Stags boss Evans lines up transfer targets, but denies Miller move

Evans has his targets drawn up, which include a midfielder and a striker, but denies reports he has out-bid several other clubs to sign Miller, who was so prolific for Dover in the National League.

“I have had the Peterborough press ask me about that too,” said Evans.

“But I have said I have not had one conversation about Ricky Miller with Peterborough United.

“I speak to Barry Fry here and there and I speak to Darren McAnthony here and there as I go back with those guys a long time.”

On his targets, he said: “I think we’d like to bring three into the building if we can.

“I know our chairman and chief executive were having dinner a night or two ago with the chief executive from a club in the Championship about a signing. Where that’s gone I don’t know. I am waiting to hear from them in due course.

“We have got some names we will make moves for, but only after we come out the Wycombe game.

“I will present the other couple of players that we’d like to do business with and then our chief executive will decide whether they pick up the phone or I do.”

Evans said that still being in the FA Cup meant it was less urgent to conclude deals early than it was last year when he threw new faces in straight away.

“When I arrived last year, the FA Cup, like most of it, was in ruins already,” he said.

“We were out and the league campaign was a survival situation, but we took it to the last day for the play-offs.

“If we’d have got up last season I think we’d have got knighted given the job we had to do. It was so tough.

“But we do have a little period this time as most of the lads that you’d be going for will be cup-tied.

“With going to Cardiff, we’ve got a sort of 10-day window to make sure we are stronger than we are now.

“I’d be confident we’d get players by around the Cardiff game – not to play in the Cardiff game unless, of course, they are not cup-tied.

“We certainly want them in the building to be training for five or five days with the team.

“We are going to try to be as selective as we can but we’ve got names at the top of our list and a descending list below that.

“One name I gave to the chairman a week or two ago, he said ‘we know these people well, let us deal with it’ and that’s why he’s the boss.”

He added: “There are two or three areas we are looking at depending on who we get in.

“It’s no hidden secret we’d like someone in to compete with Joel Byrom because when Joel goes out the team it’s a huge loss.

“I think he will be back for Cardiff which will be brilliant.

“But we can’t run the risk. He’s had two long term, injuries this season and he’s been out more than in. We need to balance that for us.

“It’s very difficult as you’re asking to bring a top player in for that position and they are hard to get.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that we may like to bring someone in up top that adds to what we’ve got as well.”