{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from June 2014

STAGS SIGN LIAM HEARN
19th June 2014 15:43


Goal ace Liam Hearn joins Mansfield Town
mansfieldtown.net, 12th June 2014

Hearn officially signs for Mansfield Town, after Football League rubber-stamp his registration this afternoon

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/goal-ace-liam-hearn-joins-mansfield-town-1627213.aspx#AqykfEuLye9pfTT8.99

We are delighted to announce that we have fought off stern competition from other Football League clubs to capture the signature of highly-rated striker Liam Hearn on a free transfer.

Hearn will now link up with his new team-mates for pre-season training, which begins on Monday 30 June.

The 28-year-old, who was previously with Grimsby Town, joins us following a successful trial period at One Call Stadium towards the end of last season.

Born locally in Bulwell, Hearn boasts exceptional pedigree and has averaged a goal every other game during his career, which started at Hucknall Town over a decade ago.

The striker top-scored for the Yellows in the 2003/04 campaign as they won the Northern Premier League, but were denied promotion to the Conference Premier due to ground-grading issues.

He later had spells with Eastwood Town, Quorn and Chasetown, before penning a move to Alfreton Town in 2008, where he scored an incredible 45 goals in 76 appearances during a three-year spell.

His exploits whilst at the Impact Arena - in particular scoring 32 goals during the Reds’ title-winning season in the Conference North, something which earned him the divisional ‘Player of the Year’ - resulted in Grimsby Town swooping to secure his services for a £30,000 fee in June 2011.

In almost three full years with the Mariners, Hearn featured on 72 occasions, scoring on 34 occasions - including a massive 29 goals in his first season.

Nevertheless, his time at Blundell Park was hampered by injury troubles.

The forward ruptured his achilles tendon against Stockport County in only the second match of the 2012/13 campaign, which kept him sidelined for seven months.

He recovered and made 15 appearances for the Mariners last term, scoring four times including a goal against Barnet during a clash in which he also suffered a serious injury to his cruciate ligament.

Having left Grimsby by mutual consent back in March, Hearn is now relishing the chance to play in the Football League for the first time in his career.

He said: “I’ve known the gaffer [Paul Cox] for a long time and I had my heart set on coming here last summer, but it didn’t materialise and then this season I thought it would never happen due to my [cruciate] injury.

"My immediate targets are to have an injury-free season and score some goals. The fans can be a real force here, and I'm hoping we can have some good times."

A full interview with new signing Liam Hearn will be available on Stags Player soon. To subscribe, click here.

------------------

Hearn aims to repay faith
mansfieldtown.net, 12th June 2014

New signing keen to repay the faith shown in him by Paul Cox.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/hearn-aims-to-repay-faith-1627244.aspx#w5vuMo62Pd3T5Z29.99

New signing Liam Hearn wants to repay the faith shown in him by manager Paul Cox, who fought off stern competition to bring the highly-rated talisman to One Call Stadium.

Hearn, who becomes our third summer signing following the arrival of centre-back Luke Jones and striker Alex Fisher, admits he thought his chances of joining us were over.

The 28-year-old was close to signing for us last summer having recovered from a ruptured achilles tendon, before he suffered a cruciate injury midway through last term.

Despite his injury troubles, Hearn still averaged almost one goal every other appearance during a three-year spell with former employers, Grimsby Town.

Shortly after putting pen-to-paper on a deal with us, Hearn said: “I’ve known the gaffer for a long time and I had my heart set on coming here last season, but it didn’t materialise.

“This season I thought it would never happen due to my [cruciate] injury, but the gaffer has shown huge faith in me. We’ve got a deal sorted and now I’m here.

He added: “The gaffer has obviously re-iterated to a lot of people the interest he’s shown in me and how much faith he’s got in me. When a manager does that, it makes you want to play under him and do well for him.”

Hearn, who hails locally from Bulwell, began his career at Hucknall Town just over a decade ago, and was the leading marksman at Watnall Road with 16 goals in the 2003/04 campaign.

The Yellows won the Northern Premier League that season, the equivalent level to what the Conference North is now, but they were denied promotion due to ground-grading issues.

Hearn eventually moved on from Watnall Road and had spells at Quorn, Chasetown and Eastwood Town - where he linked up with our present manager for the first time.

“When I signed for Eastwood I hadn’t played for a long time and it was difficult for me to come straight in, because they were going through a kind of transitional period,” continued Hearn.

“I feel that we’ve always kept a bond and kept in contact and I want to prove him right for having his faith in me.

“Everyone will know you have good days and bad days like most managers, but the one thing I like about him is you get what you see. He won’t lie to you. He’ll tell you how it is.

“As a player, you appreciate that and it’s what you need sometimes.”

Despite his injury setbacks in the last couple of seasons, the striker, who also scored 45 goals in 76 outings during a three-year spell at Alfreton Town, says he is now injury-free.

“I’m fine. I’ve done a lot of work with the physio (Chris Bowman) in the summer and he’s really pleased with my rehabilitation,” added Hearn.

“Through working with him I’ve gained a better understanding of the injury what I’ve had. Hopefully, I’m looking forward to having an injury-free year and being in the best condition that I can be.”

------------------------

Mansfield Town signing Liam Hearn asks for time to fire
chad.co.uk, by Matt Halfpenny, matthew.halfpenny@jpress.co.uk, 12 June 2014

Mansfield Town’s new striker signing Liam Hearn has pleaded for patience in his quest to hit top form at the One Call Stadium.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-signing-liam-hearn-asks-for-time-to-fire-1-6669940?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

The 28-year-old has finally put pen to paper on what is understood to be a one-year deal, having trained with Stags since his release by Conference club Grimsby Town at the end of March.

The Stags struggled for goals last season after the prolific Matt Green left for Championship club Birmingham City, scoring just 49 times in 46 league games.

Hearn - who was reportedly the subject of a £300,000 bid from Peterborough while with the Mariners - believes he can help improve that statistic.

But after spending much of the last two seasons on the treatment table with cruciate knee ligament trouble and a ruptured Achilles injuries, he knows the goals may take time to flow.

“Sometimes as a striker it takes a while hit your straps, like it did at Grimsby when I don’t think I scored for the first 10 games,” he said.

“The fans stuck by me because they knew what I was doing was right, and eventually I started scoring and went on to score quite a few goals.

“Hopefully this year will be roughly the same, even if, because of my two injuries, it might take me a bit of time to find my feet.

“But I’m very confident in my own ability and, with the players we have here such as and Clemo (Chris Clements) feeding the ball through, I think I will get a lot of chances.”

Hearn bagged 33 goals in 61 games during his time at Blundell Park after earning a three-year contract in north-east Lincolnshire with 45 in 76 matches at Alfreton.

The Nottingham-born former England C international previously scored freely for Quorn, Chasetown and the nearest senior club to where he grew up, Hucknall.

He is relishing the prospect of playing in the Football league for the first time and is optimistic he can remain fit and available.

Hearn added: “I have done a lot of work with the physio here in the summer and he is really pleased with my rehabilitation.

“He’s shown me a lot of things to work on in terms on injury prevention and core strength.

“Working with him I have a better understanding of the injury I had and hopefully now an injury-free year will follow, aside from maybe the odd niggle.

“I’m expecting better quality in League Two, but I played against a few League One and League Two clubs in the Conference and I didn’t think the difference was that big.”

Hearn revealed he turned down interest from League One clubs to join the Stags, believing it is the right club for him at this point in his career.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I will play and can make an impression and not be sat on the bench, which would have meant a third year of not really playing,” he said.

“I spoke to representatives of the club in the summer (of 2013), but nothing really came of it. The gaffer has reiterated to a lot of people how much interest he has in me and how much faith he has in me. By having a manager do that, it makes you want to play under him and do well for him.

“It’s only five minutes away from Bulwell and Bestwood where I grew up, the lads have been so welcoming and I’m living in Mansfield with a friend, so all the boxes were ticked.

“Everyone at the club has been full of optimism for me and some have said they wished I had been here last season because maybe I would have put away some of the chances we created.”

------------

Former Grimsby Town striker Liam Hearn can solve Mansfield Town's goalscoring problems, says Paul Cox
By Nottingham Post, June 13, 2014

BOSS Paul Cox believes he has found the answer to Mansfield Town's goalscoring problems in the signing of Liam Hearn.

Read more at http://www.nottinghampost.com/Grimsby-Town-striker-Liam-Hearn-solve-Mansfield/story-21230556-detail/story.html#l4JswWXBCXKXDSh4.99

The Stags fought off competition from other Football League clubs to secure the services of the striker (pictured), who was released by Grimsby Town in March.

Hearn made 15 appearances for the Mariners last term, scoring five goals, with his last appearance coming in November, when he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury.

That setback came just 16 months after he ruptured his Achilles tendon. But with the 28-year-old having spent the last few months receiving treatment at the One Call Stadium, Cox insists there are no concerns over his fitness.

"I think it's a big signing for us," said the Mansfield manager, who knows Hearn from their time together at Eastwood Town.

"I think he's played more than 237 games in his career and he's a one in two goalscorer. That's hard to beat, by anybody - and we've been looking at goalscorers for a year now.

"There was a question mark about his fitness. He's been in with us for the last two months, probably even longer, and we've had scans on the injury and reports - everything has come back brilliant.

"The lad has been monitored on a day to day basis in terms of his fitness and his running, and he's looking decent. It's a very good signing for us.

"You need that element of luck, with any player you sign, but the stats say he scores one in two."

A regular goalscorer was the missing piece of the jigsaw for Mansfield last term.

Sam Clucas was their top scorer in League Two, with eight, as the exit of Matt Green hit them hard.

Cox, though, is confident in Hearn he finally has a suitable replacement.

"He's in the Matt Green mould - they're very similar as players," Cox explained.

"He will play off the shoulder, he's quick, he's sharp and good goalscorers always find themselves in the right place at the right time, so he's also a fox in the box.

"We're looking for competition up there. That's not ruling out Ollie Palmer and that's not ruling out Matt Rhead.

"The squad is going to be 20, 22 max, I want competition up there and I want people hungry to score goals.

"Liam's local and he's got a hunger and desire because, probably, of things which went wrong at Grimsby.

"I think he was a little bit annoyed with some of the stuff that went on there.

"He's hungry to get back in and play football, more than anything.

"I don't think he's got anything to prove to anybody.

"When you've got stats of one in two over 230-odd games, you haven't got a lot to prove to anybody."

---------------------

Hitman Liam Hearn agrees Mansfield deal
chad.co.uk, by Matt Halfpenny, matthew.halfpenny@jpress.co.uk, 09/06/2014

Striker Liam Hearn has agreed a one-year deal with Mansfield Town, manager Paul Cox has today confirmed to the Chad.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/hitman-liam-hearn-agrees-mansfield-deal-1-6662496

Manager Paul Cox has made no secret of the fact he is an admirer of Hearn and had been in talks with the former Alfreton man and his agent about a deal.

He is delighted that a contract, the final details of which are due to be tied up this afternoon, has now been agreed upon by all parties.

“If you look at Liam’s record during his career he has a fantastic goalscoring record and has done it at every level he has played,” said Cox.

“People will point to the fact he has been out injured for long spells, but he has been training and working with us for the last three months and we have monitored his fitness.

“He’s had scans and we’ve had surgeons’ reports and everything looks fine.

“I took him from Hucknall to Eastwood, so I know exactly what type of player he is and that he is the right character for us.

“We know have four good strikers we can call on next season with Liam, Alex Fisher and, of course, Matt Rhead and Ollie Palmer.”

Hearn scored 33 goals in 61 appearances during his time at Grimsby between 2011 and 2014.

Prior to that he hit 45 goals in 76 games for Alfreton and was also prolific at Quorn, Chasetown and Hucknall.

---------------------

twitter Liam Hearn @Hearnz10
09/06/2014
Delighted to have signed for @mansfieldtownfc just want to thank all at @officialgtfc for some great memories. Now the hard work starts

--------------------

 

Latest | June 2014