Conor Higginson has no regrets over his decision to leave Mansfield Town

Higginson left Stags at the end of the 2010/11 season after discovering new boss Paul Cox would be sending him out on loan.

The current Ollerton Town man had ended the season strongly, scoring two goals in eight appearances which included five starts.

“Mansfield had actually offered me a new contract which was signed and sealed and then they decided to sack the manager Duncan Russell who really believed in me,” said Higginson.

“They brought in Paul Cox and he sat me down and said I will be going out on loan again as he couldn’t really see me fitting in to his plans.

“I didn’t want to go, having been a regular in the side at the back end of the previous season, so I agreed to leave by mutual consent.

“I think back sometimes and wonder if my journey could have been different if I had stayed at Mansfield, but I look at what I have now 10 years later and that’s down to the non-league clubs I have played for.

“I have no regrets about that decision I made as me and my family are really comfortable.”

Higginson, who joined Sheffield FC after leaving Field Mill, left Stags just as chairman John Radford had started transforming the club and he admitted part of him does wish he had got to experience more of the ‘Radford Revolution’.

“John took over in my last season at the club and his impact since has been huge,” said the former Worksop Town captain.

“He's completely transformed the way the club runs with his investments. I just wish he had taken over a few years before as it might have been very different for a lot of younger players.

“When I started full time, they had just been relegated from the Football League. We didn’t even have new training kits or bags; it was all hand me down stuff from the first team the year previous.”

After departing Mansfield, Higginson forged a successful career in non-league football.

Now playing for a side a literal stone’s throw from his home, he claims non-league “swallowed” him up at a time when he still held ambitions to make it as professional.

“I felt like I had something to prove and it would only be a matter of time before I would be a pro again,” Higginson admitted.

“However, non-league seems to just swallow you up and sometimes is very unforgiving.

“It took me so long to adapt to the lifestyle of being part time it cost me the chance of going full time again.

“My advice to any player dropping out of the pro game is keep physically fit, train like a full timer and keep playing as high as possible to give yourself a slim chance of getting back up there.”