Anderson: I believe we can win the league

A 1-1 draw with Lincoln on Tuesday night leaves Mansfield eight points behind leaders Luton Town, who Stags still have to play, with 11 games remaining.

And that's left Anderson in no doubt how close things could get.

He said: "We just need to be ourselves. If we can do what we know we can do and do it well, we’ll be there, and we won’t have to worry about what anyone else is doing in this league.

“We’ve got ten or 11 games left and 30-odd points to play for and if we can take the majority of them it’s ours. We want to win the league, but whether we do that or come second or third, we’ll have done the job we set out to do if we’re a league higher next season. There’s nothing in our way other than ourselves.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could win the league. I came here for ambition and we’re all pulling in the same direction, fans, the chairman and the players. If we don’t believe we’ll be up there we may as well throw the towel in.

“We’ve got to play Luton yet. We’ll beat Luton, then who knows who might slip up. As long as it’s not us.”

Anderson says that despite an action-packed season with its share of twists and turns, everybody is willing to get behind new boss David Flitcroft and push Stags over the line.

He said: "It’s been a mixed campaign. As a squad we’ve been brilliant. Steve Evans put together an unbelievable squad and we know we’re a talented bunch of players and we’re right there and fully believe we’ll finish in the top three as we set out to.

“The boys are all buying into the new gaffer’s stuff and we’re ready to give it a go.

“The talent in the changing room and the desire gives me confident we’ll be up there. Everybody is prepared to say what they want to say and do what they’ve got to do out on the pitch.

“As a group of men, everybody is willing to put their body on the line when they need to."