Second signing of the day as Mansfield Town land young Spurs striker
Mansfield Town have unveiled a second loan signing of the day with the arrival of young Tottenham Hotspur striker Oliver Irow – and the confident 19-year-old immediately said he likes nothing more than scoring goals.
The 19-year-old was announced just two hours after Stags confirmed they had also signed 25-year-old attacking Barnsley midfielder Jon Russell, a Jamaican international, on loan for the rest of the campaign too.
Manager Nigel Clough is also hoping on a third new face ahead of Sunday's tough FA Cup third round tie away to Sheffield United.
Aware that it was this time last year that a glut of injuries saw Stags go on a terrible run of form, and with seven players still sidelined at the moment, Clough is determined there will be no repeat as he bolsters his numbers for a very busy second half of the season.
Irow joins the club with a strong reputation as an exciting attacking prospect.
He has netted seven goals in 17 games for Spurs’ U21s this season – scoring in Premier League 2, the UEFA Youth League and the Vertu Trophy.
At international level, the youngster has represented England at both U16 and U17 levels.
“Oliver is a young striker and this is his first loan, so it will be a big thing for him,” said Clough.
“But it's ideal for him to come out and get some experience.”
Irow, who has been with Spurs since the age of eight, said: “I was at home and got a call saying Mansfield might be interested, which was really exciting.
“And when I heard the deal was done and I was heading up here I was really looking forward to it.
“Me and my family were just ready and excited to meet everyone and get started. It all happened very quickly.
“My first impressions are good. The facilities are lovely and everyone seems very nice and I am excited to meet the rest of the team.
“It was good to speak to the manager and the rest of his staff and I am just really looking forward to it.
“The manager said they are a forward-thinking goalscoring team as well as hard-working. He said the team are very together which really attracted me.
“The togetherness of a team is exciting and I can't wait to get to know them all properly.
“I have been at Spurs since the age of eight, which is quite a while.
“So I was looking forward to getting out and hopefully joining a men's team.
“This is where I am now, so it's a new challenge that I am really looking forward to and I want to make a big impact straight away.
“Spurs is all I have ever really known. There has been a lot of travelling and different types of games and teams, different tournaments and opposition.
“But it's been a good 10 years and hopefully everything I have learned there I can bring here and I can show what I can really do.”
On his attributes, Irow said: “I am a goalscorer – I love to score goals. That is my favourite thing.
“I am direct. I just want to get in the box really and help the team score goals and win games. Hopefully I can bring that here.
“Fans can expect goals, energy and excitement and a determination just to keep going.”
He does have some limited experience in the full time men's game with the Vertu Trophy and said: “The Vertu Trophy is when you are playing at the level you want to be in and around and get used to.
“You know everyone will be physically a bit stronger and the games will be of a higher intensity, but these are things I feel I have prepared myself for.
“I believe I am ready to play at this level. This is a stage for me to show everyone what I am capable of.
“I want to keep pushing and those games get you ready for this type of level where three points means everything and a goal means everything. That's what I want to try and do.
“First I have to try to get into the side and I have to earn that. Hopefully I can put my foot in before Sunday and show everyone what I am capable of.
“It will be up to the manager but I would love to be in and around it.”
He added: “I spoke to Matty Craig, who was here last season before he was injured, and he spoke very highly and said this was a great opportunity for me.
“When someone says that there is no reason to not take it.
“He said the way Mansfield play football, I would be excited to be involved in it.
“I am fit and ready now if I am called upon. I want to make a big impact.”