LOMAS ON STAGS: Evans surrounds himself with more winners

Steve Evans is a born winner and likes to surround himself with winners '“ so it was no surprise that the two new faces signed on transfer deadline day were players who had earned promotion last season.
Mansfield Town Manager Steve Evans with assistant Paul Raynor behind.
Picture by Dan Westwell.Mansfield Town Manager Steve Evans with assistant Paul Raynor behind.
Picture by Dan Westwell.
Mansfield Town Manager Steve Evans with assistant Paul Raynor behind. Picture by Dan Westwell.

Midfielder Alfie Potter was part of the Northampton Town side that, against the odds, ran away with the League Two title last season, while winger Alex MacDonald helped Oxford United into League One.

Evans took over as manager at Mansfield Town in November and soon assessed what was needed to turn his squad into one capable of challenging for a 10th promotion of his career.

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In the end he has brought in eight new faces in January, one keeper, one defender, two strikers, a winger and three midfielders.

Stags fans will now be quietly confident their side can maintain the current push towards the top seven.

Stags land MacDonald - click HERE to read story

Stags sign Potter - click HERE to read story

MacDonald surprised to be released - click HERE to read story

Easy decision for Potter - click HERE to read story

Players like Potter and MacDonald are the sort that Stags fans have been impressed with in the past and left them wishing they were in the Amber & Blue.

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Well, thanks to the persuasive powers and past record of the manager, they now are.

Just take a look down that squad list now.

Defensively Mansfield are picking up plenty of clean sheets and will soon have two more imposing centre halves to choose from when George Taft and Kyle Howkins return from injury this month.

Although primarily a centre half, Taft is equally at home at left back so offers cover for Mal Benning which means Mansfield are fully covered in goal and across the back.

With the arrival of MacDonald they now have another winger to challenge CJ Hamilton for his place or even go with two wingers if the occasion calls for it.

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And in players like Byrom and Potter Mansfield have midfielders who have proved they can make things happen in the centre more often than the talented but inconsistent Chris Clements could.

It was a shame that the club record bid of £350,000 didn’t land another forward, though you would hope there is enough in the club already with five of them fighting for two shirts.

I can’t remember a stronger-looking squad in recent years and the buzz around the town is one of genuine excitement and belief.

The chairman has provided the cash, the manager has shown his powers of persuasion in the quality of players he has brought in, now it’s up to the players themselves to deliver what they are very capable of.

Strap yourselves in – it’s going to be an exciting ride!