Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough ‘absolutely delighted’ with January transfer business

After signing John-Joe O'Toole, Lucas Akins and Keiran Wallace, Stags stunned their promotion rivals with the late additions of Newcastle United starlet midfielder Longstaff and former Scottish international forward Jamie Murphy.

Clough explained: “It was a contact from David Sharpe that came on pretty late in the afternoon and said Matty had been lined up to go somewhere else but it hadn't happened and we got a shout – would you like to take him?

“Newcastle have been very fair and said they need him to go out and play. He's been at Aberdeen, but not played as many times as they'd hoped.

“The level is irrelevant. He just needs to start playing football again.

“He's been away with Newcastle abroad last week and done a lot of training out there and will now be in with us. He will hopefully supplement our midfield and it's games like tonight I wish we could have had him for those fresh legs.”

After a 0-0 draw at Harrogate Town, Clough said: “Matty can provide the sort of quality in these games that can make the difference.

“He is 21, but he's only played 19 league games in his career so he needs to come and play some football.

“But he has a lot of competition in there. I was telling him on the phone that we do knock it about for a League Two side, but he probably doubts that after seeing us tonight.”

On the signing of experienced Murphy, Clough said:“We have worked with him a couple of times before – once at Sheffield United and then we had him on loan at Burton before Covid came.

“He is an outstanding player and we are very fortunate to get him to come to Mansfield.

“He is another one that could make the difference on nights like tonight.

“He plays anywhere across the front three or just behind the forwards.

“He scored 10 goals in the first three months on loan at Burton in League One, so we're looking forward to seeing him.”

On January as a whole, he said: “I am absolutely delighted. We didn't really want to lose Harry Charsley but in the end we've got Matty Longstaff in.

“Lucas is not 100 per cent fit yet. He played for Burton two or three weeks ago when he was injured and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thanked him personally after the game as he knew he wasn't right.

“It's set him back a little bit and he's not fit enough to start a game yet. Hopefully he will be next week.

“But the five signings will certainly give us a little bit more of what we need for the last 19 games.”

He added: “We didn't need lots of players. We now have 18 outfield though George Lapslie is going to be a little bit longer out injured than we thought so it will be 17 for now.

“We had a couple of enquiries for our players but no one is too keen on going which is brilliant.

“I do think now we need to get Ryan Burke out on loan.

“We also had an an enquiry for Jason Law to go out on loan today which, with Matty coming in, that could do him good.”