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Archived News from March 2008

HOLLAND WOULD LOVE JOB / SO WOULD McEWAN / JESUS
26th March 2008 20:31


I would love Stags job - Holland
By John Lomas, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

PAUL Holland threw his hat into the ring for the Mansfield Town manager's job this morning and insisted: 'No-one knows those players better than me'.
Holland has been assistant manager to Billy Dearden who left the relegation-haunted club after Saturday's 4-0 home defeat by Rochdale.

Full story at CHAD website here here

But, although he knows the club are drawing up a shortlist of candidates, he has not been ruled out and a home win against high-flying Hereford United tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) could do his hopes a power of good.

"I have always said I would like to do be involved in management and Mansfield Town is my club. I have been with them since I was 12 and the job does not hold any fears for me. No-one wants this club to do better than I do.

"I know some people may say we need someone in with experience but no one knows those players in the dressing room better than me.

"If you want to be in the football business, opportunities like this have to be grasped. I would love the job.

"I have spoken to Stephen Booth (chief executive) and he explained my role is caretaker manager and that they will be speaking to other people.

"But I have to be positive and active and show what I can do. We can't afford to wait around a few days and see what happens in our situation.

"I am writing up a shortlist of players I would like to bring in and I think it is fair to say there are players who are not in the plans who can speak to their agents. I will then sit down and talk to Stephen Booth and see where the land lies."

Holland won his only match in charge away to Darlington 14 months ago between the sacking of Peter Shirtliff and appointment of Dearden.

"I would take that again tomorrow night," he smiled. "I want the players to go out there and play without any fear at home.

"They look frightened of making mistakes and worrying about things before they happen. I want to relax them and get them enjoying their football again.

"I am very positive and, although I have been working with Billy, I do have my own ideas.

"Billy is a great character and the biggest influence on my career as a player and a coach. If you can't learn things from him you can't learn from anyone.

"But we didn't always agree on everything, as happens at every club, and I hope I can stamp a few things on the players before tomorrow."

Holland knows that if he fails to land the job, his P45 could be in front of him should a new manager come in and decide to bring in his own assistant.

Tough

"That is football, " he said. "But I am positive and I hope the club will be putting something else in front of me by the end of the week."

Holland will initially be assisted by youth team coach Ivan Hollett and veteran goalkeeper Carl Muggleton.

Tomorrow's visitors Hereford have won seven of their last nine games and are in fourth spot, one point off the top three automatic promotion places.

"Hereford will be tough, but they will all be tough between now and the end of the season," said Holland.

"Hereford are a good footballing side and have done brilliantly since coming back into the League under Graham Turner. But I do not regard them as a bigger club than Mansfield Town. There is no reason why we shouldn't be up there on a par with them.

"I am going to be working the lads harder in training. Often it is a case of winding down and thinking about holidays at this time of year but we can't afford that in our position.

"We need to find some consistency and get some of the naivety out of them. And hopefully we can get a couple of new faces in to help after Tuesday."

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Stags captain backs Holland's manager bid
By John Lomas, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

STAGS skipper Jake Buxton is happy to back Paul Holland's bid to become the new Mansfield Town manager.
Holland takes temporary charge for tomorrow night's home clash with in-form Hereford United following Billy Dearden's departure on Saturday and Buxton said: "I think he has the qualities to become the manager.

Full story at CHAD website here here

"Paul has got a chance now and been told he has Tuesday to get his point across. So I hope we can put on the right show for him and hope the board then see him as a candidate.

"Paul has seen a lot of us all and is probably the best man at the moment to know about the players.

"Obviously I am happy to support whoever gets the job, our full support was there for Billy Dearden too.

"We do not have a lot of time to experiment. Whoever is appointed must be the right man to keep the club in the League.

"A new manager usually comes in and gees the players up to get four or five wins which is what we need."

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I would like challenge of keeping Stags up - McEwan
By Tim Morriss, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

ONE of the reported front runners for the vacant manager's job at Mansfield Town has told Chad he would 'very interested' in taking over at Field Mill.
Ex-player Billy McEwan (56) was installed as a leading candidate immediately after the departure of Billy Dearden on Saturday evening, and said on Monday morning: "The club is in a precarious position. Whoever takes over has a very, very difficult job.

"Maybe some would shy away because of that, but I would like the challenge. It is a challenge for whoever is appointed."

Full story at CHAD website here here

McEwan scotched rumours that he had been at Field Mill for several recent home matches, telling Chad that the only time he had been to a recent Stags match was for the visit of Chester when he was scouting for a manager.

He declined to comment further on the team and their recent slump in home form, saying: "I was there to watch a few players for another club and concentrated on that."

And he said that he had not applied for the job because it had not been formally advertised. But he added that he would 'very interested' in becoming the next manager of Mansfield Town FC.

McEwan was a star of the side which won the old Division III title in 1977, taking the Stags into the second tier of English football for the only time in its history.

He said: "I had some good times at the Stags, one of the more successful times in the history of the club.

"I have fond memories of playing there, but it was a long time ago.

"I always watch for their results, I keep tabs on all my old teams, whether as a player or manager.

"I like to see how they got on and I still keep in touch with some of the old players from that time and talk about the good times we had."

McEwan is available to start straight away - one of chief executive Stephen Booth's crietria for the new boss - having been sacked as manager of Blue Square Premier side York City in November.

The experienced 56-year-old joined York as manager in 2005, following spells in charge of Sheffield United, Rotherham (where he won the Division IV title on 1989), Darlington and Derby County, and took them to the verge of promotion last season.

At Derby he worked under five different managers and had two spells as caretaker boss.

He has the necessary experience, having led clubs in more than 400 matches.

McEwan played 32 league games for the Stags, scoring three goals. He also played for Hibs, Blackpool, Brighton, Chesterfield, Peterborough and Rotherham.

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Dearden's emotional farewell to Stags players
By John Lomas, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

DEPARTING Stags boss Billy Dearden said an emotional farewell to his playing staff on Sunday morning.
"Bill and I had planned a training session on Sunday morning already anyway," said caretaker boss Paul Holland.

"The lads were obviously very upset and there were a few sad faces in there.

Full story at CHAD website here here

"They were very down on Saturday night after the Rochdale defeat and what had happened and that feeling just multiplied on Sunday morning.

"Billy has always been a credit to himself the way he has conducted himself in his playing and coaching career. You don't like to see anyone go like that. But obviously he has been in the game long enough to know this happens.

"But there was no hard feelings and he just spoke to the players and told them to get cracking and wished them all the best."

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New Stags owners will have a say on new manager
By Tim Morriss, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

Permanent appointment before weekend, says chief executive

THE Stags should have a new manager in place by the weekend - and there could be new owners fairly soon, too.
Chief executive Stephen Booth said on Monday morning that he hoped to have the new boss installed before next weekend's trip to Bradford.

And he said that the appointment would be made in consultation with the prosepctive new owners of Mansfield Town FC.

Full story at CHAD website here here

Manager Billy Dearden left the club after Saturday's 4-0 home drubbing by Rochdale and his assistant Paul Holland was placed in temporary charge on Sunday - after immediate rumours that former Stags player Billy McEwan would be appointed as Dearden's successor.

Booth told Chad on Monday morning: "I have given it a lot of thought and there are several people I am talking to. There are a number of people out there who could help us, but it is important that we do not appoint someone as a knee-jerk reaction.

"This is not a one-horse race, but the candidates have to be available now and ready and able to step into the breach.

"The objective is to get everything resolved in advance of the Bradford game on Saturday.

"But there was no way someone could have been in place by Tuesday's match, so Paul (Holland) has been placed in charge for that.

"It is important that I get behind him and give him the chance to show what he can do.

"In the context of any takeover, I would not impose any manager on the prospective new owners without due consultation.

"There is every expectation of an early conclusion to the ownership issue - and I am still talking to several parties - but it would be foolish of me to say it is imminent. Anything could happen, last time we thought a deal was done and then through no-one's fault it didn't happen."

At Saturday's press conference to announce Dearden's departure, non executive chairman James derry hinted at 'good news on the takeover this week'.

The new manager is expected to be handed a short-term contraact until the end of the season, with the obvious target of keeping the Stags in the Football League.

The front runner for the post was McEwan, but since then several other names have been put forward with many fans wanting another ex-player, terrace hero Richie Barker, as player-manager.

The inspirational Martin Allen has also been mentioned together with Ian Atkins. But Mr Booth declined to comment on any names put to him by Chad on Monday.

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Hamshaw - Billy departure is players' fault
Evening Post, 10Mar2008
MATT Hamshaw revealed he and the rest of the Mansfield players were 'gutted' manager Billy Dearden has lost his job.

A hapless 4-0 home defeat for the Stags was the 'final straw' for the board, who relieved Dearden of his duties within an hour of the end of today's game at Field Mill.

Right-winger Hamshaw said the players should feel responsible for their boss' departure.

"It has not been good enough. The fans know it, the players know it, everyone knows it," he said.

"It's gutting that Billy has gone because he is a top man and I would like to wish him all the best for the future.

Full story at Evening Post website here here

"It has been difficult and I feel for him. I definitely feel that we have let Billy down and I'm sure all the other players feel the same.

"I have been in this situation before and it is never nice, but these things happen and you have to get on with it.

Hamshaw insists the Stags still have it in them to climb out of the League Two drop zone, despite the double whammy of a worst home defeat of the season and losing their well-liked boss.

He said: "We have to believe we can get out of it, otherwise we might as well just give up now.

"If we think we are going to definitely go down then we will do because we are not going to get any help from anyone else.

"We have to do it ourselves and try to lift it for the Hereford match. Dutch (Paul Holland) came into the dressing room after the game and told us that – and he is right."

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Stags fans group call for statement from CEO
By Tim Morriss, CHAD.co.uk, 10Mar2008

A STAGS fans protest group has demanded 'a clear statement of intent' from those running Mansfield Town FC.
The statement from Stags Fans For Change (SFFC) comes after Saturday's departure of manager Billy Dearden and the appointment of Paul Holland as caretaker boss for Tuesday's match with Hereford.

In a hard-hitting statement, the group said: "The fans and players need to see the executive taking a forthright approach to saving the club from relegation by investing in a manager who can bring experience, vision and fight into a demoralised dressing room. The cheap option should no longer be followed due to the dire straights we find ourselves in. The CEO and chairman need to reassure fans openly and honestly that they are working on a long-term plan for MTFC."

The SFFC was formed as a protest group with the objective of removing controversial owner Keith Haslam from Mansfield Town FC.

And it says the protracted sale of the club, which now stretches over 16 months, is one of the factors behind the club's plight at the foot of the Football League and Dearden's exit.

The statement reads:

"We recognise that Billy's record over this season and particularly the home record over the last few months, has not been good enough. There is a feeling, however, that his departure was as much to do with his challenge to the CEO over the dragging out of the sale of the club, as it was to do with results on the pitch.

"No manager could have had success here with the lack of investment from Haslam and latterly Booth, who has the FA Cup money supposedly within his control.

"Billy has stated publicly that the debacle has had a negative effect on the players, whilst Booth and Derry have criticised fans groups for supposed actions that have impacted on performances. Will they both now respond to Billy's statements and say what they are doing to correct and repair the damage?

"Booth said clearly on 103.2 on Saturday evening that a permanent manager would be in place before Tuesday's game. Within 24 hours he has changed his mind and announced that Holland will take temporary charge.

"Derry intimated that, once again, a sale was imminent and now Booth says he wishes to consult with these 'potential' buyers about the choice of manager. He then says that a permanent manager will be in place by Saturday.

"Are we to take it then that the club will be sold to the group that support a particular candidate? Will the new manager have only a daily rolling contract, as buyers for this club appear to melt away faster than snow on a hot shovel and other 'potential' buyers may want a different manager?

"The future of MTFC as a Football League club is at stake and we have a CEO and chairman who can't seem to make a decision between them. If we still had a brewery in the town we very much doubt that either of them could organise a good party there!

"We call on Stephen Booth to make a clear statement of intent covering:

- The managerial candidates

- The exact point sale negotiations have reached

- The exact funds available for loan players

"The fans and players need to see the executive taking a forthright approach to saving the club from relegation by investing in a manager who can bring experience, vision and fight into a demoralised dressing room. The cheap option should no longer be followed due to the dire straights we find ourselves in. The CEO and chairman need to reassure fans openly and honestly that they are working on a long-term plan for MTFC.

"Finally we wish Billy well, be that in retirement or another role within a club who don't do things 'the Mansfield Town way'."

Full story at CHAD website here here

 

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