth maximum options. He added: "I prefer playing at centre back but I'm really not fussed. I've played at left back and right back; wherever I can get into the team really. ------------------- Holdsworth snaps up another defender Evening Post, 20 Oct 2010 MANSFIELD Town boss David Holdsworth has continued to ring the changes following the arrival of new chairman John Radford at Field Mill. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/sport/Holdsworth-snaps-defender/article-2778144-detail/article.html? Holdsworth yesterday bolstered his defensive options by completing the loan signing of Brighton defender Steve Cook. He has already brought in Rhys Day, Simon Grand and Adam Murray. The versatile 19-year-old, who can play at either right-back or central defence, joins on a three-month deal. Cook has made four appearances in Albion's first team and arrives in Mansfield after a month's loan at fellow Blue Square Bet Premier club Eastbourne Borough. He made seven appearances for the South Coast side, scoring in Saturday's 4-2 home defeat to Luton and featured in Garry Wilson's team beaten 4-0 at Mansfield last month. Cook said that he was immediately impressed by his new surroundings and confident he had made the right decision after talking to a number of people, including Brighton manager Gus Poyet. "I played up here a few weeks ago and spoke to the Gaffer (Holdsworth) after," he said. "I've just been on loan at Eastbourne but this is a big move up for me. Gus Poyet told me that it would be a great opportunity for me to get away from home and to see if I can grow up a bit." ------------------- video interview with http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2189424,00.html? ------------------ Cook Joins Stags seagulls.co.uk, Tue 19 Oct 2010, by Will Jago Albion defender Steve Cook has joined Blue Square Premier side Mansfield Town on a three-month loan deal until January 15th. http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~2189356,00.html? Following a successful one-month spell with Eastbourne Borough, where he played five games, the 19-year-old defender has joined the Stags with the defining factor being to play at a full-time club. After seeking advice from Gus Poyet, Mauricio Taricco and Charlie Oatway, he told seagulls.co.uk, "The key thing is that Mansfield are full-time and that's really important for me, so I feel like it's another move in the right direction. "I spoke to the management staff about the move and we decided it was best for me to move away, gain more experience and grow up a bit. "Playing first-team football is great for me because I'm testing myself against bigger, stronger players; playing for big clubs that are in the Blue Square Premier. You want to be playing first-team football to develop as a player." Meanwhile, Cook has paid tribute to Borough for his time at the Sussex club, and has backed them to maintain their position in the league this season. "Eastbourne were brilliant to me, and I would like to thank them for that. They treated me very well throughout, but I felt that I needed to be with a club full-time. "I wish them all the best for the rest of the season, and they are definitely a good enough side to avoid a relegation battle. They should be aiming for another mid-table finish." ---------------------- Stags new boy Cook swaps one melting pot for another Evening Post, 22 Oct 2010 STEVE Cook is used to lofty expectations – and knows nothing will be different now he has joined Mansfield Town on loan. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-new-boy-Cook-swaps-melting-pot/article-2787515-detail/article.html? Parent club Brighton and Hove Albion have enjoyed a superb start to the season in League One and top the table by three points after 12 games. With a brand new stadium in the pipeline for next season, the pressure is on Gus Poyet's side to go on to win promotion and start life in their new surroundings in the Championship. By moving from the south coast to join Mansfield for three months, Cook has been relieved of that particular burden, temporarily at least. But the 19-year-old has walked into a situation where there is just as much expectation to perform, as the Stags chase promotion themselves. New owner John Radford has made no secret of his desire to see the club in the Blue Square Premier play-off places come the end of the season. That does not faze Cook, who already has valuable experience in non-league football earlier this season with Eastbourne Borough. And he is not worried, either, about the prospect of competing with the likes of Rhys Day, Steve Foster and Simon Grand to earn a place in the side. "It is exciting times down at Brighton with the new stadium and them being top – they are definitely going places," said Cook. "I have come from one club with massive ambitions to another in Mansfield. Nothing has changed in that aspect and it's good to be involved. "I played seven games at Eastbourne, missing one through injury, and those seven games were good for me. "Playing in the reserves at Brighton you only get something like ten games a season and there (at Eastbourne) I had almost as many in a month. "I'm not sure yet what happens after this loan, it depends how I go up here. I will have to go back and weigh my options up and go from there. "It is going to be tough but that's why I'm here – to make competition for places, keep clean sheets and win games." Cook was part of the Eastbourne defensive back line that lost 4-0 at Field Mill just under a month ago. Stags boss David Holdsworth was nevertheless impressed by the youngster's performance and told him so after the game. Mansfield have not won since then, a run of five matches ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at FC Halifax Town. But Cook believes that the club's fortunes will change swiftly if they play anything like they did against the Sports. He said: "Eastbourne are generally a hard side to break down, especially as we were sent out at Mansfield to defend and try to nick a goal. "We did that for 40 minutes or so, but the pressure told. "I think every club is going to have a spell where things don't go their way, but I'm totally confident it is going to change at Mansfield. "The club have had a hard run of games and the Crawley one coming up is massive. "It will be a tough one, but a good one if we can win it." First, though, the Stags have their trip to the Shay against Neil Aspin's in-form side. "I have played in the FA Cup for Brighton a couple of times and there is a lot of money in it for the smaller clubs," said Cook. "Hopefully we can go on to play some big sides if we progress far enough. "I don't know too much about Halifax, only that they used to be in the League, but I have spoken to our assistant (Duncan Russell) and they have some dangerous players." Cook will, in effect, replace Chris Smith, who yesterday joined York City on loan until January with a view to a permanent move. It is something of a journey into the unknown for the Hastings-born teenager. Cook said: "I spoke to everyone at Brighton, including Gus Poyet, and they all said it would be good for me to get experience of being away from home. Gus also said Mansfield play some attractive football which you don't get in the Conference very often, and was another pull." ------------------ Forest Green sign Gary Mills and Malvin Kamara Tue 19 Oct 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/forest_green_rovers/9105311.stm? Forest Green boss Dave Hockaday has added two players to his squad. Midfielder Gary Mills, 29, joins on loan for a month from Mansfield, while right-sided player Malvin Kamara, 26, has signed on non-contract terms. Hockaday told BBC Gloucestershire: "if they play well, they keep the shirt - fine, if they don't we'll move people on and we'll get other people in. "It needs to be done, it looks like I might be given a little bit more money now, so I want to do that." Mills, who scored against Rovers in the opening game of the season, will cover Lee Fowler's absence through injury. The midfielder is expected to be out for between six and eight weeks after damaging his right knee in training and is currently wearing a brace. Kamara has played over 100 games in the Football League for MK Dons, Cardiff City, Port Vale, Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town. He also represented Sierra Leone in their 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo in Freetown, which Togo won 1-0. --------------------- Stags set to sign defender Steve Cook on loan from Brighton Evening Post, 19 Oct 2010 MANSFIELD Town are expected to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Steve Cook on a three-month loan deal today. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Stags-set-sign-new-defender/article-2773524-detail/article.html? The 19-year-old has spent a month on loan with the Stags' Blue Square Premier rivals Eastbourne Borough this season, and played against Mansfield at Field Mill when David Holdsworth's side thrashed Eastbourne 4-0 at the end of last month. ------------------- Loan move will force Seagulls youngster to grow up theargus.co.uk, Tuesday 19th October 2010 Albion prospect Steve Cook has joined Mansfield on loan until January. Boss Gus Poyet believes the move to the East Midlands will add another ingredient to Cook's footballing education. http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/argusgeneralsportsnews/8459788.Loan_move_will_force_Seagulls_youngster_to_grow_up/? The 19-year-old defender has just completed an impressive month on loan at Eastbourne Borough, which ended with his first senior goal in Saturday's 4-2 home defeat by Luton. Borough wanted to keep him for the rest of the season but Poyet felt a switch to another Blue Square Bet premier club in a different part of the country will be more beneficial to Hastings-born Cook. The Uruguayan said: “We know now that he is more than ready to play in that division. Now we want him to go away from here, to take him as you would say in England out of the comfort zone – not being at home with friends and not knowing anyone. “He is going to be in a different place with new players and dealing with living at a hotel. I think he will grow up a lot and it will be good for his future. We explained the reasons and his family agreed.” Cook has made five substitute appearances for Albion's first team, the last of them 18 months ago. He will be at Field Mill until January 15 and is expected to make his first league appearance for Mansfield at home to Crawley a week on Saturday. Ironically, Cook's last league appearance for the Stags is likely to be a trip to Eastbourne Borough on January 8. -------------------------- Cook heads for Mansfield theargus.co.uk, Monday 18th October 2010, by Andy Naylor Albion prospect Steve Cook is going out on loan again - this time to Mansfield. http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/argusgeneralsportsnews/8459204.Cook_heads_for_Mansfield/? The 19-year-old defender is joining the Blue Square Bet premier outfit until January 15. It is a blow to Eastbourne Borough, where Cook has just spent an impressive month on loan. They were hoping to keep him for the rest of the season. ---------------- Stags boss Holdsworth: 'We'll make the top five this season' Evening Post, 19 Oct 2010 DAVID Holdsworth today declared his confidence in Mansfield Town making the Blue Square Bet Premier end-of-season play-offs. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-boss-Holdsworth-ll-make/article-2770667-detail/article.html? The Stags have not won in five matches after being pegged back late on by Darlington in a 1-1 home draw on Saturday. It leaves them three points shy of the top five in seventh place and 11 short of AFC Wimbledon in top spot, with just over a third of the season completed. New chairman John Radford upped the pressure on his manager at the weekend by demanding Mansfield finish in a play-off berth. But despite the stern competition from other big clubs, Holdsworth is bullish about fulfilling such a target. "I'm very confident we are going to finish in a top five spot," he said. "I don't think there is too much wrong with what we have here. "The takeover means the level of expectancy has changed. A slice of luck wouldn't go amiss, but I'm certainly not worried. "There may need to be slight tweaks to the squad perhaps and maybe a couple going out. "But the boys have worked really hard. Two or three weeks ago we were free-flowing and beating York and Eastbourne by scoring a lot of goals." Mansfield's new-found spending power – that has seen Rhys Day, Simon Grand and Adam Murray arrive – has put the places of some player under threat. But Holdsworth insists current squad members must rise to the challenge. He said: "There is nothing I can do if players feel unsettled because the new owners expect high standards and want to achieve something. "As a manager if you have ability to bring in players, you will do – that's football I'm afraid. It's a jungle out there." ----------------------- |
Latest | October 2010