Mansfield Town ‘mainstays’ Liam Roberts and Stephen McLaughlin praised for hitting club milestones
Nigel Clough has praised Liam Roberts and Stephen McLaughlin for reaching significant milestones in their Mansfield Town careers.
The two Stags stars marked significant appearance milestones against Peterborough United on Saturday, with Roberts making his 50th appearance and McLaughlin reaching his 250th in amber and blue.
Nigel Clough had praise for both players when we brought them up during his midweek press conference ahead of Luton Town, describing both of them as ‘two mainstays’ within his first team.
“It’s a brilliant achievement, especially for Macca,” the manager said. “He was only on a short-term contract when he arrived and he’s still here. I think that’s a great testament to him as a professional that he still has a role to play.”
McLaughlin first joined Mansfield Town in September 2020 after leaving Southend United. After his initial short-term deal, he committed to the Stags and has since continued to sign new contracts to stay at the One Call Stadium.
McLaughlin is one of the more senior members of this Stags side at 36 years old. He made 50 appearances in all competitions last season and 41 in League One, contributing three goals and three assists along the way.
Roberts has quickly established himself as a fan favourite in Mansfield. He made an instant impact on the team during his debut season after signing in 2025 and earned multiple Player of the Year awards for his efforts.
He has since penned a new two-year deal with Mansfield Town, much to the delight of both the club and the supporters.
“Liam has been outstanding since he joined us and it was brilliant news for everybody that he’d extended his contract,” Clough said. “He’s not 100 percent fit actually at the moment, he’s not moving quite as easily as he’d like, but he’s still an excellent goalkeeper.”