With fixture release day just a fortnight away, City fans will be eager to get planning their season – with new opponents, new stadiums and new cities to visit. We’re taking a look at the seven new teams who we will be facing in League One next season.
Next up is Mansfield Town, who finally gained automatic promotion from League Two after 11 seasons to play their first third tier season since 2002-03. They finished third after a fantastic season that saw them go unbeaten for the first 18 matches of the season, not losing until the end of November away at Swindon. Only three more draws was the difference between the Stags and eventual league winners Stockport, finishing six points behind the Greater Manchester side.
A Brief History
Mansfield Town were formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and became Mansfield Town in the summer of 1910 after a vote at the club AGM.
The club were admitted into the Football League in 1931 and in 1960 were relegated out of the Third Division, but returned in two years later and would stay for nine seasons. In the 1977/78 season, they reached the Second Division for the first time, going onto finish 22nd – it is to date their only season in the second tier. Though they did suffer two relegations in three seasons and were back in the fourth tier by 1981. Between 1992-2002, the Stags had a nine season stay in the third tier, before being relegated again back to the old Division Three.
That became League Two in 2004 and a series of mid-table finishes saw Town cement their place in the division, before a disastrous 2007/08 campaign saw them relegated to non-league.
Mansfield initially struggled to adapt to the Conference Premier, securing only 12th spot in their first season, 9th in their second and 12th again third time around – though that season did see the club reach Wembley and the FA Trophy final, where they were beaten 2-0 by Darlington.
2011-12 saw the club finally return to the Football League, winning the Conference title with 95 points, while also reaching the third round of the FA Cup, where they were narrowly beaten 2-1 at home by Liverpool.
After an 11 year stay in League Two, Town were promoted last season.
The Manager
Son of the late great Brian, Nigel Clough has been in charge at Mansfield since November 2020 when the club were 22nd in the table.
Clough started his career playing under his father at Nottingham Forest before going on to play for Liverpool, Man City, Sheffield Wednesday and Burton Albion, for whom he undertook an 11 year player-coach role.
Clough took Burton to the Football League before following in his father’s footsteps by taking the manager role at Derby County. He also managed Sheffield United before he joined Mansfield.
The Stadium
Field Mill, officially called the One Call Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is the oldest ground in the Football League, with reports dating back to 1850. It consists of four stands, though only three are in use.
The main Ian Greaves Stand is the largest at the ground – a two tiered structured with a capacity of 5,417. There are two identical stands behind the goal – the Quarry Lane End for the most raucous of home supporters, with the players’ tunnel located in the corner of this stand. Opposite is the North Stand for away supporters.
On the other side of the stand is the currently closed off Bishop Street Stand. This has been condemned and boarded up, though there are plans in place to redevelop it with new dressing rooms and television facilties.
Head To Head Record
City and Mansfield have played 70 matches in their history, with City winning 27, Mansfield 24 and 19 draws.
Biggest Exeter City win: 4-0 (1937/38 – Division Three South)
Biggest Mansfield Town win: 6-2 (1961/61 – League Cup)
Previous Fixture
Mansfield were 2-1 winners over the Grecians the last time the teams met, as City suffered a rare defeat in the promotion winning season. Farrend Rawson and Matty Longstaff scored for the home side, before Matt Jay pulled one back late on.
Played for Both
Famous names to have played for both sides include Alex Jeannin, Darran Rowbotham and Jamie Reid. Striker Tom Nichols is another name that both sets of supporters will think kindly of, while historically, other names include Andrew Roscoe, George Foster and Neil Richardson.
Did You Know?
In 2008, a bidder for ownership of the club, John Batchelor, proposed that he would change the name of the club to Harchester United after the fictional team from the Dream Team TV series. Ultimately, his ownership bid failed, with both fans and club executives opposing the proposal.