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Archived News from July 2005

PRESSMAN AGREES TERMS; PLUS PRIET MOVES ON
20th July 2005 17:52


mansfieldtown.net reports that former Leicester keeper Kevin Pressman today confirmed that he has accepted the terms of a deal that will see him at Field Mill this season. The 37 year old keeper has yet to sign on the dotted line but has verbally agreed to a deal offered him by Stags manager Carlton Palmer and he is expected to put pen to paper in the next couple of days.
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Owls legend for Mansfield Town?
CHAD, 20 July 2005

MANSFIELD Town are to offer former Sheffield Wednesday legend Kevin Pressman the chance to become first choice keeper this season.
The 37-year-old stopper, who played 480 games in a magnificent 19-year career at Hillsbrough, will play in Friday night's home friendly against Huddersfield Town (7pm) and then mull over the offer of a one-year deal.
Stags player-manager Carlton Palmer has been trying to sort out a new keeper since Kevin Pilkington moved on to Notts County last month but his latest target, former Carlisle keeper Matt Glennon, had a last minute change of heart at the weekend and accepted a deal at Scottish giants Celtic.
Stags do have competition for Pressman, a free agent after his current deal at Championship Coventry City expired, and Palmer said: "It's up to Kevin.
"After we lost out on Matt it was back to the drawing board and Kevin is available.
"I know he is waiting on a couple of Championship clubs to come back to him but we are only down the road from Sheffield for him and, at this stage of his career, I am sure he would prefer to be number one keeper rather than just providing cover.
"Also, he has all his coaching badges and here he could double up as goalkeping coach and begin the next stage of his career as well.
"There is no doubting his ability - that is not in question. I have known Kevin a long time, I played in the same team for seven or eight years. He could be a very good signing for us.
"I was very disappointed that Matt Glennon shook hands on the deal and then changed his mind. But maybe everything happens for a reason and it could turn out to be for the best in the end."
Pressman left Wednesday in July 2004 and, after 15 games at Leicester City, moved on to Leeds United and then Coventry City.
As well as some sterling goalkeeping, Pressman also holds the dubious record of the fastest-ever dismissal in English football - 13 seconds into a game in 2000!
Stags fans were largely delighted by their first glimpse of the new-look side in Saturday's 1-0 home friendly defeat by Derby County.
And Palmer, who also impressed in his first Stags appearance, was also pleased with his charges.
"We looked fit, strong and competitive," he said. "I was delighted how quickly we gelled in our first real knock with so many new players.
"I was very impressed how we kept our shape and didn't go chasing the game, despite having conceded a goal against the run of play.
"And the young lads I sent on in the second half did exactly the same again which was pleasing.
"Friday's game against Huddersfield will be more relevant to us in terms of the standards in our division. And I want to start bedding down the side I want to more or less start the season. So the 11 that start will play the majority of the 90 minutes."
Des Walker is resting a sore back and Palmer said: "Des will play when he feels fit and ready to go.
"But Des has only been training for three weeks. I have had three months. We were all a bit stiff on Saturday night but overall I felt good."
New signing Kyle Jacobs has had a minor operation to tidy up a cartilage and will be back in training in a couple of weeks.
"The operation could have waited a bit longer but, with so many games in August and September, we need cover so we decided to get it done now," said Palmer.
Palmer continues to look for a central defender.
Former Leicester City player Nicholas Priet played the second half on Saturday but has now moved on to Swindon Town.
"He was a decent player but not quite what we're looking for," said Palmer.
"Obviously they need to be able to deal with the football. But, at this level, the important requirements for us is that it is a big strong lad who can head the ball and has a bit of pace."
Friday's visit of Huddersfield Town will be the first time the sides have met since the Terriers' penalties success over Stags in the Third Division Play-off final in 2004.
It will also see the return of former Stags striker Junior Mendes who, since leaving Field Mill, has been capped by Montserrat.
The Terriers have just returned from a pre-season tournament in Ibiza.
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CHAD, 20 July 2005
Promising Stags slip to single goal defeat
CARLTON Palmer's revolutionised Mansfield team was put to the test in Saturday's friendly against Derby County as a bizarre goal saw the Stags slip to a 1-0 defeat.
Although the home side showed perserverence, it was not enough to beat the Rams, who were looking for a good start to the season under new manager Phil Brown.
The match proved to be more of a training workout than a local derby battle but, with Palmer using 21 players and putting out almost a brand new team from the one that Keith Curle managed last season, fans were keen to see great improvements.
Seven new faces appeared in the home side's line up - including Palmer who made his first appearance since he officially took over as manager.
Stephen Dawson and Gus Uhlenbeek joined Palmer in the Stags' midfield - with Gavin Peers at right back, Jason Talbot at left back while Richie Barker linked up with new boys Matthew Tipton and Adam Birchall in a three-pronged attack.
Derby brought a full-strength squad to Field Mill - with Phil Brown giving starts to new signings Marc Edworthy, Andrew Davies, Artim Sakiri and Jaime Jordan, who is currently on trial at Pride Park.
The Stags had chances during the game but rarely troubled Rams' goalkeeper Lee Camp.
They looked lively in the opening half hour with new signing Tipton hungry for a goal to kickstart his season at Field Mill.
The striker almost put the Stags ahead after 18 minutes when he headed Uhlenbeek's low cross at the near post, but it was just wide.
The Stags seemed to pick up pace towards the end of the first half and were almost back in the game when a right-wing cross by Uhlenbeek fell inside the Rams' box for Birchall, but his shot from 10 yards out was well saved by Lee Camp.
Marcus Tudgay's 34th minute goal was enough to seal it for the Rams.
A collision between Tudgay, Stags goalkeeper Jason White and defender Rhys Day allowed Jordan's left-wing cross to go straight through Jason White's legs and roll into the empty net.
Palmer took the opportunity at half time to change his entire line up and only goalkeeper White remained on the pitch for Mansfield.
Brown also made a few changes - with Jamie Vincent, Scot Gemmill, Artim Sakiri and Grzegorz Rasiak replacing Edworthy, Idiakez, Jordan and Tudgay.
Adam Rundle who came on for Birchall later on in the second half caused some problems for Derby's Richard Jackson and in the 69th minute he went close with a shot that narrowly missed the bar.
Former stags player Chris Beardsley - who is set to re-sign this week after a spell with Kidderminster Harriers - also came on to show off his striking skills.
Brown brought on Paul Peschisolido and Danny Mills to replace Tommy Smith and new signing Davies to end the Stags' hopes of scoring an equalizer.
Although there was little by the way of goalmouth action, both teams battled it out with Derby enjoying more of the possession in the second half.
But the buoyant Stags held on until the final whistle - and, despite the defeat, showed a new found confidence which will surely help them achieve a good start to the season.
MANSFIELD: White, Peers, Palmer, Day, Dawson, Uhlenbeek, Barker, Tipton, Talbot, Buxton, Birchall. Substitutes: Beardsley (HT), McLachlan (HT), John-Baptiste (HT), Priet (HT), Jelleyman (HT), Lloyd (HT), Rundle (HT), Brown (HT), McIntosh (HT).
DERBY: Camp, Kenna (Jackson 52), Edworthy (Vincent HT), Davies (Mills, 62), Konjic, Idiakez (Gemmill HT), Bolder (Doyle 70), Jordan (Sakiri HT), Tudgay (Rasiak HT), Bisgaard (Ainsworth 74), Smith (Peschisolido 62).
REFEREE: Russell Booth of Mansfield.
ATTENDANCE; 4,000.
Former Stags striker Chris Greenacre has been snapped up by Tranmere manager Brian Little on a free transfer following his release from Stoke City at the end of last season.

 

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