Hayden White enjoying life as part of Stags resurgence

Loanee full back Hayden White says he is enjoying life so much at promotion-chasing Mansfield Town that he would consider making his move permanent at the end of the season.
Hayden White in action on his Stags debut at Notts County. Pic by Chris HollowayHayden White in action on his Stags debut at Notts County. Pic by Chris Holloway
Hayden White in action on his Stags debut at Notts County. Pic by Chris Holloway

White was one of eight new faces at the One Call Stadium in January as manager Evans reshaped his squad for the promotion push.

And the 21-year-old Peterborough right full back has impressed fans and the management team alike with consistent performances since his arrival.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Evans said in January the loan was “with a view to doing something more permanent” and now White has spoken of his delight at playing for the Stags.

“I hope I have impressed people. I give my best in every game and try to perform - and I think I have so far,” he said.

“We will see what the manager says and what he wants to do come the end of the season, but I am really enjoying it here.

“When you have got a manager like this and with his past record and what he is looking to achieve, it is always something that would appeal to me - but we will see what happens at the end of the season.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

White, who had loans spells at Carlisle, Bury, Notts County and Blackpool while with Bolton Wanderers, before signing for Peterborough last summer, added: “I am really enjoying it. It is going very well.

Match preview - Mansfield Town v Hartlepool“Over this season this is the happiest I have been. I am very happy to be playing at the moment and to be playing in a winning team – long may that continue.

“I knew I would be on the way out at Peterborough (in January). It was about where I would get the most amount of games and it was here.

“All I want to do is play football. The gaffer gave me the opportunity to come here and play, and I took it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

White has joined a successful defence in recent weeks and thanked those around him on the pitch for helping to settle in at One Call Stadium.

“Pearcey [Krystian Pearce], Benno [Rhys Bennett], Mal [Benning] – they’ve all been first class and they’ve done very well,” he said.

“They’ve helped me settle in straight away and I’m very happy to be playing at the moment.

“When you’ve got players in front of you that want to work and you can tell that Collo [Lee Collins], Ben [Whiteman], everyone in there, they just want to win. There’s a lot of winners in the team and it’s very good at the moment.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stags pair miss out on League Two awardsWhite has formed a good partnership on the right with Whiteman, a contender for League Two player of the month, and said the Sheffield United loanee “has done fantastic since he came in.”

The full back was one of two Peterborough players to join the Stags in January along with striker Shaq Coulthirst.

Manager Evans said on White: “He is a fantastic full back. He gets up and down the pitch and he is competitive. He gives us a lot going forward and he is solid defensively. He is everything we look for.

“He had an excellent season last year at Blackpool, despite their troubles, got a great move to Peterborough and young (manager) Grant McCann down there has picked different options.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“These lads are not lads that want to sit about. Him and Shaq Coulthirst were banging on Grant’s door saying they wanted to go and play, so we are delighted to accommodate them.

“I don’t see to many better full backs in League Two on the right side, but he has to prove that when we come up against the so-called big clubs in this league – and we are going to face enough of them in the coming weeks.”

White, who admitted his career had been a little stop-start, especially this season, said the Stags’ promotion ambitions were a realistic target.

“We are taking it one game at a time at the moment. It (the play-offs) are very achievable. The boys want to achieve it,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We are not getting ahead of ourselves. We know we need to keep picking up wins and come the end of the season we will see where we are.

“We have played some of the teams who will be up there at the end of the year. The players that the manager has brought in and those who are in the team and around it know what they want to achieve – to get up into the play-offs at least.”

London-born White was also full of praise for manager Evans.

“(Steve Evans) is a very big name for League Two,” he said. “Everyone can see what the manager is doing and how well he is doing and I am sure that will continue as well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There are no half-hearted days (with him). It is 100% or nothing and I think that’s what everybody needs to bring the best out of them

“He is very honest and will tell you exactly what he thinks, and every player needs that.”