Mansfield Town will kick off their schedule of friendlies against fellow Nottinghamshire side Retford United.

Before competitive football returns in August, Mansfield Town have four friendly fixtures to sink their teeth into. The upcoming schedule will allow Nigel Clough to rotate his squad and figure out the strongest starting 11 to deploy in League One.

So far this summer, Stags have confirmed the arrival of striker David McGoldrick, as well as the permanent signing of Jon Russell, following his loan spell at the One Call Stadium.

Mansfield’s first pre-season friendly will see them take on Retford United on Tuesday, July 14th. The clash will take place at Cannon Park, around 22 miles from Stags’ home ground.

General view inside the One Call Stadium prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Mansfield Town and Arsenal on March 07, 2026. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

placeholder image — General view inside the One Call Stadium prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Mansfield Town and Arsenal on March 07, 2026. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Stags have faced Retford United previously during pre-season clashes. They enjoyed a boisterous 9-1 win in 2021, back when they were competing in League Two.

There is quite a chasm between Mansfield Town and non-league Retford United – six leagues to be exact. The opposition team, known as the Badgers, will compete in the ninth tier of the English football pyramid from next season, following their promotion this year.

The league allocations for next season will see Retford United placed in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, at Step 5 in the tier system.

Retford United were founded in 1987 to revive the local senior football scene after Retford Town were dissolved two years prior.

“Our annual pre-season match against Mansfield Town has become a fantastic tradition over the last 7–8 years, and once again it will provide a huge boost to Retford United,” Retford United chairman Nik Springthorpe recently said.

“As a newly promoted Step 5 club, every pound generated from a crowd of 1,500+ makes a massive difference. It helps us budget for the season ahead, maintain our facilities, look after our pitch and continue building the club for everyone involved.

“On behalf of everyone at Retford United, I want to say a huge thank you to John and Carolyn Radford, the players, coaching staff and everyone at Mansfield Town for their continued support and for making this fixture possible year after year. Your backing of clubs like ours is genuinely appreciated and never taken for granted.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to Cannon Park for another fantastic evening of football and community spirit. Thank you for your continued support, it really does make all the difference.”