AFC Mansfield boss reflects on season so far

Matt Chatfield expressed his excitement for the future at AFC Mansfield as the club reflects on a bizarre season - which may or may not already be over.
AFC Mansfield manager Matt Chatfield.AFC Mansfield manager Matt Chatfield.
AFC Mansfield manager Matt Chatfield.

With football on hold in an unprecedented health crisis because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bulls boss discussed all the talking points from the 2019/20 campaign so far.

Arriving at the club last summer alongside coaches John Stancliffe and Andy Morris, Chatfield assembled a brand-new squad that included just two of the previous season’s players.

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The result was ultimately a slow start with just two wins in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division in the first half of the campaign.

“B ut the Bulls began to pick up the pace at the turn of the year and had won five of their last ten league outings when the season was suspended because of the virus scare .

“It was always going to be a tough start and trying to assemble a whole new squad from scratch wasn’t easy,” Chatfield said.

“We had to implement our style of play whilst constantly changing the squad, which wasn’t easy.

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Bu t we’ve got a great management team and it was only a matter of time until things were to change.”

Whilst the first few months of league football proved to be a challenge, AFC found their form in the numerous cup competitions that are available at non-league’s fifth tier.

Starting with a 7-0 thrashing of Sleaford Town on the second weekend of the season, Chatfield guided the Bulls to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup and the third round of the FA Vase as AFC made their mark on a wider stage .

And, should the season continue, the NCEL League Cup remains up for grabs with AFC in the final eight.

“Everyone loves a good cup run,” Chatfield said.

“T he whole day is different than for a league game.

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“Everyone is more up for it, especially the FA Cup and Vase, and also it’s different pressures and lads deal with pressure differently.

“We just seemed to do what was needed to keep getting though until being halted by Barwell who were a great side, and Newark Flowserve (in the Vase) who were the better side on the day.”

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