STAGS DOWN THE YEARS: 1970/71 -a year of thrills and inconsistency

Mansfield Town's players line up ready to start the 1970-71 season.
Mansfield Town 1970-71

Left to right. Back row; John Stenson, Sandy Pate, Jimmy Goodfellow, Clive Walker, Dudley Roberts, Phil Waller and Barry Foster.
Third row; John Quigley, Stuart Boam, John Saunders, Des Finch, Graham Brown, Malcolm Partridge, Jimmy Sutton and Dai Jones.
Second row; Frank Milford, Tommy Eggleston, John Almond, Arthur Patrick, George Bunting, Joe Eaton, Jock Basford and Sam Weaver.
Front row; Colin Foster and Ian Wright.Mansfield Town 1970-71

Left to right. Back row; John Stenson, Sandy Pate, Jimmy Goodfellow, Clive Walker, Dudley Roberts, Phil Waller and Barry Foster.
Third row; John Quigley, Stuart Boam, John Saunders, Des Finch, Graham Brown, Malcolm Partridge, Jimmy Sutton and Dai Jones.
Second row; Frank Milford, Tommy Eggleston, John Almond, Arthur Patrick, George Bunting, Joe Eaton, Jock Basford and Sam Weaver.
Front row; Colin Foster and Ian Wright.
Mansfield Town 1970-71 Left to right. Back row; John Stenson, Sandy Pate, Jimmy Goodfellow, Clive Walker, Dudley Roberts, Phil Waller and Barry Foster. Third row; John Quigley, Stuart Boam, John Saunders, Des Finch, Graham Brown, Malcolm Partridge, Jimmy Sutton and Dai Jones. Second row; Frank Milford, Tommy Eggleston, John Almond, Arthur Patrick, George Bunting, Joe Eaton, Jock Basford and Sam Weaver. Front row; Colin Foster and Ian Wright.

Despite high hopes for promotion, they finished up seventh in Division Three plus they had the excitement and controversy of the two League Cup games with Liverpool.

The side failed to find consistency, particularly away from home, though of the six clubs to finish above the Stags, only one left Field Mill with a point.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Boss Tommy Eggleston had left in the summer for a new job in Greece so coach Jock Basford took over, initially as caretaker manager and then full-time.

One of the highlights of the season was a 6-2 thrashing of arch-rivals Chesterfield in the League Cup first round, Malcolm Partridge notching the first ever hat-trick by a Stags player in the competition.

Partridge also scored the only goal of the game at Aston Villa on August Bank Holiday Monday to put Mansfield top of the table.

Against visiting Liverpool, Stags earned a 0-0 draw though had a Dudley Roberts effort controversially ruled out for pushing 14 minutes from time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After that game Partridge was snapped up by Leicester City for £50,000.

Stags lost a thrilling replay at Anfield 3-2 after extra-time after twice leading the tie.

The 70/71 season also saw Stags break the club’s record transfer with the £11,000 paid to Hull City for Welsh international wing half Alan Jarvis.

Among the other season highlights were a 6-2 home thrashing of Tranmere Rovers with Dudley Roberts notching four goals, finishing top scorer with 22.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Victories at Notts County and then at Nottingham Forest saw Stags end the season as Notts FA County Cup winners for only the third time in their history.

Left to right. Back row; John Stenson, Sandy Pate, Jimmy Goodfellow, Clive Walker, Dudley Roberts, Phil Waller and Barry Foster.

Third row; John Quigley, Stuart Boam, John Saunders, Des Finch, Graham Brown, Malcolm Partridge, Jimmy Sutton and Dai Jones.

Second row; Frank Milford, Tommy Eggleston, John Almond, Arthur Patrick, George Bunting, Joe Eaton, Jock Basford and Sam Weaver.

Front row; Colin Foster and Ian Wright.