Hurt of Crewe defeat driving Mansfield Town even harder towards glory push

Stags travel to Northampton Town on Saturday, but win, lose or draw, he believes the club overall is on an upward march thanks to the backing of chairman John Radford and CEO Carolyn Radford.

Since the Crewe defeat, Stags have won both games and Flitcroft said: “I suppose there was a realisation for the players to understand what it meant to so many people that day.

“We can use that hurt in the next five games. But I think every defeat we’ve had gives you that knowledge and you can use that hurt and emotion to drive you to the next point.

“But everything successful is down to having the right process and the right infrastructure.

“You can see what Lincoln have done with their success – 10,000 fans and a league training centre. They have been building their infrastructure for three years and are worthy leaders of this league.

“We are catching that up and we want to be challenging at the top of the league.”

He continued: “I have really enjoyed the season. I have enjoyed the support and the football.

“In a crazy way, you learn more about yourself, your staff and the players when you take a defeat.

“After we lost to Crewe our chairman rang me and I can’t thank him enough for that conversation.

“People talk about financial support, but this was about emotional support.

“He is probably the most successful businessman I know and you’re not that successful unless you have great wisdom.

“I believe having great wisdom is passing it on and the chairman does that with me. That support network I have here is absolutely vital.”