Archived News from January 2017
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EVANS ON HOWKINS & HAMILTON, & PREVIEWS NOTTS GAME
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Manager wants to reward supporters with County result
mansfieldtown.net, 12th January 2017 Stags’ boss Steve Evans says Saturday’s local derby against Notts County is a day for the supporters as he prepares his side to give the club’s fans a day to remember. A run of three consecutive victories have begun to build momentum going into the local derby as Stags look to close the gap on the Sky Bet League Two top seven. And the manager wants to reward the fans’ terrific support since he joined the club with a victory over our Nottinghamshire counterparts. “We play a lot of league games and we’re as passionate about every league game that comes, but local derbies are always special,” the Stags' chief said. “It’s the fans’ derby, it always will be. It gives them the good feelings over the weekend and going into work when they see supporters of the other club, that’s always great. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/manager-wants-to-reward-supporters-with-county-win-3515685.aspx#BwYEoLEDjCTv70uL.99 “I’ve been very fortunate; I’ve won local derbies at every club I’ve managed and this is the first big local derby here that I would say is a local derby and we want to win this because it does give you that extra bounce. "It’s a proper derby. There’ll be a terrific atmosphere, we’re looking forward to it and we want to win and we want to win for our supporters. I’ve always maintained this: derby day is supporters’ day. “Our supporters have been great since the day I walked in. The numbers we took up to Blackpool were admirable over the bank holiday at the New Year period.” The gaffer spoke about the threat which Notts would pose as they were set to appoint former West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan as boss, which the Magpies subsequently confirmed after our news conference ended this afternoon. "I think it’s always good when you see a football club get a bit of a rescue package with someone stepping in and probably Alan Hardy, I don’t know the man, but he’ll be spending his hard-earned money in saving a football club that he’s a big fan of and loves dearly. “He’s going to appoint Kevin Nolan - I don’t think that’s a secret anymore within the game. We look forward to seeing Kevin on Saturday and he’ll have his troops ready to go into battle. “It’s always going to be fiercely competitive but we have to go there and remind our players that as much as we have to play with our hearts and determination, we have to play with our brains as well." Speaking to the assembled media, the manager revealed that defender Kyle Howkins will miss the trip to Meadow Lane with a knee injury which he picked up in Tuesday’s Checkatrade Trophy win over Oldham Athletic. “There’s no point me saying to the supporters we don’t know, we do know [about Howkins' injury]. It’s his other knee. It was the nature of the force of the tackle, it was a fantastic tackle. He just twisted slightly but we’re probably talking 10 days to two weeks [out], two-and-a-half weeks max. “When we came in, Kyle was suspended and injured at the same time and we couldn’t get a good look at him. We had to work hard with him on his fitness levels to get him up to match speed. “I think he was just starting to become outstanding in a couple of games and it’s a shame he’s gone out but he’ll come back in two or three weeks and be outstanding again.” Winger CJ Hamilton has been one of the Stags’ stand-out performers in recent weeks and the gaffer today revealed that he has rebuffed a number of enquiries about the former Sheffield United wideman. “I’ve made it absolutely clear to people that have called me up in the last 48 hours that he’s not going anywhere. He’s going to be with Mansfield Town for a lot longer and we’re going to build on it. He’s not going to be sold from under us when he’s hitting the type of form that he’s hitting. “We’ve had more than tentative approaches about CJ - we’ve had people want to take him and buy him, but we’ve made it clear it’s ‘no’. We’ve [also] had one or two enquiries about other players that have been in the team in recent weeks. "I’m in a nice position - I speak to the chairman and the first thing the chairman says is ‘do you want to do some business in this?’ and I say ‘no’ and he says ‘ok, I’ll speak to you later’.” Supporters can now view manager Steve Evans’ news conference, in full, on Stags PlayerHD. --------------------- Stags defender Howkins to miss big derby at Notts chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 12 January 2017 Mansfield Town will definitely be without loanee centre half Kyle Howkins for Saturday’s big local derby at Notts County. Howkins limped off during the second half of Tuesday’s night’s fine 2-0 home Checkatrade Trophy win over League One Oldham after hurting a knee while making a magnificent tackle. Manager Steve Evans said: “Kyle will miss the game - he will be a couple of weeks. “It’s his knee. It was the nature of the force of the tackle. It was a fantastic tackle and he just twisted slightly. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-defender-howkins-to-miss-big-derby-at-notts-1-8331556 “We are probably talking 10 days to two weeks, two and half weeks maximum I think.” The West Brom youngster was at least boosted by the news this week that Tony Pulis has agreed a deal to keep him at the Hawthorns for the next two and a half years. Howkins had just agreed a deal with Mansfield to complete the rest of the season on loan with the club and Evans said: “I am very grateful to Tony Pulis. “He has been a mate of mine for 20-odd years in this game and he has always helped when I have asked. “Kyle could have chosen two or three options - in the league above - and it helps me when Tony Pulis is batting for Mansfield Town. “When we came in Kyle was injured and suspended at the same time, so we couldn’t get a good look at him. “We had to work hard with him on his fitness levels to get him up to match speed and I think he was just starting to become outstanding in a couple of games. “It’s a shame but he will come back in two or three weeks and be outstanding again.” ----------------- Stags turn down Hamilton bids chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Mansfield Town have turned down two bids for pacy winger CJ Hamilton. The former Sheffield United youngster struggled to play regular football under previous boss Adam Murray since joining the club in the summer, but has begun to blossom and find his feet under new manager Steve Evans. “CJ Hamilton has been getting better and I have made it perfectly clear to a couple of people who have called me over the last 48 hours that he is not going anywhere,” said Evans. “We have had people want to take him and buy him. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-turn-down-hamilton-bids-1-8331906 “But he is going to be with Mansfield Town for a lot longer and we are going to build on him. He is not going to be sold when he is hitting the type of form he is hitting.” Evans added: “We have had one or two enquires about other players that have been in the team in recent weeks. “But we’ve not come in here and tried to work with these kids to make them better as Mansfield Town players to suddenly pull the carpet from under us. I am in a nice position. “The first thing the chairman says is do you want to do some business on this? I say no and he says okay I’ll speak to you later.” ----------------- Stags boss wishes rivals’ new regime all the best - but not before the big derby chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 12 January 2017 Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans wished the new regime at struggling neighbours Notts County all the very best, but not before Saturday’s local derby showdown at Meadow Lane (1pm). Evans also said he was still hopeful of bringing in a new face or maybe more before the game. County, who have just lost a club record 10 games on the trot and faced a winding up order from HMRC, today announced a new owner in Alan Hardy and a new manager in Kevin Nolan, which is bound to hugely lift the ailing Magpies just before the derby game. “It’s always good when you see a football club getting a rescue package and someone stepping in,” said Evans. Read more at: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/stags-boss-wishes-rivals-new-regime-all-the-best-but-not-before-the-big-derby-1-8331674 “I don’t know Alan Hardy, but he will be spending his hard-earned money and saving a football club he is a big fan of and loves dearly. “He has appointed Kevin Nolan as manager and we look forward to seeing Kevin on Saturday. He will have his troops ready to go into battle. “From a distance we are rivals on the pitch and supporters will be rivals at 1pm on Saturday, but we wish Alan Hardy every success at Notts County outside the games against Mansfield Town of course. “It’s so difficult to take over a football club and get them going in the right direction and Alan will have plans in place to make that happen.” Evans knows the news of a new owner and manager will lift the home fans, but Stags expect to take 3,500 of their own down the A60 and Evans said: “The atmosphere was always going to be great, it’s a local derby. “I have watched Notts County play Mansfield Town on a couple of occasions and it’s always reminded me of every other derby. “It’s just the numbers around the pitch that is the difference. “It is always going to be fiercely competitive, but we have to go there and remind our players that as much as we have to play with out hearts and determination, we have to play with our brains as well. “There is no point in leaving their brains at the One Call Stadium and trying to go into the heat of the battle at Notts County. Meadow Lane is a difficult place to go at the best of times and it will be difficult again on Saturday.” On new boss Nolan, he added: “I expect him to put a team on the pitch and demand a lot from them. “I know one or two of the lads at Leyton Orient who were around when Kevin got a short time as manager there and were really impressed with what he did. “Of course he has a fantastic playing pedigree to build on with his experience. I think he will do well. He is a good appointment as a manager by the chairman and I expect his teams to be competitive. “Maybe in two or three weeks they will be a bit better organised, but he will be pumping them from the side that’s for sure.” Evans, a Glaswegian, is a huge fan of local derbies - and has a good past record in them. He said: “It is the supporters’ day of the season isn’t it? “I watched Southampton v Liverpool last night, it was a massive cup tie, but there was no rivalry other than them being Premier League clubs. “But you look to the weekend Liverpool go to play Manchester United and there is rivalry. “It’s the same with us. We play a lot of League games and we are passionate about every game that comes - but local derbies are always special. “It gives the fans the good feelings over the weekend and going into work when they see supporters of the other club, that’s always great. “I have been very fortunate that I’ve won local derbies at every club I’ve managed and this is the first big local derby here and we want to win it as it gives you an extra bounce.” On the huge army of followers, he continued: “Our supporters have been great since the day I walked in. “To hear we are going to sell our allocation out and travel there with around 3,500, I feel very fortunate I have managed clubs where the supporters live and breathe their football club. “If we can match the passion of the 3,500 fans as a team then we will take whatever comes in front of us between 1pm and 3pm. “I think there is a few coming from Glasgow as well. It’s a long way and not much of a local derby for them.” With three wins on the trot without conceding a goal, Evans has plenty of competition for places at Meadow Lane. “Everyone will be in fresh and ready tomorrow and doing their best in training to get the nod to be in the starting team on Saturday, or even to be on the bench, as competition is getting stronger,” he said. Centre half Kyle Howkins will miss out with a knee injury, but Evans has plenty of options and hopes he may boost that with a new face or two by the end of today. “Every time we lose one of our key players it’s a little blow, but the other lads who have come in have trained really well,” he said. “We’ll freshen them up and we are still trying to add to the group. It wouldn’t frighten me to add one or two for Saturday. “If we do, as we showed at Blackpool, they will come into play though that doesn’t mean they will start. “I am hopeful of one, maybe two or maybe more, but tomorrow will be too late. “I have to press the button today as they have to be here training with the boys and being part of it. They have to want it and we are waiting on decisions right now.” ----------------- Evans happy with home draw chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 12 January 2017 Steve Evans got his wish this morning as Mansfield Town were drawn at home in the Checkatrade Trophy quarter-finals. The Mansfield Town boss said he would be happy to land any draw at the One Call Stadium and was delighted to see his side drawn at home to League Two rivals Wycombe Wanderers four days before the Chairboys’ big FA Cup tie at Tottenham Hotspur. “We are pleased to be at home, but it is going to be tough - they are having another good season,” he said. “They have a manager I know particularly well. I helped him when I was at Leeds United on international week as I took a team down there to help with some revenue. “They have a good chairman down there, a great manager in Gareth (Ainsworth) and his family, who we got to know, and I am looking forward to seeing him here. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-happy-with-home-draw-1-8331463 “It will be a blood and thunder game for them here a few days before they go to White Hart Lane. “They are going to have to be ready for two types of games. It will be very physical at the One Call Stadium against us and then probably a more technical game when they go to White Hart Lane. “We are looking forward to seeing them and it will come along quick enough, but we have to put it to the back of our minds and quite rightly focus on a big derby on Saturday.” Stags said this afternoon that admission prices for the Wycombe match at One Call Stadium will be £10 adults and £5 concessions.?Tickets can be bought for the trophy tie online, http://www.stagstickets.co.uk, via telephone 01623 482482 or in person at the Stags’ ticket office. Concessions are supporters aged 17 and under as well as senior citizens aged 60 or over. Only the Ian Greaves Upper and Lower tier will be open for Stags’ fans. The Quarry Lane Stand will be closed. ----------------- Stags boss pays tribute to Taylor chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Thursday 12 January 2017 Mansfield Town boss Steve Evans this afternoon paid tribute to former England manager Graham Taylor, who has died at the age of 72. “On behalf of everyone at club, we send our condolences to the Taylor family at what will be a very sad time for them,” said Evans. “I remember Graham in so many ways. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-boss-pays-tribute-to-taylor-1-8331418 "Of course I remember him giving me a touchline ban at the FA and I remember him many, many times afterwards, telling me how proud he was that I’d done so well in my management career. “He was a fine man and someone who was there to listen to me when I needed him and he will be missed by everyone in football.” Worksop-born Taylor guided England to the European Championships in 1992. However a 2-1 defeat at the hands of hosts Sweden sparked fierce criticism and England and Taylor parted company after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in 1994. ----------------- Squad enthusiastic ahead of derby - McGuire mansfieldtown.net, 12th January 2017 Stags’ midfielder Jamie McGuire says the squad is in ‘high spirits’ as they approach Saturday’s local derby with Notts County (1.00pm kick-off). We travel to Meadow Lane following a run of three wins in which Stags have scored six goals without reply. And 33-year-old McGuire says there’s a good atmosphere in the camp as they look to continue their excellent run of form against the Magpies. “The boys are banging in goals up front and there’s a really good atmosphere in the camp at the moment. As long as that continues into Saturday, I can see us getting a good result as well,” McGuire said. “The boys are in high spirits with three clean sheets. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/squad-enthusiastic-ahead-of-derby-mcguire-3516023.aspx “We’ll hopefully take the whole Town down on Saturday, the boys are in good form, the club’s on an up and hopefully we can continue that on Saturday.” McGuire was yesterday voted as the supporters’ Player of the Month for December and he says Stags are beginning to find the right balance between defence and attack. “I think the balance is there between defence and attack. The boys are keeping clean sheets and the boys up front are working extremely hard to get in the positions to score goals. “You look at our bench, it’s a really strong bench so it’s a good mixture. The gaffer’s got a good selection headache at the moment but I think everyone who’s in the starting line-up are doing really well at the moment. “I think we’ve got that consistency, which is a big word for us because we haven’t had it yet. We need to keep producing that, keep producing on the training ground and keep producing in matches, which we’re doing.” The former Fleetwood Town man says he is amazed by the amount of tickets which Stags’ fans have snapped up for the fixture. “It’s a big derby. It could get to 4,000 Stags’ fans if we sell the rest of the tickets and we’ve had the upper hand on them at the moment. Whatever’s happening at County, we’ll leave that to them, but it’s all about Mansfield Town. “There’s a little bit of excitement, it’s a derby. It’s the fans, it’s all about the fans and we want to do well for them. “We took a massive following last time, we beat them 2-0 down there but, again, it’s all about us. Let’s concentrate on us, let’s take a big following down there. “I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait for the game.” Supporters can view Jamie McGuire’s news conference, in its entirety, on Stags PlayerHD. -------------------------- Jamie McGuire backing Mansfield Town to keep momemtum going chad.co.uk Battling midfielder Jamie McGuire is backing Stags to keep their momemtum going with a derby win at struggling Notts County. Mansfield have won their last three matches while the relegation-threatened Magpies have slumped to 11 straight League Two defeats. And, with confidence high in the Stags camp, McGuire believes Mansfield can keep up their recent good run against Notts. “We have had the upper hand on them recently,” he said. “Whatever is happening at Notts at the moment, we will leave it to them. It is all about Mansfield Town. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/jamie-mcguire-backing-mansfield-town-to-keep-momemtum-going-1-8333253 “We are in good form, the club is on the up and hopefully we can take that into the game. “It’s all about us and concentrating on what we do we are doing. We want to do well for the fans. “We are banging in the goals and there is a good atmosphere in the camp. There is a good balance between defence and attack, we are working hard and we have got a really strong bench. “The back five have done really well, the boys up front are banging in the goals. as long as that continues on Saturday I can see us getting a good result. “It’s a big derby and we are taking a lot of fans with us. The three points are what matters, but there is a bit of excitement to the game with it being a derby. “The main thing is for us to go there, get the three points and keep climbing the table towards the play-offs. “We are taking every game as it comes and keep ticking off the three points. The closer we get to the play-offs the more I really fancy ourselves.” McGuire, who has had to be content with a place on the bench in recent matches, was also keen to sing the praises of new boss Steve Evans and the impact he has had since taking up the Stags hot-seat. “The new players have settled in straight away, but the people who are already here have helped make that possible,” he added. “They have made a diffence on a pitch and the whole squad is buzzing. “The boss has a selection headache and the boys in the starting eleven are doing really well at the moment. “There’s a lot of competition for places in midfield. We all have to roll our sleeves up. but it’s the competiton that we all want and its massive for us. “We are working hard in training, we have got a lot of late goals and that is down to our training. it is working well. “It is a high tempo training and we are all working hard right to the end of the match. “The boys who have got the shirts are doing really well, all you can do is keep encouraging them and take your chance when it comes. “I am where I am at the moment. I’m on the bench and I’m kicking and heading every ball on the bench, that’s what this squad is about. “All that matters is we get three points for the club, I cant wait for the game.” ----------------------- |
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