Mansfield Town Football Club - The Stags

Mansfield Town History

2006-07 Season

17th in League Two
League Cup: 2nd round; Portsmouth h. 1-2
FA Cup: 2nd round replay; Doncaster Rovers a. 0-2
JP Trophy: 3rd round; Darlington a. 0-1

Highlight:
2-0 win over Swindon Town, 5/12/06

Low Spot:
1-2 home defeat to Macclesfield Town, 23/3/07

Good:
Alex John Baptiste
Highly rated centre half who continued to excel with his commanding performances for the Stags. How much longer the club can keep hold of him must be doubtful, however.
Matt Hamshaw
One of our favourite players at this level. Tricky, skillful and exciting he is someone who can get you out of your seat on a regular basis.

In Brief:
This was a bad season for a club that looks capable of challenging the play off places. Form was totally inconsistent throughout until near the end when it became consistently bad with 6 defeats in 7 games.
This run even left the club in mathematical danger of relegation although this was never realistically likely.
Very few people at the club can be happy with their efforts during the season, however, and until everyone is pulling in the same direction the Stags will continue to under achieve.
Do not rule out a dramatic improvement if the club gets its act together though.

Mansfield Town FC - Club History

Mansfield Town Football Club was formed in 1897 and was known as Mansfield Wesleyans. The club became known as Mansfield Town in 1910.

The club was elected into Division Three South in 1931 and would alternate between the north and south sections because of their central location. The closest the Stags came to gaining promotion from either division was in 1951 when they were runners up in the north behind Rotherham United, although they were well adrift if truth be told.

That season also saw Mansfield's first cup run of note as they progressed to the 5th round of the FA Cup. The Stags enjoyed a fine win over Sheffield United before losing 2-0 at Blackpool.

Mansfield landed in Division Three when the north and south sections amalgamated in 1958 but were relegated to Division Four at the end of the 1960 season. They returned to Division Three in 1963 and then spent nine seasons at that level.

The club enjoyed good FA Cup runs in both 1969 and 1970. In 69 Sheffield United were again among their victims and there was also a magnificent 3-0 win over West Ham before a narrow 1-0 defeat at Field Mill to Leicester City in the quarter finals. The following year Mansfield enjoyed a good win at Blackpool before going out with credit, 2-0 at Leeds, in the 5th round.

Mansfield were relegated back to Division Four in 1972 but returned to Division Three after winning the fourth division championship in 1975.

It looked as though the Stags were heading for instant relegation the following season before a tremendous late rally saw them finish safely in mid table and in 1976-77 the club stormed to the third division title.

Unfortunately the club would manage just the one season in the second division and have been confined to the bottom two divisions ever since, alternating between the two of them with a fair degree of frequency.

In 1987 Mansfield won the Freight Rover Trophy. The Stags claimed a notable victory away from home at Middlesbrough before taking the trophy on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Bristol City at Wembley.

Mansfield's best effort in the League Cup came in 1976 when they reached the quarter final stage. The Stags knocked out Wrexham, Coventry City and Wolverhampton Wanderers before losing to the eventual winners Manchester City, 4-2 at Maine Road.

The clubs record appearance holder is Rod Arnold who was the goalkeeper in the side which climbed into Division Two in 1977. Arnold, who ended with 440 appearances for the Stags, had another Town legend, Sandy Pate, in front of him. Pate clocked up 413 appearances at full back.

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