NEW Stags signing Curtis Woodhouse has spoken of his 'excitement' at teaming up once more with David Holdsworth and his ambition to achieve success both with Mansfield Town and as a professional boxer.
The battling midfielder (28) has been told he can continue both careers after securing his release from BSP rivals Rushden and Diamonds and joining the Stags on Monday - as predicted by Chad late last week.
He told Chad: "It's the first time in a while that I have been this excited joining a new club - probably since I went to Hull.
"With David here these could be exciting time and I am glad to be a part of it. If I didn't think exciting times were ahead I wouldn't have come.
"I played with David at Sheffield United and Birmingham City - he was my captain at both clubs. I got a phone call from him to ask me if I wanted to come to Mansfield and within 48 hours I had signed. It was all pretty straightfoward.
"You always know certain players will end up in management and David was one of those. He was a leader on the pitch and he will take that into his management.
"He is very ambitious and I like to surround myself with ambitious people as I think it rubs off on you."
But away from his football ambitions, Woodhouse is looking to build on a perfect record of nine wins in his nine fights as a welterweight boxer, six of them by knockouts, and is back in ring action at the end of March, live on Setanta Sports, in Liverpool.
- Click here for video interview at mansfieldtown.net
He said: "Combining the two is trial and error really. There is no one I can ring up and talk to about it as no one else is daft enough to do it!
"But structured correctly I can't see any problems. I wil train here in the mornings, drive back up to the gym in Rotherham to train at 4.30pm, be home at 8.30pm to see the missus and have my tea, go to bed and then get up and do it all again!
"Yes it's hard work but it's better than digging holes which my dad did for 20 years of his life. So I won't be complaining about playing football and boxing.
"The proof will be in the pudding and I have to perform. I won't be able to go full steam all week or I will burn myself out. I will ease off on the boxing training on a Thursday and Friday so I am fresh for the game on Saturday.
"It wasn't the training so much as the driving that was the problem at Rushden. I was spending six hours a day in the car when I trained at Rushden as I am based in Hull and boxing in Rotherham."
He added: "I have always loved boxing from a young age and I am not getting any younger and decided I wanted to get involved.
"Whichever football club I have played for I have gone down to a local gym to do some sparring, telling them I was an amateur boxer with a fight coming up in a few weeks.
"After a few week, they eventually recognised who I was and the cat was out the bag - then I would just move on and blag my way into another gym.
"I can't try to dress it up, I love fighting and this is the best way to do it so I don't get into any trouble."
Woodhouse will miss Saturday's visit of Altrincham with a one-game ban for five bookings and he admitted: "I like to play my football the way I box - fast and furious.
- Click here to read sports editor John Lomas' review of 2008 at Field Mill
"I like to get my foot in and get stuck in. I give 110 per cent which sometimes gets me into trouble - but that's the way it goes.
"As a boxer I like to come forward and if I get hit two or three times I know I will land one of my own.
"I think David understands my boxing situation. he came to see my second last fight in Sheffield where I won with a second round knock-out.
"I have know him 11 years and I have been open and honest. I have signed to the end of the season and we will see where it goes from there."
Woodhouse feels he has already seen enough at Field Mil to suggest they can quickly make progress,
"The most important thing is getting a clean sheet," he said. "I have seen in training we have a lot of exciting players with pace.
"So if we can achieve clean sheets then I am sure we can score goals at the other end.
"If you are well organised in this division and have players who can score then you will be a threat.
"I have experience and I like to be a leader on the pitch. I will do anything I can to help and will certainly be organising the people around me. We need to be a solid unit."
Holdsworth was delighted with the addition of Woodhouse to his squad and said: "Curtis is a rat - in the nicest possible way of course!"I am not into nice guys. And playing tippy tappy football won't get us out of this trouble we are in. That's not being disrespectful to any of the players.
"We have to work hard collectively and as a unit and also show mental strength."
The Stags boss is not unduly concerned about Woodhouse's boxing career affecting his footbal and added: "He may get a black eye here if he doesn't play very well!
"We know he has a fight planned and we will allow him to continue his progress.
"We should be very grateful he has come here and also to Garry Hill at Rushden. Curtis is a warrior and we need 11 out there like him."
