Nigel Clough: 'We will be concentrating on the Mansfield Town fans who support us home and away'
Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town will be focusing on the fans who continuously show support to the team, after addressing negative comments overheard during the Nottinghamshire Derby.
The 2-0 defeat to Notts County was a result that brought high emotions all round as Stags slumped to their first home league defeat since February.
During his post-match interview, Clough hit back at remarks he said were heard from some home fans at full-time.
“We were nowhere near the levels we have been at home and over the last six games. Apparently a couple of supporters were shouting about what a disgrace we are.
“It’s the first time they’ve seen the team lose at home for eight months… if that’s a disgrace, it’s a disgrace. Not good enough and everything. So maybe it’s about time for somebody else to have a go. You never know, do you?”
The dust has now settled in the wake of the derby day cauldron and Clough has acknowledged that the comments overheard do not represent the majority of the Mansfield Town fanbase.
He re-addressed the situation during his Monday press conference and said he was ‘mistaken’ for making comment on it at the time.
“People are entitled to react exactly as they want to react, we are under no illusions about that,” Clough said. “It’s a very emotional 15 minutes after a game, we certainly experienced that the week before at Blackpool.
“1,500 of our supporters went up, knowing they were going to get drenched and not knowing what sort of game it would be, but saw us get a 4-1 win. That’s who we do it for.”
Indeed, Clough and the players enjoyed an emphatic moment of celebration with the travelling fans who braved the stormy conditions to watch Stags’ impressive win at Bloomfield Road.
This week marks the six-year anniversary of Clough’s arrival at Mansfield Town. Since joining the club on 6 November 2020, Stags have returned to League One and continued to improve year after year, while bringing in impressive signings who believe in the project.
With six years under his belt and countless precious memories shared with the Stags faithful, Clough is widely regarded as one of, if not the best manager Mansfield Town have seen.
Knowing thousands are behind him and the team, the plan is to tune out the anomalous comments moving forward in what is already proving to be a high pressure season.
“I shouldn’t have said anything, the vast majority of fans don’t feel like that. It’s irrelevant and we shouldn’t even be talking about it,” he continued.
“I won’t be mentioning it again. We will be concentrating on the 1,500 people and the supporters who come home and away. The home crowd on Saturday again was brilliant, we just couldn’t give them anything to get behind us.”