The relegated Stags begin their bid to regain their Football League status with a tough trip to FA Trophy-winning Ebbsfleet, who are partly funded by 35,000 cyber supporters who follow the club and help run it via the Internet.

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Many Mansfield fans will probably not even know where the club is situated and even less about their manager and players.

But they are no strangers to McEwan, who said: "It does help that I know what it's all about and I know it is going to be a tough campaign for more than one reason.

"But I am looking forward to it. It would have been nice to get in here earlier and I am having to scrape up a squad of players bit by bit.

"It won't follow that the players I use on Saturday will be the ones I use all season. If they are not up to it then others will come in. Players will be coming in and out all season. I had 100 players go in and out during my time at York as you look for the right formula.

"It is up to those in the club at the moment. We certainly need to get the left side sorted out – it was non-existent at Boston on Saturday.

"Before I joined Mansfield I had about 100 players' names written down in the event of me getting back into the game."

Ebbsfleet are expected to be among the BSP front-runners and combine some neat football with a physical presence. "They do a bit of both," said McEwan. "They are a good side – you don't win the FA Trophy if you are no good.

"Liam Daish will have them strong, fit and ell organised. It will be a tough baptism for the club and the players.

"It is a tough away fixture – but all of the games in this division are going to be tough. Ebbsfleet had a good season last year and I have had some good battles with them over the last few years at York.

"Obviously having 35,000 internet supporters gives them a bit of money coming in and will help with recruitment and different things."

McEwan would not pick out any of the Ebbsfleet side as particular dangers, adding: "Opposition teams do not frighten me – it's my own players who do.

"I never worry too much about the opposition. We respect them and I have a pretty good idea how they will shape up – or I like to think I do as teams sometimes change things around.

"I know they have got players in. Some of my players know a bit about them. But the most important thing for me if getting my team to play how I want them to – then we won't have any problems.

Adie Moses was skipper of a patchwork Stags side in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Boston United and McEwan said: "I am still thinking about who will be captain for the season. To be honest I expect 11 captains out there.