Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough pays tribute to veteran Stephen Quinn as curtain drops on his Stags career

It was an emotional day with a huge ovation for 39-year-old Quinn as he was subbed just after the hour mark and Clough said: “It was absolutely brilliant and he has been as influential as anybody in the successes we have had in the last few seasons.

“So it was a very special and emotional moment for him today with his family.

“He played for 60 minutes but his legs were tired so we brought him off.

“But what a great career he has had, especially here in the last few years and I think all the supporters have enjoyed seeing him.

“He has been wonderful in the dressing room and he drives training.

“He is one of those great players for a manager that wants to win every single six or eight-aside game he plays in and gets narky when he doesn't win in training. You want that attitude to spread to the younger players.

“I don't know if he will continue playing somewhere or not. We will move on. I think he probably knows it's the right time and I think he is going to have lots of coaching opportunities.

“I just hope he stays in football somewhere.”

It was a second home win in four days to end the season in style and Clough said: “This week has been a brilliant end to the season with two home games, seven goals and six points.

“It sends everyone into the summer in good spirits with a smile on their faces which is very important.

“After a rough three or four months I think we deserve these two wins.

“It was a very even game and I think we have had more luck in the last two games than we've had in the previous 20.

“I think the opposition have hit the woodwork four times in the two games and had good opportunities. We needed some of these breaks earlier in the season after Christmas.

“We scored two proper football goals – a rebound and a tap-in.”

He continued: “It has been as much a rollercoaster season as any that we have had in the last 25-26 years and emotional with the ups and downs.

“That is right from the opening day win at Barnsley to that long spell without a win.

“But all that matters is we've got 54 points and achieved our aim and we start again as a League One club again next year.

“It's nice to stay up relatively comfortably in the end but we know there is a lot of work to do in the summer.

“We have made most of our decisions on players and identified most of our targets. We have started the ball rolling with quite a few of those and we have a bid in for a player already.

“I hope in the next few weeks we can get a few announced.

“We have been encouraged that if we can get our team out there we can compete at this level with most teams. If we can add some players and strengthen it's exciting times and a good time to be a Stags fan.”

On his own new contract, Clough said: “We are getting closer. It's just a matter of finding the time just to absolutely confirm everything.

“But I don't see any obstacles this week. It has just been so hectic.

“The most important thing is we tell the players who we are keeping and then sit down in earnest from there.

“There is no reason to suggest it's not going to get sorted. I have had good meetings with the chairman this week. We will get there.”

He concluded: “It has been a bigger achievement than promotion 12 months ago to stay in this league.

“And to get 54 points at this level with the problems we have had, especially with injuries, I think it is a much better achievement than 12 months ago.”

Reece Cole hit the Stags post after 30 seconds and also near the end.

But Stephen McLaughlin and Dom Dwyer had Mansfield in charge at the break and, after soaking up lots of pressure, Ben Waine added a late third before Jordan Rhodes struck the City post with the last kick of the season.

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell said: “That game probably summed up our season. We started well, had numerous chances, couldn't score and gave away two really bad goals.

“Second half was very similar – so many opportunities but we don't score.

“If we'd have scored at 2-0 it would have been game on. Instead we shot ourselves in the foot late on as Mansfield made it three.

“We are bottom of the league for shots on target and that has to improve next season.

“It was a really disappointing end to the season.

“But it doesn't take away from the season as a whole where we have really had to dig in as a football club from January to get the points on the board and guarantee a fourth season in League One, which is a big achievement.

“But the players have to improve and get better and it's my responsibility as the manager to force that on players and make it happen next year.

“If the players want to improve and work hard I will look forward to seeing them for next season.”