Let's finish on a high and reach our 50-point target urges Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough ahead of final games

Stags went down 4-0 at champions Birmingham City on Saturday but Reading's win at Bristol Rovers had already confirmed Mansfield were safe.

Clough, soon to be out of contract, also said he had begun negotiations to stay on and had also begun discussions with six or seven quality players he wants to bring in.

“It is brilliant to stay up and everyone is absolutely delighted and relieved,” he said.

“But more than anything we are just thrilled we have managed to achieve something for the first time in 35 years.

“It is a bigger achievement than getting promoted last season to actually stay in the league.

“It was a lovely feeling for everybody. Every supporter said to us from day one after we got promoted told us please just keep us in the league.

“For everybody we have done that – for the chairman, Mr and Mrs Radford all the way down down, everybody should be extremely proud.”

Stags host Peterborough United tonight (Wednesday) and Exeter City on Saturday and Clough said: “It is now about trying to win our last two games and finish the season on a high.

“We want to put our best side out that is available to us and try to give the supporters two good performances and two good results going into the summer with.

“Being safe has given everyone a boost.

“I think everyone is thrilled we have retained our League One status.

“You look at the final day fixtures and see how many teams are involved in things throughout the country, it is lovely not to be involved in that and to be safe and able to go out and play.

“The second half of the season has been as big a challenge as we have had in 26-odd years.

“We were so euphoric when we got to 37 points on 4th January when we won at Stockport.

“No one envisaged we couldn't get another 12-13 points to get us to that safety mark sooner. But that is how football is.

“It's about those games that were so tight with only a goal in them – what do we need to do to turn them from losses into draws and maybe into wins as well?

“We didn't get carried away in January. That 50 points was our target and we still have not achieved it four months later.

“I want us to play the same as we did against Reading in the last two games, but without the mistakes.

“We are up against two good teams in Peterborough and Exeter in our last two games, let's try to win them.

“We want to get to 50 points – that is a priority. That was our aim at the start of the season and still is now.”

Stags stormed to a 3-0 win at Peterborough in December and Clough said: “It was probably our best 45 minutes – as good as we have played all season.

“To be on the front foot to that degree away from home is how we set out to try to play home and away, though you can't always do it.

“We played extremely well that day and gave everyone a good Christmas.

“They have some youngsters in at the moment. They have three or four players out of contract that they will still get fees for so I don't think they will risk them. They are also looking ahead to next season and saying these are three or four youngsters that will play a big part for us in the next 12 months.

“Retaining the EFL Trophy was an unbelievable achievement, beating Birmingham at Wembley, so I think they have achieved their aims this season.

“They have blooded some youngsters for next season, won a cup and retained their status.”

Clough is hoping to have some players back for the Posh visit.

“We had to play a patched up team at Birmingham due to the injuries but we want to be as strong as we can be for the last two home games,” he said.

“We want to get over that 50-point mark still and we have two home games this week to do that.

“Macca (Stephen McLaughlin) came on with no reaction, Elliott (Hewitt)is a possibility, Baily Cargill should be okay.

“We are not sure about Aaron Lewis and Alfie Kilgour with their injuries, they might keep them out for the rest of the season, though they do have an outside chance for Saturday.

“Will Evans' foot is improving all the time and it is day to day seeing how he is.

“Lee Gregory has done a bit of work but his knee is giving him some discomfort at the moment so he won't feature this season, especially now we don't need him.”