Significant season already says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough after bond is firmly re-established with supporters in a ‘football town’

Stags have massively increased their home gates and built a superb and often huge away following and, in contrast to previous seasons, those fans stayed behind their side during the bad times, which ended up being 14 games without a win.

“People say the town is buzzing,” said Clough.

“We feel it in the away support and the home support – the 6,500 we're getting at home games now I believe would be more like 3,500 if we were going nowhere in the league.

“It has been one of the highlights of the last year or so. There is a real bond there now.

“Not being in the town we only real sense the buzz on matchdays, but I said when we went out to the supporters after the game on Saturday, if nothing happens this season, then we have made a connection between the team and the supporters.

“That has been reignited this season, even through the bad run. That is one of the biggest achievements we've made for everybody.”

Clough believes one of the main reasons is the honest hard-working squad he has put together.

“One of our main jobs is to put a team on the pitch that reflects the values of the supporters and also a team they want to watch and enjoy watching,” he said.

“When you get 2,000 paying good money to go to Scunthorpe or Bradford or wherever, you feel that responsibility to put a performance on.

“This is a football town – the club is at the heart of it. There are not too many other sports here, certainly at a professional level.

“It is nice the fans are coming back to the club willingly and enjoying it and hopefully being part of something special this season.

“One of the things the owner pointed out when he came over in the summer was that Mansfield has its football club as the absolute centre of the town and community.

“A lot of towns have other sports. Mansfield had a football team and it means a lot to people.”