The Mansfield, Notts County, Lincoln and East Midlands mega thread

[spireite]

I think the realistic Chesterfield fans know trouble is round the corner, things aren't well and we all know that.

I think you're going to have to expand on that; what do you mean?

 

[OneDecentLester]

I think the realistic Chesterfield fans know trouble is round the corner, things aren't well and we all know that.

Unlike some that took great glory in what happened to us under Haslam - for those of you reading this saying we moan about it - you probably won't get it half as bad as what we got it - I won't take glory in any potential demise. I know what the consequences can be.

I'm not really bothered what Chesterfield do, I just know that at long last we've a chairman looking after us and we're on the up.

Trouble is not round the corner at all... We've been through the worst times... the majority of the scandals have been unveiled... I'm optimistic that it's onwards and upwards from here

 

[AdamStag]

Trouble is not round the corner at all... We've been through the worst times... the majority of the scandals have been unveiled... I'm optimistic that it's onwards and upwards from here

That's the thing with scandals, you think you know it all, then you find more

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

Well I don't remember any such comments when your small band of fans were larging it up over Saltergate. But hey - gotta agree how bog-standard Field Mill really is.

Yet why are you airbrushing from history your play off appearance in 94/5? Your promotion of '01/2 (wasn't it)? Your Wembley final in '11? Making the Conference play offs in '12 and of course your so-called superfan chairman (who's spent years sponsoring and supporting Donny) blowing millions to deliver the Conference title a season later?

Meanwhile we only have to look at the likes of Luton, Oxford, Grimsby and Lincoln to see outfits who've visited non league yet either retained or rebuilt their fanbase.

Oh, and just for the record MTFC experienced their highest averages since the seventies under Keith 'drove folk away' Haslam. Higher than any subsequently seen under Mr Mid-life Crisis, too.

I wonder what fans of other clubs of Mansfield's size - York, Hereford, Halifax, Darlington and Chester - will think of your self-appointed martyrdom.

PS: 'long overdue' thread? I'd have been happy to've never met again...

Congratulations on the fanciful version of history, made to suit your crap argument.

That team that was promoted in 2002 was created accidentally. Haslam had pulled the rug from under subsequent managers, to the point where Billy Dearden had 8 players a week before the 1999-2000 season. The guy had to rely on the youth policy which eventually produced much of that promotion winning team in 01-02. The most exciting team we've had in thirty years was an accident because the asset stripper had taken the bones off the wage budget and wasn't paying the players (the PFA were). That exciting team and Dearden's management created the buzz and the increased crowds. And what did the Calver cowboy do? Didn't offer the manager a new contract, never invested in promotion, which helped relegate us in one season and frittered away once in a generation potential.

As for Field Mill, you're having a giggle. Allegedly cost £5m, which went this direction and that (a bit like Darren Brown's brown envelopes). A few people made a few bob, the tiles started falling from the dressing rooms within a year and Radford has spent hundreds of thousands on patching up a sack of shite that still belongs to, oh yeah, the asset stripper.

Life's been a barrel of laughs. And its even more amusing when a spoilt Spireite tries to lay down the facts. Only a spell in the non-league dungeon (as witnessed by bigger clubs than ours) makes you really understand how good regular mid-table life under decent ownership really is.

Keep your fingers crossed that you avoid the pleasure. Though it'll be great to hear your stories of that joy-fest.

 

[Fandemonium]

I wish folk would be honest on here.

I don't buy Adam's 'I don't care about Chesterfield' posturing. At least his fellow yellow 'Spanish' has the decency to admit his hatred for all things Spireite, instead of some false and feigned indifference that fools no one.

By the same token I'm not gonna endorse 'One Decent Lester's'...well, let's be generous and just call it 'loyalty',

Scandal isn't 'just around the corner' - it's been staring us in the face for the last three or more seasons. And for all the attempts of Allen's representative to somehow sanitise the Club the mask continues to slip and reveal the ugly truth.

Do folk know about the Chesterfield supporting businessman, one of a number of professional fans investigating and exposing corruption at the Club, who was visited by a hired goon telling him to back off amidst threats to his family? Do they know of the litigation pursued? Of hugely questionable individuals handed official positions? Of long-serving and honest directors being forced out?

The likes of Coventry, Orient and Blackpool may get more coverage but we know their pain.

So where does that leave us? Well, at the whim of the bloke overseeing all this is the simple answer.

Dave Allen owns a business that's insolvent, owes him around six million, faces another seven figure loss this financial year, for which he paid four million up front yet is now being shunned by increasing numbers of locals. However administration is out of the question as he'd lose most of those millions - not to mention control of the books - with the stroke of a pen. Though despite all that he not only refuses to sell at a reasonable price, but continues handing huge salaries to supposedly totemic players.

Chris O'Grady arriving for an alleged four-plus grand per week.

Mansfield predictions of our demise could, quite easily, prove valid, Daft thing is, mind, that it could just as easily be us laughing at our twenty, what - sixth? year finishing above Radford's folly.

 

[Fandemonium]

Congratulations on the fanciful version of history, made to suit your crap argument.

That team that was promoted in 2002 was created accidentally. Haslam had pulled the rug from under subsequent managers, to the point where Billy Dearden had 8 players a week before the 1999-2000 season. The guy had to rely on the youth policy which eventually produced much of that promotion winning team in 01-02. The most exciting team we've had in thirty years was an accident because the asset stripper had taken the bones off the wage budget and wasn't paying the players (the PFA were). That exciting team and Dearden's management created the buzz and the increased crowds. And what did the Calver cowboy do? Didn't offer the manager a new contract, never invested in promotion, which helped relegate us in one season and frittered away once in a generation potential.

As for Field Mill, you're having a giggle. Allegedly cost £5m, which went this direction and that (a bit like Darren Brown's brown envelopes). A few people made a few bob, the tiles started falling from the dressing rooms within a year and Radford has spent hundreds of thousands on patching up a sack of shite that still belongs to, oh yeah, the asset stripper.

Life's been a barrel of laughs. And its even more amusing when a spoilt Spireite tries to lay down the facts. Only a spell in the non-league dungeon (as witnessed by bigger clubs than ours) makes you really understand how good regular mid-table life under decent ownership really is.

Keep your fingers crossed that you avoid the pleasure. Though it'll be great to hear your stories of that joy-fest.

Yes, and as one football fan to another I can get all that.

But the oft-heard bleat of those seeking to excuse what even your fans admit are laughable attendances is that Haslam created a so-called 'lost generation'.

All I've done is point out how that's simply not true - unless you're trying to deny basic facts - whilst comparing your self-appointed martyrdom with the experiences of similar sized clubs.

You wanna blame one bloke for MTFC's inability to attract the local populace? Then make it Brian Clough, because as someone who spends much of his time in the Mansfield area I know how outnumbered Stags fans are by Forest fans.

Indeed didn't the town's radio station switch coverage from yellow to red because there's a wider audience?

 

[T.A]

That's the thing with scandals, you think you know it all, then you find more

 

[AdamStag]

I wish folk would be honest on here.

I don't buy Adam's 'I don't care about Chesterfield' posturing. At least his fellow yellow 'Spanish' has the decency to admit his hatred for all things Spireite, instead of some false and feigned indifference that fools no one.

By the same token I'm not gonna endorse 'One Decent Lester's'...well, let's be generous and just call it 'loyalty',

Scandal isn't 'just around the corner' - it's been staring us in the face for the last three or more seasons. And for all the attempts of Allen's representative to somehow sanitise the Club the mask continues to slip and reveal the ugly truth.

Do folk know about the Chesterfield supporting businessman, one of a number of professional fans investigating and exposing corruption at the Club, who was visited by a hired goon telling him to back off amidst threats to his family? Do they know of the litigation pursued? Of hugely questionable individuals handed official positions? Of long-serving and honest directors being forced out?

The likes of Coventry, Orient and Blackpool may get more coverage but we know their pain.

So where does that leave us? Well, at the whim of the bloke overseeing all this is the simple answer.

Dave Allen owns a business that's insolvent, owes him around six million, faces another seven figure loss this financial year, for which he paid four million up front yet is now being shunned by increasing numbers of locals. However administration is out of the question as he'd lose most of those millions - not to mention control of the books - with the stroke of a pen. Though despite all that he not only refuses to sell at a reasonable price, but continues handing huge salaries to supposedly totemic players.

Chris O'Grady arriving for an alleged four-plus grand per week.

Mansfield predictions of our demise could, quite easily, prove valid, Daft thing is, mind, that it could just as easily be us laughing at our twenty, what - sixth? year finishing above Radford's folly.

Calling you out on the basis that I thought there's more financial issues at Chesterfield than being let on doesn't mean I hate you, I'm more likely to hate Manchester metrolink getting me into work than anything from Chesterfield.

Chesterfield fans, whether you were one or not took great delight in our demise under Haslam and then are too simple to realise what the ramifications were (unless it was an awful windup) don't totally understand the argument - why would any stags fan really take great pleasure in your demise? I'm just happy being better than you off and on the pitch for the first time in memory

 

[OneDecentLester]

Calling you out on the basis that I thought there's more financial issues at Chesterfield than being let on doesn't mean I hate you, I'm more likely to hate Manchester metrolink getting me into work than anything from Chesterfield.

Chesterfield fans, whether you were one or not took great delight in our demise under Haslam and then are too simple to realise what the ramifications were (unless it was an awful windup) don't totally understand the argument - why would any stags fan really take great pleasure in your demise? I'm just happy being better than you off and on the pitch for the first time in memory

Seeing as a ball hasn't been kicked this season yet... What exactly makes you better than us on the field??? If your basing it on the fact you've signed a couple of players, then so have we, arguably better ones

 

[Flaxman's Alibi]

Yes, and as one football fan to another I can get all that.

But the oft-heard bleat of those seeking to excuse what even your fans admit are laughable attendances is that Haslam created a so-called 'lost generation'.

All I've done is point out how that's simply not true - unless you're trying to deny basic facts - whilst comparing your self-appointed martyrdom with the experiences of similar sized clubs.

You wanna blame one bloke for MTFC's inability to attract the local populace? Then make it Brian Clough, because as someone who spends much of his time in the Mansfield area I know how outnumbered Stags fans are by Forest fans.

Indeed didn't the town's radio station switch coverage from yellow to red because there's a wider audience?

We certainly are outnumbered by Forest fans, Mansfield and Ashfield is almost as full of them as it is Premiership reds, there's no denying that and Field Mill will be thronged with them next Saturday. Nobody argues that and the long since waning radio stations sport is widely dismissed thanks to their policy.

I don't buy your martyrdom claim though. We can only speak of our own experiences and it's a fact that when your club goes through financial or relegation woes, no other clubs fans give a genuine crap. They might have done back in the days of Brighton and all that, however, clubs in crisis have been so numerous that it's now just part of the game - move on to the next sad case and all that.

There was certainly a lost generation. You have to witness that to understand it. I myself boycotted home game in the last three years of Haslams tenure. It's mainly the younger support and hasn't been fixed by Radford, who still insists on ridiculous prices for youth to attend. For all of his goodhe's short sighted by a long shot on that subject.

 

[CFC91]

Don't want to stoke the fire here but I honestly wouldn't trust AC as far as I could throw him. Anyone who thinks e wasn't behind those tweets is incredibly naive. He's blocked half our fan base on twitter, myself included, so I 100000% believe it was him behind the tweets. One set abuse of abuse you could potentially blag was being "hacked" not two seperate occasions a month apart. The guys a clown who is as straight as a nine bob note

 

[PositiveOmen]

Not read a single post on this, but don't have to. Look, I hate mansfield with an unhealthy passion.. But can we not dedicate a thread to it?

I was actually enjoying us both sending tiny little digs until we played each other.

Now whenever I come on here I read the title and cringe.

The last few times I've been here as a league two fan, bar a couple of exceptions, we've been generally liked. Let's not be 'those' fans that people see as knobs.

 

[AdamStag]

Not read a single post on this, but don't have to. Look, I hate mansfield with an unhealthy passion.. But can we not dedicate a thread to it?

I was actually enjoying us both sending tiny little digs until we played each other.

Now whenever I come on here I read the title and cringe.

The last few times I've been here as a league two fan, bar a couple of exceptions, we've been generally liked. Let's not be 'those' fans that people see as knobs.

More often than not it has been, the fans seem pretty alright for Chesterfield folk, fandamonium doesn't seem to have our recent history very accurately etched, however, but we all have differing perspectives, sometimes - like this in this case - it's a very good thing. Not really sure there is a need for a thread, and ultimately, at some stage it'll get locked by admin

 

[Stringy]

I don't think this thread should be closed. What's happening each side of the Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border is important to Mansfield and Chesterfield fans, even more so when the teams are playing in the same league. I always look out for the Chesterfield results and there are plenty of sensible fans of both clubs willing to discuss the other side in a co-operative way.

If someone is being a bit of an arse, don't censor them or argue back just contribute considerately to the discussion.

 

[AdamStag]

We certainly are outnumbered by Forest fans, Mansfield and Ashfield is almost as full of them as it is Premiership reds, there's no denying that and Field Mill will be thronged with them next Saturday. Nobody argues that and the long since waning radio stations sport is widely dismissed thanks to their policy.

I don't buy your martyrdom claim though. We can only speak of our own experiences and it's a fact that when your club goes through financial or relegation woes, no other clubs fans give a genuine crap. They might have done back in the days of Brighton and all that, however, clubs in crisis have been so numerous that it's now just part of the game - move on to the next sad case and all that.

There was certainly a lost generation. You have to witness that to understand it. I myself boycotted home game in the last three years of Haslams tenure. It's mainly the younger support and hasn't been fixed by Radford, who still insists on ridiculous prices for youth to attend. For all of his goodhe's short sighted by a long shot on that subject.

There most certainly was a generation missed out, and it will take time to rectify as you mention. The years under Haslam were terrible, and as we all know, the last 3/4 years were the some of the worst a football club had been treated at the time. He left the club on life-support - and at one stage we were weeks from going to the wall in our first season down in the conference, that we're back to where we are is down to Radford and the perseverance of our small, but excellent set of fans.

JR, as you mention still seems to either ignore or not understand the importance of youth - the family section and family tickets are good value and sense, but again it's poorly advertised/marketed. In general he's innovative and smart with his offers like the BOGOF last season - just more effort made with the youngsters.

 

[Spanishstag]

Ive already admitted i hate all things spierite but i also think there is a notts ,derbys thing

 

[Son of Cod]

This thread was much better when we were talking about Grimsby and Lincoln.

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Don't want to stoke the fire here but I honestly wouldn't trust AC as far as I could throw him. Anyone who thinks e wasn't behind those tweets is incredibly naive. He's blocked half our fan base on twitter, myself included, so I 100000% believe it was him behind the tweets. One set abuse of abuse you could potentially blag was being "hacked" not two seperate occasions a month apart. The guys a clown who is as straight as a nine bob note

He's a c*** mate.

 

[Westbars_Spireite]

It's about personal opinions and i believe he does... Simple as that

Opinions can be wrong.

 

[Never Mind The Paul Cox]

Seeing as a ball hasn't been kicked this season yet... What exactly makes you better than us on the field??? If your basing it on the fact you've signed a couple of players, then so have we, arguably better ones

I can't get my head around why you Spireites seem to think your squad is a massive improvement myself, whereas us Stags fans see our squad (on paper without a ball being kicked as you put it) as being our strongest in the league since 01/02....which was purely accidental due to Dearden having no choice but to play a load of extremely talented kids.

The way I look at your new squad is as follows....

You were relegated rock bottom of League One, somehow usurping Coventry in the absolute gashness stakes, when for the most part of the season just gone, they looked totally uncatchable in the race for the League One wooden spoon.
In the season just gone, you played League Two opposition on three occasions.....conceding only just a mere, tiny amount of THIRTEEN goals in those games.
All three of those teams who handed your arses to you, didn't even manage to get promoted last season, so statistically they aren't even the best teams in the division.

"Well that was last season!" I hear you cry, "We've signed plenty of players and improved the squad!"....

Really?!?

First and foremost, finishing rock bottom and being destroyed on three seperate occasions by League 2 opposition would directly lead to the conclusion that your defence is dog shit. Caldwell has retained both Hird and Evatt (turning speed of the Titanic) and young Maguire as your centre halves....only adding Whiteman to that trio, who on the face of it (again on paper) is one of your best signings.
Many Spireites I know however, consider that defence wasn't a problem, it was the lack of protection in front of them.
Given that many Spireites said that Nolan and O'Shea were your best midfielders last season, how is it an improvement that they've both left, and been replaced by a lad from Conference North Halifax, and McCourt from Northampton, who Cobblers fans were more than happy to see go because he was a "liability" and "nowhere near good enough"

"Oh but we've signed Louis Reed, a quality young lad from Sheff Utd to go into midfield" I hear you say again.....

This would be the same Louis Reed who couldn't get into the Blades starting XI ahead of Jay O'Shea, you know, the midfielder of yours who was apparently one of your best players but was allowed to go out on loan when you were in a relegation battle....who Sheff Utd then decided against when it came to signing him permanently.

You've also lost Ched Evans and Ebanks-Blake and signed two lads from Non-League teams, and blew most of your budget on the wages for a striker who has a scoring record worse than most centre halves in this division.

The only big area you've improved in is the goalkeeping department in my eyes, because your previous fill-in options for Tommy Lee (sicknote) have been awful.

Binnom-Williams would have been an improvement at left back, but he's crocked already and out for several months...so no improvement there until he's fit....and even he comes with mixed reviews about his ability to defend.

One glimmer of hope for you appears to be the young lads Rowley and Wakefield who are earning rave reviews.
However we had young Jack Thomas do very similar when he came in and put in some excellent performances. Now he's off the boil and not going to get a sniff under Evans with the amount of talent signed. If Rowley and Wakefield really are as good as some are proclaiming (some fool on Bob's Board thinks they're both potential £1m+ players ) then they'll be off ASAP so Dave can put the money into his racing pigeon fund....but they'll go for a fraction of their true worth and you know that for a fact!

Then finally, we have clueless Caldwell, the most boring manager in the entire world....
A man who had the same transfer window as what Steve Evans had in order to change a team's fortunes....a man who came in and said he'd make the signings to keep you up....and failed miserably.
He's made all of your signings seemingly with one thing in mind....his favoured 5-3-2 formation.
There is little, if indeed any at all, wiggle-room to deviate from that preference is there?
On looking at your squad, there's one natural winger.....ONE!!! (correct me if I'm wrong but that's Mitchell?)
Reece Mitchell, one of his failed January signings, whom according to many Spireites is surplus to requirements now along with McGinn.

So, 5-3-2 it is then? But it won't matter, you're only playing in tin pot League 2 now. Teams down here don't have performance analysts and don't watch countless videos of upcoming opposition to set up game plans do they?

This will all come across as biased to you obviously as it's coming from a Stag, but I'd love to see a Spireite go through our signings and pick them apart and say they aren't a massive improvement like I just have.

 

[CFC91]

You've clearly done a lot more research or what not than we have. I can't comment other than on Mirfin (good signing) and Slew (would be toilet).

We are definitely in a better position than we finished last season though, 100%. We've got the deadwood off the wage bill, cleared out the ones who looked as if they couldn't give a shit and looked to push our own youngsters into the forefront. As i've said before, I can deal with us being crap, I can't deal with us being embarassing and a shambles in terms of just not caring and literally embracing relegation as we did with open arms.

I'm not getting carried away as some are but I did think we may initially struggle when we first came down but the signings have been solid if not spectacular and we will compete next season. O'Grady is bearing the brunt of the flack on here but he will do well at this level, no doubts. We are a bit light in midfield definitely + we now need a left back but other than that i'm happy so far. McGinn will probably be offloaded if reports are to be believed, as may Kristian Dennis who will be a big blow. Rowley is out for 8 weeks now as well btw so he won't be getting sold yet.

 

[GTFCfish]

I can't get my head around why you Spireites seem to think your squad is a massive improvement myself, whereas us Stags fans see our squad (on paper without a ball being kicked as you put it) as being our strongest in the league since 01/02....which was purely accidental due to Dearden having no choice but to play a load of extremely talented kids.

The way I look at your new squad is as follows....

You were relegated rock bottom of League One, somehow usurping Coventry in the absolute gashness stakes, when for the most part of the season just gone, they looked totally uncatchable in the race for the League One wooden spoon.
In the season just gone, you played League Two opposition on three occasions.....conceding only just a mere, tiny amount of THIRTEEN goals in those games.
All three of those teams who handed your arses to you, didn't even manage to get promoted last season, so statistically they aren't even the best teams in the division.

"Well that was last season!" I hear you cry, "We've signed plenty of players and improved the squad!"....

Really?!?

First and foremost, finishing rock bottom and being destroyed on three seperate occasions by League 2 opposition would directly lead to the conclusion that your defence is dog shit. Caldwell has retained both Hird and Evatt (turning speed of the Titanic) and young Maguire as your centre halves....only adding Whiteman to that trio, who on the face of it (again on paper) is one of your best signings.
Many Spireites I know however, consider that defence wasn't a problem, it was the lack of protection in front of them.
Given that many Spireites said that Nolan and O'Shea were your best midfielders last season, how is it an improvement that they've both left, and been replaced by a lad from Conference North Halifax, and McCourt from Northampton, who Cobblers fans were more than happy to see go because he was a "liability" and "nowhere near good enough"

"Oh but we've signed Louis Reed, a quality young lad from Sheff Utd to go into midfield" I hear you say again.....

This would be the same Louis Reed who couldn't get into the Blades starting XI ahead of Jay O'Shea, you know, the midfielder of yours who was apparently one of your best players but was allowed to go out on loan when you were in a relegation battle....who Sheff Utd then decided against when it came to signing him permanently.

You've also lost Ched Evans and Ebanks-Blake and signed two lads from Non-League teams, and blew most of your budget on the wages for a striker who has a scoring record worse than most centre halves in this division.

The only big area you've improved in is the goalkeeping department in my eyes, because your previous fill-in options for Tommy Lee (sicknote) have been awful.

Binnom-Williams would have been an improvement at left back, but he's crocked already and out for several months...so no improvement there until he's fit....and even he comes with mixed reviews about his ability to defend.

One glimmer of hope for you appears to be the young lads Rowley and Wakefield who are earning rave reviews.
However we had young Jack Thomas do very similar when he came in and put in some excellent performances. Now he's off the boil and not going to get a sniff under Evans with the amount of talent signed. If Rowley and Wakefield really are as good as some are proclaiming (some fool on Bob's Board thinks they're both potential £1m+ players ) then they'll be off ASAP so Dave can put the money into his racing pigeon fund....but they'll go for a fraction of their true worth and you know that for a fact!

Then finally, we have clueless Caldwell, the most boring manager in the entire world....
A man who had the same transfer window as what Steve Evans had in order to change a team's fortunes....a man who came in and said he'd make the signings to keep you up....and failed miserably.
He's made all of your signings seemingly with one thing in mind....his favoured 5-3-2 formation.
There is little, if indeed any at all, wiggle-room to deviate from that preference is there?
On looking at your squad, there's one natural winger.....ONE!!! (correct me if I'm wrong but that's Mitchell?)
Reece Mitchell, one of his failed January signings, whom according to many Spireites is surplus to requirements now along with McGinn.

So, 5-3-2 it is then? But it won't matter, you're only playing in tin pot League 2 now. Teams down here don't have performance analysts and don't watch countless videos of upcoming opposition to set up game plans do they?

This will all come across as biased to you obviously as it's coming from a Stag, but I'd love to see a Spireite go through our signings and pick them apart and say they aren't a massive improvement like I just have.

Stop sitting on the fence.....

 

[OneDecentLester]

I can't get my head around why you Spireites seem to think your squad is a massive improvement myself, whereas us Stags fans see our squad (on paper without a ball being kicked as you put it) as being our strongest in the league since 01/02....which was purely accidental due to Dearden having no choice but to play a load of extremely talented kids.

The way I look at your new squad is as follows....

You were relegated rock bottom of League One, somehow usurping Coventry in the absolute gashness stakes, when for the most part of the season just gone, they looked totally uncatchable in the race for the League One wooden spoon.
In the season just gone, you played League Two opposition on three occasions.....conceding only just a mere, tiny amount of THIRTEEN goals in those games.
All three of those teams who handed your arses to you, didn't even manage to get promoted last season, so statistically they aren't even the best teams in the division.

"Well that was last season!" I hear you cry, "We've signed plenty of players and improved the squad!"....

Really?!?

First and foremost, finishing rock bottom and being destroyed on three seperate occasions by League 2 opposition would directly lead to the conclusion that your defence is dog shit. Caldwell has retained both Hird and Evatt (turning speed of the Titanic) and young Maguire as your centre halves....only adding Whiteman to that trio, who on the face of it (again on paper) is one of your best signings.
Many Spireites I know however, consider that defence wasn't a problem, it was the lack of protection in front of them.
Given that many Spireites said that Nolan and O'Shea were your best midfielders last season, how is it an improvement that they've both left, and been replaced by a lad from Conference North Halifax, and McCourt from Northampton, who Cobblers fans were more than happy to see go because he was a "liability" and "nowhere near good enough"

"Oh but we've signed Louis Reed, a quality young lad from Sheff Utd to go into midfield" I hear you say again.....

This would be the same Louis Reed who couldn't get into the Blades starting XI ahead of Jay O'Shea, you know, the midfielder of yours who was apparently one of your best players but was allowed to go out on loan when you were in a relegation battle....who Sheff Utd then decided against when it came to signing him permanently.

You've also lost Ched Evans and Ebanks-Blake and signed two lads from Non-League teams, and blew most of your budget on the wages for a striker who has a scoring record worse than most centre halves in this division.

The only big area you've improved in is the goalkeeping department in my eyes, because your previous fill-in options for Tommy Lee (sicknote) have been awful.

Binnom-Williams would have been an improvement at left back, but he's crocked already and out for several months...so no improvement there until he's fit....and even he comes with mixed reviews about his ability to defend.

One glimmer of hope for you appears to be the young lads Rowley and Wakefield who are earning rave reviews.
However we had young Jack Thomas do very similar when he came in and put in some excellent performances. Now he's off the boil and not going to get a sniff under Evans with the amount of talent signed. If Rowley and Wakefield really are as good as some are proclaiming (some fool on Bob's Board thinks they're both potential £1m+ players ) then they'll be off ASAP so Dave can put the money into his racing pigeon fund....but they'll go for a fraction of their true worth and you know that for a fact!

Then finally, we have clueless Caldwell, the most boring manager in the entire world....
A man who had the same transfer window as what Steve Evans had in order to change a team's fortunes....a man who came in and said he'd make the signings to keep you up....and failed miserably.
He's made all of your signings seemingly with one thing in mind....his favoured 5-3-2 formation.
There is little, if indeed any at all, wiggle-room to deviate from that preference is there?
On looking at your squad, there's one natural winger.....ONE!!! (correct me if I'm wrong but that's Mitchell?)
Reece Mitchell, one of his failed January signings, whom according to many Spireites is surplus to requirements now along with McGinn.

So, 5-3-2 it is then? But it won't matter, you're only playing in tin pot League 2 now. Teams down here don't have performance analysts and don't watch countless videos of upcoming opposition to set up game plans do they?

This will all come across as biased to you obviously as it's coming from a Stag, but I'd love to see a Spireite go through our signings and pick them apart and say they aren't a massive improvement like I just have.

I wasn't actually going to give you the satisfaction of a reply... But I have never read so much s**** in my life!!!!

How on earth can you suggest we haven't improved from last years shambles? It's alright saying 'yeah but you had players like O'Shea, Evans, and Aryibi last season'... These players didn't want to be here last season, O'shea dipped massively because he was unhappy so we let him go, Aryibi started the season electric and when we rejected a £750k bid for him from Brentford in August he got the face on and was gash for the next few months before we finally offloaded him to forest! Evans was a crock and sat on the sidelines more than he actually played... You've also failed to mention our other absolute gash players while listing off who we had last season... You know, like Gary Liddle, Liam O'Neil, Ebanks Blake, Liam Grimwshaw, Ryan Fulton, Tom Anderson (Worst CB I've ever seen at league 1 level).

Caldwell has recruited brilliantly this summer I think. He's looking to build a young, energetic fearless side that can handle the ball in tight spaces on the pitch and play good football, whilst also mixing it with experience in the right areas of the pitch. We have an extremely experienced trio of centre backs in Hird, Evatt and Wiseman, believe me, that will take some getting passed, it has everything you need in lower league football! Then we have Chris o'Grady up top, who will cause havoc in league 2 it's simple as that! Richard Stearman, Jack O'Connell and Chris Basham couldn't handle him last night ffs, and they are way above league 2 level players! Add O'Gradys strength and ability to bring others into play with our flying Wingbacks Barry and Binnom-Williams, with the pace of Ugwu, finishing ability of Dennis alongside him, then goalscoring won't be a problem!

The funniest part of that post is your remarks about Hird and Evatt... You do realise that they have both won our player of the year in the past 2 seasons right? And that last year they rarely played with each other due to injury? Now they are both fully fit and look to be back to their best in pre season (Evo has shed the weight and looks the fittest he's been since he rejoined the club). Add their ability to the experience and pace of Scott Wiseman and like I've said before, we have the best defence on paper in the league.

Don't come on here brandishing your 'in depth' opinion on our team when your CLEARLY uneducated on the matter...

Take it from someone who's actually watched us play every game last season and every game this pre season, that we have improved significantly, and I can also see improvements in young players we had last season already, showing Whatever Caldwell is doing on the training pitch, he's doing it right...

Coming onto your final request, asking a spireite to go through your side and try and say you haven't improved... Well why would any of us do that? It's obvious you have improved, wasn't difficult considering some of the teams you've had over the last few seasons was it!! But one thing I will say is that the players aren't half as good as you think they are!! Some of your fans going off like its best set of players league 2's ever seen!!!! I'll direct you to our side in 2013/14 for that accolade, now that was a proper team!!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again though, I personally hope we're both up at the top end of the table fighting it out for promotion, when was the last time we both went head to head vying for promotion??? Been a long time!

 

[PositiveOmen]

I think mansfield have made better signings. However, I feel like that break down is extremely bias and harsh, and is to be taken with the tiniest bit of salt.

Our problems weren't just on the pitch, and you stags should know how that can happen more than most. When we played say Wycombe, we were in free fall, people protesting the board, etc. The dog and duck wouldve beat us. But hopefully that mindset has been slightly bettered.

And I know you haven't got much to base it on, as you've not been there for years, but there is a strange gulf between l1 and l2. Suddenly players you think are meh at l1 are solid at l2. But added you that, you always have those 'markee' signings from l1 who drop down, some work, and some prove why they've dropped down, you never know. We've been stung with them before. O'Grady and Wiseman could be some, who knows. But you'd better hope you haven't picked the latter, as most of your signings are people who have been willing to drop down for an extra few quid. For your sake, you'd better hope they have the right mentality, and you don't get stuck with a dozen people who's hearts aren't in it - because fatty loves to scrap new signings and it'll get expensive.

 

[Son of Cod]

So we have Luton, Mansfield, Lincoln, Crewe and now Chesterfield who are all gonna piss their way to the title? Should be interesting this.

 

[YouBlues]

I can't get my head around why you Spireites seem to think your squad is a massive improvement myself, whereas us Stags fans see our squad (on paper without a ball being kicked as you put it) as being our strongest in the league since 01/02....which was purely accidental due to Dearden having no choice but to play a load of extremely talented kids.

The way I look at your new squad is as follows....

You were relegated rock bottom of League One, somehow usurping Coventry in the absolute gashness stakes, when for the most part of the season just gone, they looked totally uncatchable in the race for the League One wooden spoon.
In the season just gone, you played League Two opposition on three occasions.....conceding only just a mere, tiny amount of THIRTEEN goals in those games.
All three of those teams who handed your arses to you, didn't even manage to get promoted last season, so statistically they aren't even the best teams in the division.

"Well that was last season!" I hear you cry, "We've signed plenty of players and improved the squad!"....

Really?!?

First and foremost, finishing rock bottom and being destroyed on three seperate occasions by League 2 opposition would directly lead to the conclusion that your defence is dog shit. Caldwell has retained both Hird and Evatt (turning speed of the Titanic) and young Maguire as your centre halves....only adding Whiteman to that trio, who on the face of it (again on paper) is one of your best signings.
Many Spireites I know however, consider that defence wasn't a problem, it was the lack of protection in front of them.
Given that many Spireites said that Nolan and O'Shea were your best midfielders last season, how is it an improvement that they've both left, and been replaced by a lad from Conference North Halifax, and McCourt from Northampton, who Cobblers fans were more than happy to see go because he was a "liability" and "nowhere near good enough"

"Oh but we've signed Louis Reed, a quality young lad from Sheff Utd to go into midfield" I hear you say again.....

This would be the same Louis Reed who couldn't get into the Blades starting XI ahead of Jay O'Shea, you know, the midfielder of yours who was apparently one of your best players but was allowed to go out on loan when you were in a relegation battle....who Sheff Utd then decided against when it came to signing him permanently.

You've also lost Ched Evans and Ebanks-Blake and signed two lads from Non-League teams, and blew most of your budget on the wages for a striker who has a scoring record worse than most centre halves in this division.

The only big area you've improved in is the goalkeeping department in my eyes, because your previous fill-in options for Tommy Lee (sicknote) have been awful.

Binnom-Williams would have been an improvement at left back, but he's crocked already and out for several months...so no improvement there until he's fit....and even he comes with mixed reviews about his ability to defend.

One glimmer of hope for you appears to be the young lads Rowley and Wakefield who are earning rave reviews.
However we had young Jack Thomas do very similar when he came in and put in some excellent performances. Now he's off the boil and not going to get a sniff under Evans with the amount of talent signed. If Rowley and Wakefield really are as good as some are proclaiming (some fool on Bob's Board thinks they're both potential £1m+ players ) then they'll be off ASAP so Dave can put the money into his racing pigeon fund....but they'll go for a fraction of their true worth and you know that for a fact!

Then finally, we have clueless Caldwell, the most boring manager in the entire world....
A man who had the same transfer window as what Steve Evans had in order to change a team's fortunes....a man who came in and said he'd make the signings to keep you up....and failed miserably.
He's made all of your signings seemingly with one thing in mind....his favoured 5-3-2 formation.
There is little, if indeed any at all, wiggle-room to deviate from that preference is there?
On looking at your squad, there's one natural winger.....ONE!!! (correct me if I'm wrong but that's Mitchell?)
Reece Mitchell, one of his failed January signings, whom according to many Spireites is surplus to requirements now along with McGinn.

So, 5-3-2 it is then? But it won't matter, you're only playing in tin pot League 2 now. Teams down here don't have performance analysts and don't watch countless videos of upcoming opposition to set up game plans do they?

This will all come across as biased to you obviously as it's coming from a Stag, but I'd love to see a Spireite go through our signings and pick them apart and say they aren't a massive improvement like I just have.

The bitterness is strong with this one.

 

[GTFCfish]

So we have Luton, Mansfield, Lincoln, Crewe and now Chesterfield who are all gonna piss their way to the title? Should be interesting this.

We've won 6 pre season games in a row SOC so you can chuck us in there as well lol.

 

[GTFCfish]

And the most ironic post of the week award goes tooooooooo...............:

But one thing I will say is that the players aren't half as good as you think they are!! Some of your fans going off like its best set of players league 2's ever seen!

 

[Son of Cod]

We've won 6 pre season games in a row SOC so you can chuck us in there as well lol.

We're slipping under the radar this season. Deflecting all the idiocy onto our local rivals. That's our party line.
#wedontgoagain #operationnomotion

 

[OneDecentLester]

And the most ironic post of the week award goes tooooooooo...............:

He's here again look ....

Cannot wait for the opening day!