Mansfield Town are ready for the challenge of League One football – says boss Nigel Clough ahead of Wembley day of destiny

Stags take on Port Vale in the League Two play-off final at Wembley and Clough said: “This club is about ready for League One.

“You look at the teams that have gone up – Bristol Rovers are one of the biggest clubs at our level and the level above.

“Then you look at Forest Green and Exeter and they have been knocking on the door for five or six years, just missing out.

“So they are ready as well.

“We are not as close as them in terms of sustained success over the last few seasons.

“But I think we are ready in terms in infrastructure and everything certainly.

“The RH Academy (training ground) has given the club a great foundation to move forwards and attract players with the facilities.

“It was one of the best things the club has done in terms of looking further ahead. It gives you a platform moving forward.”

He added: “We will look at where we are after Saturday, but look where we've come over 18 months - we were down near the bottom when we arrived and we dipped down there again October/November time.

“But I think we have steadily been improving and a win on Saturday would cement that and prove that to everybody.

“Whatever league we are in next season I think we're in good shape overall.”

However, while many see promotion via a big day out at Wembley as the best way to go up, Clough disagrees.

“The others can steal a march on you. You are way behind on your recruitment and way behind with everything else going into pre-season.

“We are back on 29th June for pre-season which is very late in terms of when the season starts – it's only four and a half weeks.

“Other clubs will be back and better prepared going into the new season.

“It might be wonderful to go to Wembley for a lot of reasons and it keeps the season going and all that sort of thing.

“But from a purely practical point of view, if you get automatic promotion, it gives you that extra three or four weeks.”