Christmas Day off for Mansfield Town players as stats show no great benefit in session before Boxing Day

Nigel Clough said he turned his back of the tradition of having players in on Christmas Day as it showed no great benefits in Boxing Day results or performances.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Mansfield Town boss was used to working Christmas Day as a player, as was his father Brian, but said now the trend was to allow players to spend the day with their families.

“We have had Christmas Day off for the last few years wherever we have been,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Prior to that sometimes we have been in and sometimes we have been off and results really haven't varied.

Stags boss Nigel Clough.Stags boss Nigel Clough.
Stags boss Nigel Clough.

“So we are quite happy, especially with so many young children in the camp with the players. It's a special time for them to spend with their families.

“It was more of a tradition than anything else but then we said why are we doing this? Fitness-wise does it make any difference?

“We looked at the running data and results for Boxing Day to see if it was any different when we brought them in Christmas Day to when they had the day off and did two good days before that – and there was no discernable difference.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We just remind them that everything they do on Christmas Day is towards preparing for Boxing Day. They know – they are professionals.”

He continued: “As a player it was tradition we always trained Christmas Day.

“It wasn't too bad. You'd come in early and get it out the way. Training the day before is a game is never a long session anyway.

“The worst bit was if you were away on Boxing Day and had to travel Christmas night. So you would go home, have your Christmas lunch, relax for a couple of hours and then be back in at 5pm to travel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You played four games in nine or 10 days so festivities went out of the window and you literally just prepared for those games, then recovered and got ready for the next one.”

Father Brian was certainly of that old tradition.

“When we were growing up we always had our Christmas lunch on Christmas Eve as my dad always worked on Boxing Day,” he said.

“So we always had it then as it was a bit more relaxed when he got back in from training on Christmas Day – football always affected it to that degree where we changed the day for Christmas lunch.”

Having the day off certainly cheers the players and midfielder Stephen Quinn said: “It will be carnage with three kids, the wife and the wife's family.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I will be cooking while they're opening presents and drinking.

“The gaffer is a family man and he makes sure none of lads are alone at Christmas – that they've got family or places to go to have a good dinner and a bit of down time.

“I am really looking forward to it – I love Christmas.”