My Mansfield Town team were the best claims former boss Stuart Watkiss

The ex-Stags boss saw the side in action last season and was impressed.

“I went to watch Mansfield play up at Grimsby at New Year, having heard all the Stags fans saying how good the team was,” he said.

“I thought I would go and have a look and compare them with my lot.

RECRUITMENT KEY FOR STAGS GLORY THIS SUMMER SAYS WATKISSWATKISS CHASING CHASING WORLD CUP SUCCESS WITH BANGLADESH“I was impressed with them. They had pace in the team and certainly broke really quickly, but with due respect I would still take my lot over them though maybe I am biased.

“I would be very surprised if the club have produced a better footballing team since mine. If any team is better than mine I will hold my hands up.”

He added: “It was a super time for me. I loved the players we had and I loved the way we tried to play.

“I think my side was very, very close to going to the next level and if we hadn’t had the injuries and had we been able to bring in a couple of strong League One centre halves, I think we could have been quite strong at that level. It just wasn’t to be.”