Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough pleased with January business
Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough said he was pleased with his January transfer window business after it slammed shut on Monday.
The loan signing of Spurs midfielder George Abbott nearer deadline made it five new faces, along with the already-signed Jon Russell, Victor Adeboyejo, Oliver Irow and Harry Lewis.
Birmingham loanee Tyler Roberts also signed permanently until the end of the season while the three departures were Forest loan pair Jamie McDonnell and Kyle McAdam along with Max Dickov, who went on loan to Tranmere Rovers to the end of the season.
Stags are now unbeaten in eight games and ahead of two home games in four days against Exeter City on Saturday and Peterborough United on Tuesday, Clough said: “We are very pleased with our business.
“We didn't think we were too far off. But with the injuries to the likes of George Maris and Jordan Bowery plus several others, it meant we probably needed a couple more than we had anticipated back in October time.
“We should have cover all over now, though you can never legislate for four or five injuries.
“When you get injuries into double figures it really starts to bite.
“But January has been very encouraging. We just needed a few bodies in and we are pleased with the quality of the ones we have brought in.
“We wanted a striker and to boost our attacking options, plus the goalkeeping situation was important to resolve as well. Harry Lewis fitted the bill for that.”
On 20-year-old Abbott's arrival, he added: “We have been looking for a midfielder since Jamie McDonnell was recalled by Forest and subsequently sold, and George fits the bill.
“He is someone we have admired, having seen him playing quite a bit for Notts County last season, where he did very well and played quite a few games in League Two as an 18/19-year-old.
“Then he went to Wycombe and had a couple of knocks in the first half of the season, so it didn't quite work out for him there.
“But we have good references on him from Oliver Irow and he is a young player who we think can compete at this level. It always helps when you can get a couple of players in from the same club.
“But we are not comparing him to Jamie McDonnell's attributes.
“George is more of an all rounded sort of midfielder, probably a bit better on the ball and we certainly would not expect him to be as good as getting the ball back and competing as Jamie was as he was excellent at that.”