LOMAS ON STAGS: Should all football games have been called off last weekend?

I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was ‘ridiculous’ like Morgan.

But I think it was the wrong decision at a time when a nation needed to mourn the loss of its figurehead.

Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough summed it up perfectly this week when he said at time like this people want to gather.

And with Stags’ home clash with Bradford City almost sold-out it would have been a perfect time to have that public outpouring of grief.

Manchester United’s game went ahead on the night of her death and the respect shown there was immmaculate.

Other sports went ahead at the weekend and did similar.

Yes, Stags fans have the chance to pay their respects tonight before the Carlisle United home game, but it feels a little late and after ‘the moment’.

It has been a sad week all round this past week with losses locally of legendary Stags boss Dave Smith and fan/writer/commentator Steve Hartshorn. Smith was before my time but won the Division Four title in his first full season, broke club records, and was dismissed for reasons never revealed to this day.

A predecessor of mine at the Chad, Stan Searle knew the reason, but was sworn to secrecy and took it to his grave.

The loss of Steve Hartshorn is much closer to home for me having spent many years sharing a beer or three with him after Mansfield Town games all over the country.

He shared my loves of music, Subbuteo, beer and always made me laugh with his quips.

He has gone far, far too soon.

With the loss of those two, the changing of the Prime Minister, hearing people singing God Save The King for the first time and no football to watch, it has truly been a surreal, historic, miserable week.

Here is hoping the Stags can cheer us up over a busy next week when they face three away games in eight days.

Having proved they can win on the road at Doncaster last time away, let’s hope they can build on that at Gillingham and Crewe while a midweek Papa John’s Trophy game at Grimsby Town should give the rest of the squad chance to get some minutes in and push for a first team spot.