Sub-zero temperatures could threaten Mansfield Town's tough trip to high-flying Stevenage on Saturday

Some games have been moved with fans wanting to see the big England v France World Cup Quarter-Final at 7pm that night but Clough said: “As far as I know at the moment we are going ahead at 3pm.

“Obviously the big game kicks off later on and I don't think ours is in the offing to be changed at the moment.

“Playing Stevenage, I would think if there is one person not fussed about watching England it will be Steve Evans!

“The weather could be a bigger threat with sub-zero temperatures coming in this week.

“There is no under-soil heating around in League Two, so if it is sub-zero for two or three nights you can put the frost sheets on and everything, but if it doesn't get much above freezing in the day then that could be a problem - and that will solve the kick-off time issue!

“We will be going down on Friday night whatever – it's too far to go on the day.”

Ex-Stags boss Evans has done a fantastic job at Stevenage, saving them from the drop last year and revamping the squad to sit second this season.

Stags beat them 2-0 at home at the end of April but Clough said: “They have at least 15 new players since then. When you sign that many players – and a lot of good ones – and they have got off to a flying start, it is a completely different proposition.

“They were battling at the other end of the table back in April and now they have completely turned it around with the 15 signings.

“It is no surprise they are up there when you see the signings they have made and the quality of them. It is a fresh start and a brand new squad with only a few left over from last season.

“Sometimes it's not a bad thing to do – to almost start from scratch. Steve knows the league so well and he knows the players and exactly who he wanted.

“Carl Piergianni was one we wanted to sign ourselves and I think has been the bedrock of their defence.”

Last Friday Stevenage demolished Barrow 5-0 and Clough said: “It was a strange ones as the stats say they scored five goals and had four shots. “Sometimes when you're going really well that sort of thing happens.

“They have numerous and varied threats going forwards without a doubt. We know one of them well in Jamie Reid, and they have Luke Norris up top, they are good attacking options.

“If something isn't working they can bring another two or three strikers on and try something different.

“They also don't seem to have had too many injuries in the first three months of the season. They have fielded a pretty consistent sort of side with a couple of changes of formation. I think they will be as confident as any team in the country.”

Evans has had many notorious spats with opposing benches and officials down the years but Clough said: “We generally get on okay.

“We're going back 20 years when we were at Burton and playing against Boston and Crawley.

“He is feisty in the dug-out and competitive but I think he has calmed down a little bit as he has got older. It will be no different to always on Saturday.”