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Archived News from September 2014

COX: UNCLEAR IF ANY MOVEMENT ON DEADLINE DAY
5th September 2014 19:29


Cox aims to be at full strength for Notts County visit
mansfieldtown.net, 1st September 2014

Mansfield Town manager Paul Cox insists that he will play the strongest side possible against Notts County in the Johnstones Paint Trophy first round.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/cox-aims-to-be-at-full-strength-for-notts-county-visit-1889827.aspx#UyxYIi5JqsbkQ0ti.99

The game at Meadow Lane tomorrow night (k.o. 7.45pm) could be seen as the chance to give some of the fringe players a chance, but Cox doesn’t see it as a case of experimentation.

Speaking at this morning's press meeting, he said: “We had 18 fit players on Saturday so there’s not a lot of experimenting we can actually do. I want to put the strongest side out to try and win the game. The two games we’ve had, for different reasons, have resulted in us losing two games so we want to get 'back on the horse' as quick as possible and win our next game.”

The gaffer enjoyed a six-year spell at Notts County as a player, and is looking forward to making a return to Meadow Lane with the Stags: “I spent some really good years there from an apprentice all the way through [to the first team]. I was getting called out of school to play for the reserves and the youth team. As a schoolboy it’s a place where I've got a lot of fond memories and I always look for their result, but tomorrow night I’m the Mansfield Town manager and I have to be professional and try and do my job to win a football match.”

In addition, Cox said: “It’ll be a tough game, it’ll be a competitive game and it’s a local derby. Our fans will want to have the bragging rights, as will Notts County’s. Whether it’s a pre season friendly, cup game or league game any local derby is going to be full of passion and commitment and I don’t want anything less than that from my players.”

Transfer deadline day is always a busy day at any football club and Mansfield Town is no different. Although Paul Cox doesn’t expect anything to happen, he admits that you can never be completely certain. He said: “I'm expecting the phone to ring. I want to make calls but whether anything’s done and whether there are any incomings or outgoings will be purely down to the time span. Anything can happen, so it’s just time to sit and wait.”

“I'm working hard. I'm always speaking to agents, I’m always speaking to clubs to try and improve the squad. If that can be done today then absolutely brilliant but I think the squad needs adding to in general. I think we’re a bit threadbare at the minute, in terms of injuries and suspensions.

Cox has had some good news in terms of injuries, with John Dempster’s groin problem not as bad as first feared. The gaffer said: “It looks like Demps is good news, it’s not a hernia. That’ll take between five to seven days to get really get him back on his feet. Jonah [Luke Jones] is having an injection today so he’s seven days away and obviously Hearnsy is the major one.”

“We won’t know until we get the list from the physio today exactly what we’ve got from Saturday. Hopefully we’re alright and we’ve got no more injuries because at this minute we can’t afford to have anymore.”

Hear more from Paul Cox on Stags Player.

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Stags boss Cox prepared for anything on transfer deadline day
chad.co.uk, 01 September 2014

Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox has no plans for any ins or outs at One Call Stadium before tonight’s 11pm transfer window deadline, but admits anything could happen.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-boss-cox-prepared-for-anything-on-transfer-deadline-day-1-6815764

Stags had pre-season interest from other clubs in winger Sam Clucas and centre half Ryan Tafazolli and last week rejected a bid from League One neighbours Chesterfield for Clucas which fell short of the Stags’ valuation of the player.

Cox is short on bodies right now due to early season injuries, but with no more money likely to be available to him, he is unlikely to bring anyone in unless someone goes out.

“Nothing is happening at the minute,” said Cox. “It is a bit of a weird day. Until the window closes, anything can happen in football.

“I am expecting the phone to ring and I want to make calls. But right now I just have to sit and wait.

“I would love to bring one or two fresh faces in and I am always working hard, speaking to other clubs and agents trying to improve our squad.

“If something could be done it would be absolutely brilliant. The squad does need adding to in general as it is threadbare right now.”

He added: “A lot has been said about having players watching from the stands but every club has players watching from the stands. You need to have a squad with players looking over their shoulder to see other players breathing down their necks for their position. It’s healthy.

“If anything does happen today then we have been working hard to identify players to bring in as you don’t want to be left with an empty hand.

“We had some excellent players in on trial last week and I would love to bring one or two of them into the club. But I know we have to cut out cloth accordingly.

“If nothing happens we have got to soldier on and get on with it.”

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Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox won't rule out incomings or outgoings on transfer deadline day
Nottingham Post, September 01, 2014

MANSFIELD Town boss Paul Cox hasn’t ruled out incomings or outgoings before the summer transfer window closes today.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Mansfield-Town-boss-Paul-Cox-won-t-rule-incomings/story-22859013-detail/story.html?#ixzz3C53CigKG

All eyes will be on winger Sam Clucas, who attracted interest from Chesterfield last week.

A ‘line was drawn’ under the saga when the Spireites could not meet the Stags’ valuation of the player, but a move elsewhere remains a possibility, should another club come in with a suitable fee.

“Not at this minute, no, but anything can happen. That’s the way football is at the minute,” said Cox, when asked if there had been any further interest in Clucas.

“Until the bell tolls tonight, then we’ll be trying to work hard and I’m sure clubs will be trying to strengthen their squads.”

Cox has been working on a contingency plan should Clucas, or any other Mansfield player, leave.

But that aside, the prospect of any additions to his squad appears slim.

“There’s nothing at the minute, but it’s a special but weird day. Until the window closes later tonight, anything can happen in football,” said the manager.

“I am expecting the phone to ring. I want to make calls.

“But whether anything is done and whether there’s any incomings or outgoings will be purely down to the timespan between now and when it closes.

“It’s a strange day. Anything can happen.

“We’ll just sit and wait.”

Cox identified a goal-poacher as the missing ingredient following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Burton Albion.

“I would love a striker in today,” he said.

“I’m always working hard, always talking to other clubs and talking to agents to try to improve the squad.

“If that can be done today, absolutely brilliant because I think the squad needs adding to in general. We’re threadbare at the minute.

“It’s always better when you’re in the XI and you’ve got someone breathing down your neck who’s sat on the bench or even, dare I say it, sat in the stands.

“We’ve been working hard to try to identify players we’d love to bring in because I don’t want to be in a position where if something crazy happens on deadline day I’m left with an empty hand.

“It’s a scenario where if nothing happens, we’ve got to soldier on and get on with it.”

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Stags will field strongest side for JPT tie
chad.co.uk, 01 September 2014

Paul Cox said he will play his strongest side for tomorrow night’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern Section first round derby at Notts County.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-will-field-strongest-side-for-jpt-tie-1-6815865

In truth, Cox has few options open to him due to injuries right now, but said Stags were heading to Meadow Lane aiming to win the game for what could be as many as 1,000 travelling Stags fans.

“I want to win the game and will play the strongest side I can,” said Cox. “It would be a bit disrespectful to the cup and both sets of supporters if we didn’t.

“I will have a look at what I have got to play with once the physio gives me the injured list.

“But I only had 18 fit players on Saturday so there’s not a lot I can do.

“We have just had two defeats and we want to get back on the horse as quickly as possible and win a game. We know it will be tough. Notts were beaten on Sunday but have been on decent run and it’s always a tough place to go.

“It will be a million miles from when we beat them pre-season.

“We are not far off right now. We lost to the top of the table on Saturday and the basics are we need to put our chances away and stop making simple errors that cost you.

“This is a cup game and a local derby. Our fans want to have bragging rights as do Notts County. Any local derby is full of passion and commitment and I don’t want anything less from my players.”

It will be a nostalgic return to his old club for the manager, who added: “I had some really good years at Notts - nearly 10 years from apprentice all the way through.

“I was getting called out of school to play in reserve and youth team games as a schoolboy and I have a lot of fond memories.

“I always look for their results - you can’t help that. But tomorrow I am Mansfield Town manager and have to be professional and do my job to win a football match.”

John Dempster will miss the game with a groin strain, though thankfully scans have shown it is not a hernia and he will be back in a week, while fellow centre half Luke Jones has had an injection into his ankle injury and could also be available in a week.

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Latest | September 2014