'The derby takes over': Andy Garner previews Mansfield Town's clash with Notts County this Saturday
Andy Garner is expecting a huge afternoon at the One Call Stadium this weekend as the Nottinghamshire Derby returns.
Following their promotion from League Two, the Magpies will face Mansfield Town for the first time since 2024 and the excitement is building ahead of the clash.
After two statement wins on the road last week, Stags will hope to carry their form forward when they return to home soil this weekend. However, Andy Garner has warned that derby days often do not take into account how any team has been performing prior.
“The derby game takes over totally, no matter about the last couple of games we’ve played,” the Stags coach said in his press conference. “It is what it is and it’s a big game, there’s no doubt it’ll be a full house.
“You want to win, it’s as simple as that. It’s always the same and that won’t change on Saturday.”
When asked if form goes out the window in derby games, Garner replied: “There is an element of that, there has to be. You can be bottom of the league against the top but when that derby game comes, you’re on a level pitch.
“You’re scrapping because it’s a game you don’t want to lose. Form does go out the window a little bit.”
Notts County have won just two games in League One so far this season and are hovering above the bottom four. Meanwhile, Mansfield Town will enter the weekend unbeaten in six, with seven goals scored in their last two games and yet to lose at home since February, but they are still cautious of the threat the Magpies pose.
“They’ve got a decent squad. We know that they’ve got the talent and we know they’re working hard,” Garner said. “For me, it’ll be about the quality in the two boxes – defending ours and what we do in the opposition box. As we’ve seen over the last two games, we’ve been very good at both ends, so it’ll be about that for me on Saturday.”
Both home and away tickets have sold out for Saturday’s clash and the excitement is building as the fixture approaches. Stags won the last Nottinghamshire Derby 1-0 back in February 2024, thanks to an early goal from Davis Keillor-Dunn.
“There’s just something about it. Everybody is up for it, everybody is talking about it, there’s a buzz about the place,” Garner continued. “Sometimes over the years, you’ve built up for it expecting a fantastic game and it’s been really boring, so hopefully it won’t be like that on Saturday. Hopefully it’s a good game and we get the right result.”
Take a look back through the history of the Nottinghamshire Derby as we approach Saturday’s match.