Tough decision to release goal ace Green

Paul Raynor admitted it had been a tough decision to release Mansfield Town legend Matt Green this week.
Matt Green.Matt Green.
Matt Green.

Green went, despite being top scorer, and the Stags’ assistant manager said: “Of course it was a difficult decision.

“He’s our top goalscorer this season and he has been a fantastic servant for the football club.

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“I am sure Matt will get a move and go on to do well at his new club. These decisions are tough ones and for the benefit of the football club moving forward.”

Click HERE to read Stags retained list story

Click HERE to look back at Green’s Mansfield career and see videos of his best goals

Stags released 11 players this week and Raynor said some decisions were less of a shock than others.

“The ones where the guys have not really featured are the easy ones,” he said.

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“If they are not playing week in week out, they know the chances of them staying are pretty unlikely.

“Even if we offered them something they’d probably want to go to pastures new and play football every week. These guys are professional footballers. They should, and do, want to play every week and we can’t always offer them that opportunity.

“Some of them were resigned to the outcomes of the meetings.”

He added: “It’s tough when you get to know these guys as people, not just players. We don’t see them as commodities.

“We get on well with the whole squad and they have given us absolutely everything, but you have to make tough decisions. It is a professional environment.”