No questions off limit as fans quiz Stags bosses

The club are expecting a packed 1861 Suite for the ‘Evening With’ event and Evans smiled: “Myself and Paul have always looked forward to them.

“Supporters get the opportunity to be direct. They get the opportunity to get straight answers back.

“You can have fans’ forums where you and I know that certain questions are not allowed. I have never done that in my career in any of these meetings, whether it be at Leeds, Rotherham or Crawley.

“I’ve always said if you ask the question, you may not get the answer if we don’t know the answer, aren’t sure, or can’t say it for the sake of the dressing room. But we are very honest in these situations.

“Hopefully it will be a positive evening and it’s another opportunity for us to meet in person a few more Stags fans.”

On the current form, Evans is not expecting hostility, smiling: “They usually save that for match days.

“You do have them (hostile questions), but you are honest.

“You have to demonstrable, you have to be understanding of what supporters want to see.

“You have to have a style of play, you have to produce results and you have to have a chemistry with them. I think we’ve got that chemistry.”

He added: “At the end of the day Paul Raynor and I are no different to the large majority of Stags fans.

“I was born and brought up on one of the worst council estates in the world. I am proud of it and I never, ever forget it. I still go there, I still have family there.

“As was often said to me growing up there, a spade is a spade. A spade is not a shovel. A shovel is a shovel.

“From that point of view, win, lose or draw on Saturday, I want to make sure we put our side across on Monday and supporters are welcome to ask any questions.

“A good result always helps. Everyone is a lot happier on a Monday when their team’s won on a Saturday. Sunday and Monday are great days when you win on a Saturday.

“But with 46 games it is a train journey. As you get into a platform, you get the three bags of coal, you chuck it on your train and way you go. If we can get three bags of coal at the weekend against Coventry, the fires will be stoked on Sunday and Monday.”

Evans was delighted with the club’s following in Devon last weekend for the win at Exeter.

“I think it would have been wonderful if two had made the trip, “ he said.

“It’s such a large commitment to say to your family, you’re leaving at 9am and I’m not going to be back until 10pm.

“To see them down there and hear the noise was wonderful.

“I have always found the home supporters at Exeter fantastic. They are normally in full voice. But they were silent.

“The only noise for long periods was from the Stags supporters. So thank you to every one of them.”