BILLY McEwan missed out on his target on Thursday morning on loan transfer deadline day when the player changed his mind and opted to join a Football League club.
"The player had agreed to come here, so it is disappointing he hasn't kept his word," said the Stags boss.
"But he wanted to stay in the League rather than drop down to the Conference and so I can see where he is coming from.
"He had agreed to come in at 10.30 this morning, but I got a call from his agent at half 10 last night to say he was going elsewhere.
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"It's the same everywhere - players keep their options open until the last moment.
"People think it's easy to entice the better players to the Conference but it's not.
"To be fair, I would not have dropped down to the Conference if I was still playing as I felt I was better than that. That's no disrespect to the Conference, which is a very good standard. It's just how players are."
That now means Stags are unable to bring anyone in until the January window opens and have to go with what they've got over the busy Festive period.
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"I really can't see anything happening between now and 5pm. The players here have an opportunity now and have to take it," said McEwan.
"And if the kids have got to come in at some stage then they've got to. I know when I was a kid, once I got my chance I never looked back."
McEwan said he was constantly looking for players and so knew what he wanted in January - and, unlike cash-strapped clubs like Salisbury and Weymouth - will be able to afford to bring some in.
"Financially we are okay at the moment as we have been very prudent with the money in the budget," he said. "We have not overspent. We have been careful."
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Stags head for Saturday's game at Weymouth tomorrow via a training session at Bournemouth's Academy pitches.
Their only injury worry is over left back Alex Jeannin who missed two days training this week with a hip problem.But he trained today and the club are hoping he will be okay to play. James Kay is added to the travelling party as cover.
Every member of the squad got 45 minutes under their belts in a private practice game with Notts County on Field Mill yesterday.
"We played two different sides in each half and tried out one or two things," said McEwan.
"It was a good exercise and there some positive stuff came out of it. The players need games and playing a game is always better than training. Everyone got a run-out."
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