OPINION: Lack of loyalty from Steve Evans and Paul Raynor is very disappointing

And about all else it is the pure disappointment of a sheer lack of loyalty from Evans and Raynor.

Not for a second am I shocked the duo have gone and because of that I am not even as angry as I thought I would be – what disappoints me is that they have built a side based on professionalism and commitment and then gone against every fibre of that mechanic to leave.

As I type now they have just resigned, they haven’t left the club to take up the Peterborough United job, but I imagine that a waitrose near Peterborough United Football Club will have a Steve Evans and Paul Raynor as customers soon enough.

Yes Evans lives near Peterborough and is friends with Barry Fry, but professional decency says he could have seen the season out and taken the Peterborough Job in the summer – had he done so, I don’t think Mansfield would be in the wave of shock, anger and disappointment that it is now.

Evans leaves the club on paper having taken us nowhere and I’ll say this now – IF Mansfield Town manage to finish this season with promotion, then neither deserve the credit.

Yes they’ve rejuvenated standards and brought in a better class player, reawakening the talents of Rose and Hamilton to name but two – but that is irrelevant right now because with 12 games to go, it’s going to take the spirit of that dressing room and the raw desire of that dressing room to achieve a positive finish.

I believe that they can do it, it’s going to take the big figures to step up now and be commanding – I’m looking at the likes of Diamond, Mirfin, and Anderson here, they’ll need to look after the younger players, those who saw Evans and Raynor as father figures, because in a weird way, it is like coming home from school to find your mum in tears saying that daddy has run off with uncle Barry.

John Dempster has been put in charge of training, interesting that it is solely he and not he and Mike Whitlow this time around as it was in those four hours between Murray’s departure and the deserting duos arrival a mere 15 months ago.

I’ve no doubt I’ll have more to say on this as things develop but right now I’ll say this – Dempster knows the players, he’s had tremendous success with the kids, he has good contacts in the game and a level head.

If I were the Radford after such a sickening show of mistrust, I’d say to Dempster ‘Here’s 12 games, get someone is as your number two with experience, learn and give it a go’.

Above all it’s the Radford’s I feel most sorry for here, they’ve placed their trust, faith and money in the hands of two men who have done nothing other than abuse that trust and leave behind a gaping hole and a job far from finished – like two cowboy builders.

I’ll end on this, right now speculation as to where the Stags go next will be rife, they’ll be a lot of anger and disappointment which I too believe will be in the dressing room and in the football club – the important thing here is to leave that at the door, go to Stevenage and show league two and our competitors that we are not broken and we will not say die.

Steve Evans in particular I imagine to be the kind of man whose ego gets the better of him and will be googleing his name to see what articles pop up and as such I hope he finds this – Steve this is not about you and your mate Dodgy, it’s about Mansfield Town Football Club and OUR future.

We were strong before you joined us, even in our darkest hour and we’ll be strong and shine bright long after you’ve gone – thank you for a 15 month rebuild and the taste of what could be, but that’s all the thanks you’ll get from me – because from now on, it’s about those who stay and show the loyalty which you clearly lack..

Be ashamed…… and I hope nobody gave you your socks back. Good luck for the future