OPINION: Mansfield Town work behind the scenes for striker duo paints much bigger club picture

Building on finishing tenth in League One is probably not something a great deal of fans would have expected from Stags last season.

The club completed a dramatic turnaround when they went 15 games with just one defeat in the final stretch of the campaign. The narrative quickly shifted from counting precious points to secure mathematical survival, to just how high they could climb the table.

In the end, Mansfield Town recorded their best league finish in almost 40 years. Now, the great debate is centred around whether this Stags side has what it takes to challenge for a spot in the promotion play-offs.

Many supporters already have belief that the sky is the limit and now that’s starting to feel like a reality. Newest signing Michael Smith is confident there’s nothing stopping Stags from pushing into the top six conversation.

His arrival, along with fellow striker David McGoldrick, paints a strong picture that Mansfield’s aspirations have seriously shifted and their aim is no longer to just survive in League One.

Mansfield Town wanted to strengthen their attack this summer and that’s exactly what they’ve done. After Nigel Clough outlined the need for new forwards, Stags have poached two well-regarded and experienced strikers who clearly believe in the project building at the One Call Stadium.

Smith admitted in his first interview with the club that Clough was the main reason he chose Mansfield Town over others. The 34-year-old left Preston North End and dropped down a division to join the Stags ranks. As a player with three promotion success stories to tell, he believes in what his new side are working on ahead of the 2026/27 season.

“The project he is trying to build... He’s establishing the club in League One, and trying to push on for promotion was a big thing,” Smith said of Clough. “I’ve managed to get a few [promotions] over my career and I’m desperate for another one so to come here and be part of this group is something that I want to achieve.

“I’ve got friends who are fans of Mansfield Town, I’ve known about the area for a long time. I’ve played against Mansfield for years so I’ve always been aware of where the club is in the league. There’s no reason why we can’t push on this season for promotion.”

Clough admitted he was ‘surprised’ Smith was available, given his pedigree in League One and experience making the jump up to the Championship.

McGoldrick also wasn’t short of suitors after he left former club Barnsley for a new challenge. Despite being 38, there was competition for his signature after he scored 15 league goals for the Tykes last season.

Stags beat the opposition to sign McGoldrick and his reasoning to snub the rest was similar to Smith. He stressed in his signing interview that Clough was a ‘massive factor’ in his decision to join Mansfield Town and he was sold on the plans the boss mapped out for him.

The new duo, who arrive at the One Call with a wealth of experience and plenty of effort still to give, both chose Mansfield Town over anywhere else for their next career step.

Stags’ aspirations are clearly growing and Clough has been backed as the man for the job. Having taken them up to League One, there is already belief he can keep the momentum going by eyeing the Championship as Mansfield’s next big dream – and this summer’s new additions both see and believe in the vision.

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