Young keeper Aidan Stone shocked to find himself Mansfield Town No.1

The former Burnley youngster marked his debut with a clean sheet and is now hoping to keep the shirt once football resumes after the current coronavirus pandemic shut-down.

“I’m grateful for every opportunity that I get,” he smiled.

“When you have the likes of Conrad and Bobby, who are top goalkeepers, I knew it was going to be tough to get in the first team.

“I didn't expect to make my debut as young as 20.

“I knew I was starting against Newport on the Friday. The gaffer told me just before we had our meeting and just said ‘are you ready to play tomorrow?’

“I was a bit in shock at first as I was not expecting to play, but it was something throughout the whole evening I was then really looking forward to.

“There’s then that element of excitement, telling your family and friends and my girlfriend, but you have to then focus on doing your job in the game and taking all of that excitement out the way and just getting the job done.

“I was hoping for a clean sheet before the game – the boys defended really well and I never have a shot to save – I think there was one cross. That’s testament to the lads, we defended really well that game.”

Although Stags have struggled, Stone has certainly enjoyed 2019/20.

“On a personal basis, the season has been good,” he said.

“Obviously at the start of the season, I was in and around the first team. “Getting to know a lot of the lads and being in that first team environment for a change was where I wanted to be.

“I now have a great relationship with the back three – and all of the boys. There's no bad eggs in this changing room. We all get on really well.

“I’m just happy to be given a chance and want to play as many games as possible, taking it game by game.”

Stone has been used to intense training sessions at Burnley, so the increased tempo of training under new boss Graham Coughlan has been less of a culture shock to him then some.

“Training under Graham Coughlan has been really intense,” he said.

“But I was used to that at Burnley. I think that's good, not just for me, but for the rest of the boys. Their fitness levels are now higher and that's what we needed to move forward.”

Stone has also been delighted to see vastly experienced Seamus McDonagh recently appointed goalkeeping coach.

Stone believes the former Republic of Ireland, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest coach can help bring him on even further.

“Training under him has been good,” he said. “He is a vastly-experienced goalkeeper coach and he’s worked with top, top goalkeepers at Premier League clubs. I know Bobby has worked with him previously.

“For him to come in here with his experience and say the things he has said to me about how to improve my game on and off the pitch, it's been like a breath of fresh air.

“Goalkeeping now is not just about saving shots, it’s playing out from the back – we’re basically outfield players who are able to use our hands.

“That’s what he gets across to us every day, and we do a lot of work on distribution.

“For someone with Seamus' calibre and CV to come in and work with us, it’s really good for me and Bobby and a big confidence boost. Hopefully he can push us into becoming top goalkeepers as well.

“It’s massive for me because I’m only young. I only had two years at Burnley, which is really the only coaching that I’ve had.

“Seamus and Sam Wilson (academy goalkeeper coach) are really focusing on individual parts and what we can improve on.”

“When you hear you have a permanent goalkeeping coach coming in, you automatically get a boost as you know you're going to get that one on one training rather than coming up with your own sessions.”

Stone concluded: “I now just want to enjoy every game and take it game by game.

“And next season I want to see this club climb the league where it should be and push for promotion. League One is the ambition for everyone at the club next year.”