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Archived News from January 2005

CONTRACT OFFERS FOR SMELTZ & RUNDLE
27th January 2005 14:10


Contract offers for Smeltz and Rundle
CHAD, 27 January 2005

SHANE Smeltz and Adam Rundle will today be offered the chance to stay with Mansfield Town for the rest of the season and beyond.
New Zealand international striker Smeltz and pacey young left winger Rundle have both shown enough to caretaker-manager Carlton Palmer to suggest they can be part of his plans.
Smeltz has made a brief first team outing as a substitute at Rochdale, but otherwise they have seen opportunities limited in their three weeks at Field Mill.
However, chairman Keith Haslam had a meeting with Palmer this morning and agreed the pair could be offered deal for the rest of this season with another one-year option for the club if things work out.
"Having played with Adam for six weeks at Dublin I know all about what he can do and it has always been my intention to sign him," said Palmer.
"He is raw but has great pace and something to work with.
"Shane is not the finished article by any means, either, but is young and eager and wants to do well and he has shown us enough to want to keep him here.
"I still have one eye on this season, of course, but I have to keep an eye on building a squad for next year too when the transfer window comes in for us.
"We have to safeguard promising young players or we just end up with a sitiation like Joel Kitamirike where we gave him a chance and he moved on to sign elsewhere."
Stags are hope injured trio Tom Curtis, Fraser McLachlan and Derek Asmaoah will all be fit to travel to neighbours Lincoln City this Saturday (3pm).
"Tom played 45 minutes of reserve football and is feeling a bit stiff and we will take a view on him in the next 24 hours," said Palmer.
"Fraser has trained Tuesday and Thursday and should be fine.
"Derek had an X-ray on his shoulder, which is strained and still a bit sore. But we have a harness he can wear and I am confident he will be available for Saturday."
Stags should have a big following for the game at Lincoln, where they suffered a 4-1 hiding last season. Indeed, Sincil Bank has rarely been a happy hunting ground for Mansfield.
But Palmer added: "They said that about Shrewsbury and Rochdale when we went there but we still did well.
"Myself and the players are relishing going to Lincoln. I went there twice with Stockport and won twice so it is a happy hunting ground for me. Fingers crossed we can do that again on Saturday.
" We know it will be tough and physical. and if we don't go to Lincoln and compete, win second balls and be brave enough to play football, we will get nothing out of them.
"Keith Alexander and I know each other very well and I am looking forward to locking horns."
The game is ALL-TICKET for away fans - on sale from Field Mill now until 4pm Friday.
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APPEAL OVER WAGES FINE
Evening Post, 27 January 2005
MARK ROACH

Neil MacKenzie claims Mansfield Town were "not justified" in taking a week's wages off him.

The midfielder, who has now joined Macclesfield, has told the PFA he wants to appeal against the fine - for his response to comments made about him by Stags' caretaker boss Carlton Palmer.

"The PFA have told me that Mansfield should not have taken the money from me," he said.

"I'm just waiting to hear back from them.

"All I did was respond to criticism.

"I didn't kick up a fuss when I was told I was going to Macclesfield on loan and I just gave my honest point of view.

"The fine was harsh and I'm not going to let the matter drop.

"It's not about the money, it's a matter of principle.

"I've got a right to reply to criticism."

MacKenzie added: "I'm a bit disappointed my time at Mansfield has ended like this.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time there."

Palmer will not be signing Crystal Palace right back Jay Conroy and PSV Eindhoven winger Eko Brazil, who both featured as trialists in Tuesday's 3-2 friendly win at Rushden.

"Jay is only 18 and he's good on the ball, but neither player is right for us," he said.

"I was pleased with Shane Smeltz, Adam Rundle and Danny Heron, though."

 

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