Exciting trip into the unknown at Luton Town for Mansfield Town after new boss Jack Wilshere is apppointed
Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough admits Saturday's game at Luton Town will be a bit of a trip into the unknown with the Hatters appointing Jack Wilshere as their new manager this week.
But he admitted the game was an exciting prospect with Luton having so recently been among the Premier League elite.
After successive relegations, Luton's current position of 11th was not deemed good enough for Matt Bloomfield to keep his job.
Now, 33-year-old former England and Arsenal star midfielder Wilshere has been given his first full managerial appointment and Clough said: “Having a new manager going in there on Saturday, it will be interesting how much information he can get into the players.
“It will take him weeks or months to really put his stamp on the team.
“We have no idea what to expect - he could change formation totally from what they have been playing recently.
“But it is a brilliant opportunity for him at 33 to get your first chance at a club the size of Luton.
“He has a very good reputation coaching-wise, so we will see how he goes.
“It was always going to be a big game for us whoever was in charge.”
He added: “When you get the opportunity to play a team that less than 18 months ago were in the Premier League, it is always going to be special.
“And it is probably one of the last times we will be able to visit Kenilworth Road, which is one of the last remaining old fashioned stadiums where the crowd are so close and on top of you. So we will enjoy it.
“It is very much up in the air what we are going to face, but what we do know is the strength of their squad.
“I think Luton, Plymouth and Huddersfield have incredibly strong squads on paper and, financially, I think they are the three biggest budgets in the league this season.
“But it obviously has not shown itself enough so far for them this season.
“Everyone thinks it is fantastic to be in the Premier League. But it can have a detrimental effect down the line.”
The game will revive a fiery rivalry the two clubs enjoyed when trying to get out of the National League when games had an almost local derby feel to them.
Clough said: “It has been an incredible ride for Luton over the last 10-15 years, having been founder members of the Premier League, to end up in the Conference with a good rivalry with Mansfield when they were both in there at the same time.
“Now we find ourselves back in the same league and playing each other again.
“That's football. You can get on that roll where you get a couple of promotions. But it works the other way as well.”