The Mansfield Town season preview 2023/24 demands success, after falling agonisingly short in recent times.
Indeed, League Two’s bridesmaids have had four promotion challenges in the past six seasons thanks to the Radfords’ investment, without success.
Mansfield Town need defender Baily Cargill, who has arrived from Forest Green, fit if they’re to wear the white dress this time around.
Mansfield Town season preview 2023/24, the fan's view: Sam Binch (@MTFCMusings)
Last season was agonising. To miss out on the play-offs by one goal was bitterly disappointing.
The big talking point is that we’re signing defenders who can actually defend, like Bristol Rovers’ Alfie Kilgour in January. For too long we had to do with makeshift options and it showed in the goals against column.
This season will be different because we hopefully won’t suffer an injury crisis like last term. At Bradford in February we had three players taken off injured before half-time!
I won’t be happy unless we finish in the play-offs. No excuse this season.
Our key player will be centre-back Kilgour. An instant hit, he tackled anything that moved and headed everything in the air. What we needed.
Our most underrated player is George Maris, a dependable regular who makes the midfield tick.
Look out for James Gale, 21, who got his first-team chance due to injuries and scored three goals in four games at the end of last term.
Fans think our owner is God. John Radford has pumped so much money in and seen very little reward for it.
The opposition player who grinds my gears is Bradford’s Andy Cook: bang average for us but has banged them in everywhere else. Especially against us.
The opposition player I’d love here is David McGoldrick. He could make a mockery of League Two next season.
The active player I’d love to have back is Tyler Walker, most recently of Coventry. He was brilliant on loan in 2018/19 and would excel in this team.
The pantomime villain will be Ollie Palmer, returning with Wrexham. Had some choice words to say when he left that will mark him out for some stick.
The one change I’d make would be to knock down the Bishop Street Stand and replace it. It’s an eyesore.
I’m least looking forward to playing Sutton – we never beat them and they’re awful to watch.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that he’s popular, but the pressure is on Nigel Clough to deliver this season – which is why he’s not been given longer than a one-year deal.
We’ll finish 6th.
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