Ultimate test for Mansfield Town as big-spending 'sleeping giants' Birmingam City come to town

Stags boss Nigel Clough fully expects the Blues to win the title and knows this a free hit for his side to make a statement of their own.

“It will be our biggest test of the season so far – they are the outstanding side as everybody can see, and probably rightly so with the financial resources they have and the backing they received in the summer after relegation,” said Clough.

“The owners have absolutely backed them to the hilt to say 'we're coming straight back up'.

“There is a lot of big money in the Championship, but I think they are the first ones to really take it to that level in League One both in fees and wages.

“Any team that comes down from the Championship is going to have a nucleus of Championship players, but Birmingham have added to it and taken Premier League players.

“So you would expect them to get automatic promotion relatively comfortably. I would tip them for the title - everybody talks about the quality of players they have.

“People will talk about Jay Stansfield, but I think the midfield area is where they are extremely strong.”

He continued: “We will be the underdogs at home again like we were in the Blackpool game a couple of weeks ago.

“There is no such thing as a free hit, but we will have a go and hope to cause them a few problems.

“It probably is as close to a free hit as you will get in the league and in football.

“Everywhere they go will be a special game because of what they have spent and their backing.

“Charlton caused them a few problems a few weeks back and got a victory against them.

“No one in the league is unbeatable. But you're going to have to be very good to get close to them.

“We know when we do our jobs we can match most teams as we have seen so far. But Birmingham might be a different proposition altogether.”

Stags will be galvanised by a superb 2-1 away win at Wigan Athletic on Tuesday night that quickly wiped out memories of Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to Stevenage and also saw Clough makes six changes, resting up players for the Birmingham challenge.

On Tuesday Stags then host Newcastle United U21s in their final Bristol Street Motors Trophy group game.