Archived News from July 2005
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Field Mill farce as game is now NOT all-ticket
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Field Mill farce as game is now NOT all-ticket
CHAD website, 27 July 2005 THE incredible farce at Field Mill continued tonight as Stags made a third U-turn and announced fans can buy tickets up until kick-off for tonight's friendly visit by Shefield Wednesday. Embarrasingly, Mansfield had already announced the game was all-ticket twice and then pay on the day twice. At lunchtime today, the county's Safety Advisory Group, who have already cut the ground capacity by half, said no more tickets could be sold after noon. But that would have left hundreds of fans from Mansfield and Shefield unaware and arriving to pay on the night. And it is believed the late change of heart was on police advice, possibly anticipating disorder. Supporters cannot pay cash on the turnstiles but can buy tickets from the office up until kick-off. The fall-out from this latest twist should be interesting as chairman Keith Haslam tries to reach an agrreement with the SAG before Saturday's final friendly and, more importantly, before the season starts. ------- EARLIER STORIES: mansfieldtown.net reports that, under the instruction of the local authority Mansfield Town FC regret that the game between Mansfield and Sheffield Wednesday is to be all ticket as originally arranged NO purchases will be available on the turnstiles and we have been instructed to cease selling tickets from the Field Mill ticket Office at 12.00pm NOON. PLEASE NOTE: do not travel to the game without a ticket as you will not be allowed in ------------ Mansfield Halt Ticket Sales Sheffield Wed Official Site Sheffield Wednesday have been informed by Mansfield Town that the Nottinghamshire club have now halted sales of tickets for this evening's friendly at Field Mill. The 7.30pm kick-off had previously been declared an all-ticket game but it appeared that had changed when a Stags official collected unsold tickets from the SWFC ticket office on Wednesday morning and said they would be placed on the turnstiles. However, Wednesday have subsequently discovered that, in fact, Mansfield stopped ticket sales at midday and have no plans to sell any further tickets this evening. The Owls apologise to supporters for any inconveniece caused to supporters by these events that were outside SWFC's control. ------------- Dramatic U-turn as Stags friendly IS now all-ticket CHAD website, 27 July 2005 MANSFIELD Town are calling on Stags and Sheffield Wednesday fans without tickets NOT to come to tonight's friendly at Field Mill after a dramatic 11th hour second U-turn on the all-ticket status of the game. The club decided yesterday that the game, originally all-ticket, would now be pay on the turnstiles and made an announcement to that end. So many supporters will have gone off to work today in Mansfield and Sheffield fully expecting to go straight down the the game tonight. But Stags were shocked this morning when the county's Safety Advisory Group instructed them to do a second U-turn and stop selling tickets at noon today. The SAG have already slashed the Field Mill capacity in half to just 4,676. A Stag statement late this morning read: "Under the instruction of the local authority Mansfield Town FC regret that the game between Mansfield and Sheffield Wednesday is to be all ticket as originally arranged. "No purchases will be available on the turnstiles and we have been instructed to cease selling tickets from the Field Mill ticket office at noon. "Please note - do not travel to the game without a ticket as you will not be allowed in." The club stand little chance of getting the message through to everyone and can now only hope the night passes off peacefully outside the ground. ---------- PALMER RULES HIMSELF IN AFTER SETTLING ON FIRST-TEAM SQUAD Evening Post, 27 July 2005 MARK ROACH Carlton Palmer has finalised his squad for the new season - and confirmed he is looking to play regularly. The Stags boss has tested himself in pre-season and is happy with his fitness. "I was always confident about my ability and it was about whether I could get to the required level of fitness," he said. "I think I've done that and I feel good, but nothing is set in stone in football and we will weigh it up from game to game. "The plan was always for me to come off against Huddersfield after an hour. I could have played on, but I wanted to have a look at the game as well." Palmer has not ruled out a surprise addition to the squad before the start of the campaign - but says it is unlikely. "The squad is finished now. We don't need to bring anyone else in. We've worked hard to get this squad together and I can only pick 11. "Unless something exceptional jumps out at us, I doubt very much that we'll be adding to the squad now." Palmer says Des Walker could still play a key role for Mansfield this season, despite being ruled out for up to two months with a hamstring tear. Fellow new boys Matthew Tipton and Jon Olav Hjelde could also miss tonight's clash with Palmer's former club Sheffield Wednesday because of fitness issues, but Stephen Dawson looks set for a place in the squad. Walker, Hjelde and Kevin Pressman have not signed yet, but Hjelde and Pressman have agreed deals and Palmer says both will sign when chairman Keith Haslam returns from holiday. "I've told Des that we won't make any snap judgements - we'll wait and see," said Palmer. "Dawson was left out against Huddersfield because he was feeling his thigh but he'll be added to the squad. "We're still training very hard and the games are part of the training. We're not going to gamble on anyone. Tipton is in good shape but he is not in the condition we'd like him to be in yet. "He is about three weeks behind everyone else after an extended season and coming back later after a rest - and he had a bad case of sunstroke after the Derby game." Palmer is keen on getting the right performance from his players tonight, rather than the right result. "We're just looking to keep performing well and to be consistent. If we keep playing like we have been the results will come. "You expect the teams we are playing to beat us. If we play teams and win 5-0 we won't learn anything. "We've done well with our fitness and we'll look to keep our shape and discipline and work on our system and set-pieces. "It will be a tough game. I won't say the result doesn't matter, but the performance is always more important." |
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