Mansfield Town blog: Goalkeeper signings are crucial for Stags’ season

Brian Jensen with possibly his final touch as a Burnley player.

The week started with the signing of former Bolton right-back Nicky hunt from Accrington Stanley.

I have spoken to a lot of people about this signing and not heard one bad thing said about him as a player and that he could be a captain type player for us. We then got not one but two goalkeepers during the week in the space of half an hour of each other.

We first brought in Scott Shearer from Crewe, who has a lot of experience and previous promotions to his name and later we brought in the “Beast” Brian Jensen from Crawley.

These two signings are absolutely crucial for Mansfield as we need two quality keepers pushing for a first team spot every week as this season, in my eyes, is going to be a season which really proves what we are going to be like going forward.

The Notts cCounty game at Meadow lane in the league has also been brought forward to a Friday night and for me this isn’t a problem.

I like the atmosphere of a local derby at night and feel the noise for this will bring excitement all over Nottinghamshire. Obviously even better if we win. I do think Notts County have probably lost a thousand or two to their gate receipts though with this being a Friday night, but oh well.

The team now has real tough competition for places in every position barring a couple!

The fight for a starting position up front could be a good one through pre season with Matt green, Chris Beardsley, Craig Westcarr and Adi yussuf all fighting to push their way into Adam Murray’s thoughts for the first game.

At right-back young Liam Marsden will learn so much from the experienced Nicky hunt and this will help the young full-back to hopefully push on in his career and have as good a career as what Nicky has had and is going to have at the stags.

I could write about comparisons in every position, but I’ll leave that for the first pre-season game when we visit Rainworth next Saturday.

Chris Clements has also re-signed and for me, as I have stated before, he has to do more than he has done previously, with the players we’ve brought in he has to get more assists and more goals as I feel this season may pass him by if not.

I do feel I am picking Chris out abit more than the other players, but on his day he can be very good and he needs to show more to us fans!! Come on CLEMMO!. I’d like to end this though by asking fans for suggestions to new songs next season lets make home games and away games really good to go to! Win, lose or draw.

Come on Adam Murray’s barmy army and coys!!