‘Horrible Histon’, juggling footballers and ’size is not important’!

WITH ‘Aggro Altrincham’ sent home with their tails between their legs last weekend, it’s now time to sort out ‘Horrible Histon’ this weekend!

And Stags are far better equipped to deal with the visitors’ long ball game this season with the new personnel assembled by boss David Holdsworth.

The 3-0 away defeat to Histon was one of the lowest points of a miserable season last time around.

But on current form it’s hard to see Stags not extending this current rich vein of six win in seven games.
Having seen the video on our web site, Stags fans will doubtless be hoping to see new winger Craig Dobson parading more of the skills that made him Nike Freestyle Champion on Saturday.

His party piece is one where he catches the ball on the back of his neck, then races forward, backheeling the ball back over his head (and the advancing defence) with a burst of speed as they, in theory, stand baffled.

In reality, if he tried that against the Histon defence this Saturday, he could find himself halted unceremoniously.

But it is great to see Mansfield sign a player who is this comfortable on the ball and, as he gets more used to his new surrounds and team mates, he will hopefully provide us with some wonderful entertainment his season.

That could spell bad news for Louis Briscoe whose fall down his own stairs at home two weeks back could prove very costly as far as getting back into the side goes.

Matt Somner could find himself similarly sidelined after serving a one match ban this Saturday when a needless foul against Altrincham tipped him over the five cautions mark.

Steven Istead, Ollie Hotchkiss and Craig Armstrong will hope to take advantage and not look back – testament to the current strength of this squad.

Another three points will lead us very nicely into next week’s FA Cup clash at Forest Green Rovers where the only highlight last season was the sausage and mash in their clubhouse (don’t miss it).

On a sombre note, former Stags assistant boss John Jarman’s funeral takes place tomorrow (Friday).

His time with Stags was before I became involved with the club but he was a regular visitor to the offices here to see me in his later years and a lovely guy.

Also, for all those on Stagsnet moaning that the new Field Mill electronic scoreboard is too small, size is not important – so women say.

It’s more about how quick the ‘goals for’ next to the name of Mansfield clicks round.

Let’s hope it turns quickly this Saturday.

Fans to flock back? Pie points deduction for Eastbourne?

HOPEFULLY Stags’ recent run of form will bring the more fickle fans of Mansfield Town flooding back to Field Mill this Saturday for the start of this season’s FA Cup adventure.

The hardcore fans, as always, have stuck with this exciting new-look squad this season which, with five wins in six games, have really started to make their mark on the Blue Square Premier Division.

However, the new owners’ hopes that the town would flock back to support them have not yet materialised.

We have had the credit crunch’s continuing bite on family spending and also a large number of fans who would rather ‘wait and see’ before leaping onto the bandwagon of success.

On August Bank Holiday Monday the best home turnout of 3,785 Stags fan turned out for the only home 0-0 of the season!

Despite the Mill wins over Oxford United and Hayes and Yeading, the home fans total dipped inexplicably below the magic 3,000 mark by the time Forest Green Rovers visited on 3rd October for the first time this season.

Two successive away wins to cement fourth place in the league since then – five wins in six – and the magic of the FA Cup will surely boost matters this Saturday.

It won’t do any harm that, after the bruising encounter at Altrincham two weeks ago in which Alty had two men sent of, this has the makings of a ‘grudge match’ too.

I would be surprised to see it finish 11 on 11. I would also be surprised to see anything other than a Stags win as one or two players can remember how they were treated at Altrincham.

David Holdsworth has continued to bring players in and tinker with his squad and the new owners have continued to fully back him. Now is the time for the rest of the town to do the same on Saturday.

By the way, if it did end in a replay and we had to to go back to Altrincham on Tuesday night, don’t miss the fish and chips on offer opposite the ground. It went straight into my top 10 footy chippies of all time three weeks ago!

Hope everyone who made a weekend of the Eastbourne trip enjoyed the sea air and three points.

It wasn’t quite as cold as last year but the sea breeze was enough to force me into a third clothing layer for the first time this season.

Although a good location and decent set-up for a little club, they have been blacklisted in my books for being one of those strange and most unwelcome football clubs that do not serve pies!

Now that should merit a points deduction!

Nightmare flashbacks of 11 second stunner

THINKING of driving up to Altrincham this Saturday starts bringing flashbacks of last year’s trip there when we were beaten by a goal inside the first 11 seconds!

It was dark, chilly and miserable. We were caught cold, we never really looked likely to come back against a side struggling in the table (unlike this year). And to cap it all, I drove off leaving my laptop extension cable there and had to turn round and go back for it.

We asked Billy McEwan what he thought about the early goal after the game and he admitted he was still in the tunnel and hadn’t even seen it!

I had barely looked up from my stopwatch or even had a sip from my Bovril. It was totally surreal.

Whatever happens this Saturday I am fairly certain it will be a better trip than last year’s and a better result than at Barrow last week.

It’s a lovely ideal to go away and take the game to teams, believing the best form of defence to be attack.

But it would seem David Holdsworth will tighten things up this Saturday, drop at least one of his wingers, and concentrate more on keeping the point we start the afternoon with while we suss out Alty’s possible weaknesses on the day and pack the midfield.

And, even though it may see us fall even further behing leaders Oxford United, make no mistake that a point would be a an excellent result away to a much-improved Altrincham who are seven games unbeatn and only two points behind us.

Oxford should beat Grays at home and at least maintain their 10 point lead no matter what.

But they will have a wobble somewhere down the line and someone – hopefully Stags – has to be there waiting to capitalise and put some pressure on them.

It is highly unlikely Stags will win the Conference and thereafter it’s the lottery of the play-offs.

But until it is mathematically certain they can’t catch whoever is in top spot, it is unprofessional not to be positive about chasing them.

For those who feel they may need to head to Altrincham anaesthetised and prepared for anything or for anyone who needs somewhere different to celebrate/commiserate make sure you head for the Robin Hood Beer Festival at Nottingham Castle on Friday or Saturday night.

A world record 640 beers will be on offer in the giant marquees with ciders, perry and country wines plus live music and a comedy tent.

My band played there last year so I was driving gear around and had just two halves all night which was torture.

This year I can sample a few more brews and relax and one, or even three, points at Altrincham could round off a great weekend.